Reddit Inc (NYSE:RDDT) is rolling out new identity verification features aimed at confirming users are human while maintaining user privacy.
The changes include mandatory age checks in some regions, optional “verified profiles,” and the potential use of biometric tools such as Face ID to help distinguish people from automated accounts.
In a post on the platform, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman highlighted that Reddit’s goal is to keep interactions on the platform between humans. “Reddit is for people,” he wrote, noting that the company wants users to know when they are interacting with a person versus a bot.
The update introduces several new measures. Accounts that use automation in approved ways, such as so-called “good bots,” will be clearly labeled with [App] to indicate they are non-human, and developers can register their apps to receive this label.
Reddit will continue its efforts to limit malicious automated activity, which currently sees an average of 100,000 accounts removed per day. Accounts exhibiting unusual or automated behavior may be asked to verify that a person is behind the account, though Huffman stressed this will be rare and is not a sitewide requirement.
Reddit said any verification system will protect user anonymity. Options being explored include passkeys and third-party services that can confirm an account is human without revealing a user’s identity. In some countries, government-mandated ID checks may be required, but Reddit aims to prevent the platform from seeing personal ID information.
Huffman also addressed AI-generated content, noting that while automated writing tools are increasingly common, Reddit’s immediate priority is distinguishing humans from non-human accounts rather than policing AI-written posts.
The company plans to continue refining these systems as AI and online automation evolve, with a focus on transparency while preserving the anonymity that users expect on the platform.
Shares of Reddit traded down 10% on Thursday as separately, the company’s chief technology officer sold $1.34 million in stock.