Reddit blackout breaks popular Google search hack: Can Bard and ChatGPT suggest an alternative?

As Reddit users continue to protest the platform’s planned changes, a popular Google search hack has been rendered useless, presenting an opportunity for Google and Microsoft Bing’s chatbots to fill in the gaps. However, a short experiment showed mixed results, and neither platform offered a true replacement for the community aspect of Reddit. Both chatbots recommended content but relied on top search results. On narrower issues, the bots were less helpful, and users would have to rely on Reddit for a quick answer. Currently, more than 50% of subreddits remain on blackout, protesting Reddit’s planned API changes. The changes will charge third-party app developers a rate per 1,000 API calls, forcing some to shut down their popular apps. Alternative search engines like crowdview.ai and Swurl have also been impacted by the protests, as they rely on social media platforms like Reddit for results.