Reddit's CEO, Steve Huffman, has announced a complete ban on data scraping from its site by companies like Microsoft and others that refuse to negotiate for data access. This decision follows Reddit's updated API policies, which now charge for data access, resulting in a lucrative $60 million annual deal with Google and partnerships with OpenAI. Huffman criticized Microsoft for allegedly using Reddit's data without permission, asserting that these changes allow Reddit to better control its data and enhance user experience. The new policy has led to a significant backlash, as non-Google search engines can no longer access fresh Reddit content, raising concerns about information accessibility. Microsoft, on its part, claims to respect data usage protocols but has faced accusations of undermining competition by not negotiating with Reddit. This situation highlights the ongoing tensions between data providers and tech giants over fair compensation and data usage rights.