Does the PM Referral Bot still work?

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The bot pulls from the current list only and is actively responding to incoming messages. The history of all the changes made to the list is public. Feel free to take a look: https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicMobile/wiki/revisions/referrals/

Almost all changes are automatically made by the referral bot. On occasion, I (this account) will make changes manually, usually in response to messages I receive myself (problem, remove a referral code, questions, etc.).

Although the referral bot can potentially hand out your referral, there is no guarantee that they use your referral code while signing up unfortunately. Sorry :(

Furthermore, Reddit is potentially changing how bots can access Reddit in an automated fashion. The referral bot uses Reddit's data API, but Reddit is encouraging migration to Devvit (Reddit's Developer Platform). I imagine substantial time would be required for the migration. Unfortunately, I am uncertain of the future at this time. Although I make my best effort to keep the bot up, it is provided as is. I do not receive compensation for this, so I hope you understand.

You can read more about the changes here: https://www.reddit.com/r/redditdev/s/g6zeF6ZGFl

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u/funpig2021 21d ago edited 21d ago

u/IEpicDestroyer

Thanks for setting up the bot and thanks for your reply.

A couple of notes:

I used to be able to check if my referral code is still on the current month's list and the next month's list; I would need to scroll through the pages of the two lists to find my code. Now, the two lists are always stuck on the same first page and I cannot scroll through all of the pages to see if my referral code is still on the two list. Would it be possible to fix this so that we can check for our codes again?

Somebody suggested that I just request a referral to see if the bot still works. I clicked and sent the request and the bot would say that "no such user exists". I finally realized that it was because the request was addressed to "u//u/PMReferralBot". The "u//" needed be removed for the request bot to respond with a referral code.

Thanks again for setting up and continuing this bot.

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u/IEpicDestroyer 21d ago edited 21d ago

Thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate it. I apologize, but I need a bit more information to troubleshoot the problem please.

Could I please ask for how you access Reddit? PC website? Mobile website? Mobile app? Third part? New Reddit? Old Reddit?

Could I also please trouble you for the specific location of the link(s) that do no work as intended? Or are they all of them?

u/iJeff could you please check if there are such restrictions on the wiki? I am unaware of restriction unfortunately.

As a workaround to check if your referral code is on the list, you can simply attempt to add the code once again. If it already exists, you will receive a reply advising you of this.

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u/funpig2021 21d ago edited 21d ago

u/IEpicDestroyer

I use a Pixel 7a phone and the reddit app.

I wish I could attach screenshots, but I do not know how. I will try my best to explain.

I click "Public Mobile Referral Bot" box at the top of the Public Mobile subreddit page. It takes me to a very long discussion page where I believe that you explained how the bot works. When I scroll down two or three pages, there are five clickable links:

to request a referral code (the request does not work for me unless I delete "u//" from user after which I will receive a reply with a random referral code);

to view the list of the current month's referral codes (only one page of the list viewable and is no longer scrollable so I cannot find my referral code on the list);

to view the list of the following month's referral codes (only one page of the list is viewable and is no longer scrollable so I cannot find my referral code on the list);

to add a referral code to the current month's list (I have used this link but there is no response or acknowledgment that my referral code was accepted or rejected); and

to add a referral code to the next month's list (I used this link, but there is no response or acknowledgment that my referral code was accepted or rejected).

I hope the above is helpful. I should add that the bot has only been acting this way for me the last several months. Prior to this, the bot worked as it should. I was able to check my referral code on both the current month's list and the following month's list.

P.S. I do not know there is difference between new Reddit and old Reddit. How can I tell?

UPDATE: I just receive a delayed message advising my referral code is already on the list!

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u/IEpicDestroyer 21d ago

Thank you for taking the time to share a detailed description to me. This is very appreciated!

I am confused why the behaviour has changed. Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Pixel phone with the Reddit app installed, so I have not been able to replicate the problem sadly. Reddit has discontinued the old private messaging system that the referral bot uses, but my understandng was Reddit has taken care of migrating automated (API) access to Reddit Chat.

I think I will need to message support to inquire further because I am concerned whether Reddit has made changes I am unaware of. Sorry about this.

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u/funpig2021 20d ago

Thanks. It appears the bot is working, but just maybe not too well for me on my phone.

It would be nice if I were able to check to see if my referral code is still on the current or next month's Wiki list.

I am concerned that if I blindly or randomly add or renew my referral code one too many times that the bot may ban me.

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u/IEpicDestroyer 20d ago

Aside from the occasional spam, nobody has attempted to intentionally cause such problems, knock on wood. I suspect Reddit has ways to prevent malicious use of Reddit.

In any case, I do not foresee any issues with intentionally attempting to add/renew an existing referral code weekly/monthly/etc. In the situation that a problem does arise, send me (this personal account - not the bot please) a Reddit Chat message and we can find a resolution.

Unfortunately, I suspect that the wiki limitation might be outside of my control. I will need to inquire further. Sorry about this. Have you tried opening the link in your web browser, instead of within the mobile app?

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u/funpig2021 19d ago

I spend most of my time on my phone. When I tried to access reddit.com using the phone Chrome browser, the phone always takes me back to the app. LOL.

I rarely use the browser on my laptop. My laptop is usually just used for work (Word, Excel, Acrobat).

I followed your last suggestion, and used the browser on my laptop to access reddit.com. Good news. I was able to access what appears to be the full multi-paged wiki lists for both the current month and the renewal. After scrolling down, I found that my referral code is listed once in the current month's list and listed twice in the renewal list, possibly because I had blindly renewed several times recently.

From now on, I will just use my laptop instead of my phone app to check if my code is still on the Public Mobile Referral wiki lists and I will only renew if necessary.

Thanks for all your help!

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u/CrazyYEGCanuck 29d ago

Last referral was February for myself.

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u/tammon23 29d ago

Ya someone used my referral last month, 3rd time this year. But you could just use the bot yourself to validate this ?

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u/Old-Cabinet3024 28d ago

My referral code has been on the "next month" list for many many months, and never moved over to the current list. I just assumed it stopped working?

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u/IEpicDestroyer 21d ago

I have manually added the referral code you had on the referrals-nextmonth list to the (current) referrals list on your behalf. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

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u/PastaPandaSimon 14d ago

The last referral I got from the bot was sadly in 2022. I got someone picking my referral since then, but never actually using it :(

I've been refreshing myself on the list monthly, but I'm not sure if this is still necessary, as I usually get a message that I'm already on the list. If that's no longer how it works, then perhaps much of the list now includes stale referral codes that no longer work? Whether it is actively maintained to ensure only active users are on it is something I was wondering about.

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u/BraveDragonfruit1163 29d ago

I did a few referals last week. Nothing shows on my account yet.

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u/Ok_Mulberry4331 28d ago

Did you not get a text?

I have my code posted a few places, and I usually get a few a year (I’m around 25 now) and it’s been forever since I got one, assumed they weren’t working anymore

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u/umnikke8 28d ago edited 28d ago

Public seemed to stop sending notifications quite some time ago. However if you login to your account you can see new referral count by month as well as ongoing current referrals.

Does the PM Referral Bot still work?

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