What Is Reddit? [Beginner Guide in 2024]

Your friend may share something interesting on Reddit with you. Often called “the front page of the internet,” Reddit has millions of active users and thousands of communities known as “subreddits.”

Each subreddit focuses on a specific topic, such as movies, books, sports, technology, or cooking. But what exactly is Reddit? How does it work? And more importantly, is Reddit safe for everyone to use? This post will answer these questions step by step for you.

What is Reddit?

Reddit is a social platform where users can share content like text, photos, links, and videos. People can also comment on other people’s posts and join in on discussions.

Reddit is different from other social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram because it is organized into thousands of smaller communities called subreddits. Each subreddit has its topic, rules, and style. For example:

• r/movies is a subreddit for discussing movies.
• r/technology focuses on the latest tech news.
• r/AskReddit is a place where users can ask any question and get answers from the community.
• r/Kpop is popular among fans enjoying Korean pop music.

On Reddit, you can find a subreddit for almost any interest or hobby, whether it’s about learning languages, playing video games, or sharing funny cat pictures.

How Does Reddit Work?

Reddit’s main page shows you the most popular posts from different subreddits. If you create an account, you can choose which subreddits you want to follow. This way, your main page will show posts that match your interests. Here is how Reddit works:

1. Create an account: You need to create a free account to post, comment, or vote. You can choose any username you like. Many people use fake names to keep their real identity private.

2. Upvotes and downvotes: Reddit uses a voting system. If you like a post or comment, you can “upvote” it. If you don’t like it, you can “downvote” it. The more upvotes a post gets, the more people see it.

3. Karma: When your posts or comments get upvotes, you earn “karma” points. Karma is like a score that shows how much you contribute to the community. However, karma does not give you any special powers.

4. Post and comment: You can share your thoughts by posting new content or commenting on existing posts. This is how discussions start on Reddit.

5. Moderators and rules: Each subreddit has its own rules. Volunteer users called “moderators” enforce these rules. They can remove posts or comments that break the rules and ban users who do not follow the guidelines.

Is Reddit Safe to Use?

Safety is a big question for many people thinking about joining Reddit. Like any online platform, Reddit has both safe and unsafe aspects. Let’s talk about the main points:

1. Content moderation

Reddit allows almost anyone to create a subreddit and start a discussion. Some subreddits are very well-moderated, which means the moderators keep a close eye on what people post. They remove anything inappropriate or harmful.

However, some subreddits may not be as strictly managed, which can lead to inappropriate or harmful content. It’s important to choose subreddits that have good moderation.

2. Privacy

On Reddit, you can stay anonymous. You do not have to use your real name or share personal information. This is good for privacy, but it can also make some users feel too free to say mean or inappropriate things. Be careful about what personal information you share, even in private messages.

3. Misinformation and scams

Not everything you read on Reddit is true. Like other social media, misinformation can spread quickly. Some users may share fake news, biased opinions, or even scams. Always check information from reliable sources outside of Reddit before believing it.

4. Age restrictions

Reddit requires users to be at least 13 years old. Some subreddits may contain content that is not suitable for younger users. Reddit has content filters, but they are not perfect. Parents should monitor what their children are viewing on Reddit and make sure they are not exposed to harmful content.

How to Stay Safe on Reddit?

While Reddit can be a great place to learn and discuss, it’s essential to know how to protect yourself. Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

1. Choose the right subreddits: Stick to subreddits that have good moderation and clear rules. Avoid those that seem chaotic or have a lot of inappropriate content.

2. Do not share personal information: Never share your real name, address, phone number, or any other personal information on Reddit. Even in private messages, keep your details private.

3. Use VPN: Though Reddit allows you to be anonymous, VPN also matters. You can choose some best VPNs for Reddit. The best VPNs like LightningX VPN can provide an added security layer for your account. It can hide your identity with a virtual IP. It also provides strong encryption to shield your data from potential data leakage.

4. Be skeptical of unverified information: Always double-check the information that you read on Reddit. Some users might post fake news or false information, either by mistake or on purpose.

5. Block and report: If someone is bothering you or you see something inappropriate, you can block the user or report the post to the moderators or Reddit administrators.

6. Enable privacy settings: Use Reddit’s privacy settings to control who can see your posts and who can send you private messages. This helps you stay more secure.

What’s the Difference Between Reddit and Usenet?

Reddit and Usenet are both places for sharing information and discussions, but they have some important differences:

Reddit

• Format: A modern website that organizes content into different “subreddits” based on topics.
• User interface: User-friendly, allowing users to upvote or downvote content.
• Content types: Supports various media like text, images, videos, and links.
• Moderation: Each subreddit has moderators who manage rules and guidelines.
• Accessibility: Easily accessible via web browsers and mobile apps, with real-time updates.

Usenet

• Format: A decentralized network where users post articles in “newsgroups.”
• User interface: Typically accessed through specific software (newsreaders), which can be less intuitive.
• Content types: Mainly text-based but can also include binary files (like images or software).
• Moderation: Lacks central moderation; newsgroups are often self-managed by users.
• Accessibility: Requires connecting to a news server, which can be more complex to set up.

To sum up, Reddit is a centralized, modern platform. It focuses on community content and is easy to search. Usenet is a decentralized, older system. It relies on newsgroups and requires a specific newsreader for access.

Conclusion

Reddit can be a fun and informative platform if you use it carefully. It offers a lot of value with its diverse communities. However, like any online space, it comes with risks. It is important to be aware of these risks and take steps to protect yourself. This post introduces what is Reddit, how it works and security on Reddit. Ready to dive into Reddit？ Hope this post strikes you!