Enhance your privacy on Reddit

Learn more about how Reddit works and the features available to ensure you can use it safely and securely.

Last Updated18/08/2024

What is Reddit?

Reddit is a vast network of communities where people share news, memes, and have discussions on nearly every topic imaginable.

It is often referred to as the "front page of the internet" due to its extensive variety of content and active user base.

Reddit allows users to keep up with news and connect with others who share similar interests. Each community on Reddit is called a subreddit, and these subreddits are dedicated to specific topics.

You can subscribe to as many subreddits as you like to create a personalised feed of news, information, and discussions that match your interests.

How voting works

Unlike other social media platforms, Reddit's engagement system is based on voting.

You can upvote posts and comments that you find valuable, which helps them gain visibility.

Conversely, downvoting reduces a post's visibility if it doesn't contribute positively to the community.

Types of content

With millions of posts and comments added daily, the content you see is often what others have upvoted.

Reddit hosts a diverse range of communities and viewpoints, so you may encounter both helpful and humorous content as well as opinions you might disagree with.

Anyone can create a subreddit and start a community on Reddit. While the site has overarching rules, each subreddit can establish its own guidelines, such as banning spoilers for TV shows or sports events.

Anonymity on Reddit

Reddit allows for pseudo-anonymity. You can browse and interact on Reddit without creating an account, or you can create an account without using your real name.

Moderation

Subreddits are moderated by teams of volunteers from within the community. These moderators help keep the subreddit safe from spam, harassment, and other disruptive content.

Although enforcement can sometimes be inconsistent, moderators generally strive to be transparent about rule enforcement.

If you want to report content to the moderators, open the message you want to report and click report under the message.

Direct messaging and how to block

Reddit also allows direct messaging. If you need to stop a user from engaging with you, you can block them by following these steps:

Click on your profile
Select message or chat from the dropdown menu
Open the conversation with the user you want to block
Tap of the users name, then tap on the 3 dots and select “Block User”

Go to Reddit's instructions on how to block.(https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/214548323-How-do-I-block-someone)

Netsafe's advice for staying safe on Reddit

Use a username that doesn't reveal your real identity.
Be cautious about sharing personal information in comments and posts.
Never share private information such as your address.
Use the report button if you encounter any posts or comments that make you uncomfortable so that community moderators can review them.

For more detailed information, you can check out Reddit's official policies and read about reddiquette(https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette), which outlines the expected behaviour on the platform.