Reddit vs Roblox

Reddit ends RSS feeds and public API due to AI scraping

Reddit announced that it will discontinue support for RSS feeds starting November 13, 2026, citing the format's vulnerability to large-scale scraping and automated abuse. The company also revealed that its public API will be shut down by March 2027, impacting social listening tools, researchers, and AI assistants that rely on programmatic access to Reddit conversations. These moves are part of Reddit's broader efforts to protect its data and monetize it through AI licensing deals, which have become a profitable separate revenue stream. The company is recommending moderators migrate to its Discord Relay Devvit app, but acknowledges there is no direct replacement for general RSS use. Additionally, Reddit will restrict access to Old Reddit to logged-in moderators and users active in the past six months, and developers must register their apps by January 12, 2027.

• Reddit will end RSS feed support on November 13, 2026.
• Reddit's public API access will end by March 2027.
• Reddit's non-advertising revenue grew 24% year-over-year to $43 million in Q2 2026.

HBO Max Reddit Account Hacked for Ad Fraud

HBO Max's verified Reddit account was compromised by a hacker group, which ran 108 ad variations over two days before being detected. The malicious ads promoted fake HBO Max downloads and promos, using a lookalike domain 'hbomax.us' to deceive users into data harvesting. Reddit stated it locked the account, removed the ads, and is working with HBO Max to enhance security. Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max's parent, did not comment. The breach reportedly stemmed from a compromised employee account, highlighting ongoing ad account takeover risks. The article also notes similar issues on Google Ads and calls for platforms to notify users affected by scam ads.

• HBO Max's verified Reddit account was taken over by a hacker group.
• The attackers ran 108 ad variations targeting Reddit users.
• Malicious ads used domain 'hbomax.us' to trick users into data harvesting.

Reddit co-founder says tech industry tone deaf on AI risks

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian criticized the tech industry for being 'tone deaf' in explaining AI risks, saying misinformation is widespread. He argued the AI debate should focus on substantive risks rather than political point-scoring. His comments follow warnings from researchers at OpenAI and Anthropic about recursive self-improvement (RSI), where AI systems could build more advanced models, potentially leading to loss of human control. Ohanian believes risks are more mundane than 'Terminator' scenarios, and stressed the need for thoughtful conversation over slogans.

• Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder, told CNBC the tech industry has been 'pretty tone deaf' in explaining AI risks.
• Researchers at OpenAI and Anthropic have issued warnings about recursive self-improvement (RSI).
• Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned, accusing the companies of 'gambling with our lives'.

Advertising Week New York Opens Amid Industry Rebuild

Advertising Week New York 2026 opens as the ad industry rebuilds around AI implementation, creator deals, and measurement uncertainty. Executives from On Device, Roblox, Kochava, and Channel Factory highlight a shift from experimentation to implementation, with concerns about data trust and AI security. The event features a record 2,500 creators, a $100 million creator deal challenge, and a focus on agentic AI and measurement. Organizers admit uncertainty is permanent, but aim to find opportunities collectively.

• Advertising Week New York 2026 runs from October 5-8, 2026 at The Penn District in Manhattan.
• About 2,500 creators are expected, up from 1,000 last year.
• The $100 Million Creator Challenge aims to generate $100 million in creator deals within 12 months.

Securing an Ecosystem Unlike Any Other

Roblox published a new engineering article titled 'Securing an Ecosystem Unlike Any Other' in October 2026.

Roblox Loses Bid to Halt LA Child Safety Lawsuit

A Los Angeles County lawsuit against Roblox, alleging failure to protect minors from online predators and sexual exploitation, will proceed after a judge rejected Roblox's motion to dismiss. The court ruled that Section 230 and First Amendment protections do not shield Roblox's age verification practices. Roblox has implemented nationwide safety changes including facial age checks and age-based accounts, and has settled investigations in multiple states for over $30 million. Similar legal actions have been filed by Arkansas against Roblox and Discord.

• Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dean Kitchens ruled that Roblox's age verification practices are not protected by Section 230 or the First Amendment.
• The lawsuit was filed by Los Angeles County in February, alleging Roblox contributed to child sex trafficking and exploitation.
• Roblox announced nationwide changes including facial age checks and age-based accounts.