Reddit to require user logins amidst declining search traffic

However, the landscape has shifted. As AI tools like ChatGPT become more prevalent and Google’s AI Overviews improve, users are increasingly finding answers directly within search results, reducing the need to click through to external websites. This trend, often referred to as “Google Zero,” is impacting website traffic across the internet.

CEO Steve Huffman stated that Google’s AI Overviews “are not traffic drivers” and highlighted a broader shift in Google’s relationship with the web. In a letter to shareholders, Huffman reported a “meaningful” decrease in search traffic during the third quarter of 2026, with weekly referrals dropping by over 1 million in October. He warned that continued decline could impact daily active unique visits by a “low-double-digit percentage” from the current base of 130 million.

Despite the traffic decline, Reddit reported revenue of $895 million, a 53% year-over-year increase. The company is prioritizing the logged-in user experience for advertising purposes, as 80% of Reddit’s monetization comes from app and logged-in users. Huffman addressed users on Reddit, acknowledging the change as “a big change” but asserting it was “the right decision for our platform and the right decision for our business.”