Reddit is introducing new privacy features that allow users to control the content displayed on their profiles, marking a shift away from the platform’s long-standing default of making all posts and comments publicly visible.
Previously, a user’s entire public posting and comment history was accessible to anyone who visited their profile, contributing to Reddit’s open reputation but often prompting users to create “throwaway” accounts to protect their identity and avoid exposure of sensitive activity. The existing default setting remains in place, but users now have the option to customize their profile visibility.
The new customization tools are available through a “curate your profile” tab in the settings menu, where users can find “content and activities” settings. These allow users to either hide all public posts and comments or selectively reveal or conceal activity from specific subreddit communities. A dedicated “NSFW” toggle has also been introduced, enabling users to hide content from subreddits flagged as Not Safe For Work.
It is worth noting that these new settings do not allow users to hide individual posts or comments, and the visibility settings do not affect the presence of posts or comments within the original subreddits where they were published. They will remain visible within the context of those communities.
While providing users with more privacy, Reddit has included provisions to ensure functionality for community moderators. Moderators will retain full access to a user’s profile for 28 days following any recent interaction with their subreddit, including actions such as posting, commenting, or sending modmail. After this period, the user’s selected profile visibility settings will be applied, unless they engage with the subreddit again, which resets the 28-day countdown.
Reddit’s introduction of these features likely aims to reduce the reliance on throwaway accounts, which hinder the platform’s ability to gather comprehensive engagement and interest data for individual users. This development is particularly significant following Reddit’s recent IPO and its emphasis on advertising and AI training. While intended to enhance user privacy and streamline data collection, the changes have sparked apprehension among some users.
