How to keep your kids out of trouble while using Reddit
It’s easy to fall down rabbit holes on this popular online site
There is perhaps no other site on the Internet more informative, entertaining and confusing to use than Reddit.
It’s called “the front page of the Internet” for good reason. Nearly everything you have seen catching viral buzz online likely started on Reddit.
Users can find just about anything they want, on any topic. For most of Reddit’s users, it’s awe- some. For parents, it’s both good and bad.
There are countless parenting communities in Reddit, so that’s a plus. But what if your child wants to check out Reddit? Because its owners take a more hands-off approach, it’s very easy for kids to stumble into a link or image inappropriate for children.
For parents, here’s what you should know about Reddit:
Reddit is the fourthmost-popular site in the U.S., with more than 300M users a month. It’s behind Google, YouTube and Facebook.
WHAT IS REDDIT?
Launched in 2005, Reddit is essentially a massive forum categorized by a variety of topics called subreddits, usually preceded by an “r/.” For example, some of the straightforward subreddits include r/news or r/books. Others can get pretty specific, such as r/ cordcutters for users who have dropped cable or want to cut the cord and seek tips, advice or other information. Some are just plain strange. Want a subreddit with just pictures of birds with human arms? It really exists.
Subreddits are run by moderators, Reddit users who earn the title by creating a subreddit or being promoted by a current moderator. In some cases, moderators will have their own set of rules for participating in a subreddit.
HOW POPULAR IS REDDIT?
According to traffic analytics firm Alexa, Reddit is the fourth-mostpopular site in the U.S., with more than 300 million users each month. For perspective, it’s behind only Google, YouTube and Facebook. Reddit boasts more than 138,000 communities.
WHY IS REDDIT A BIG DEAL?
You can find literally anything on the Internet via Reddit. It’s an incredibly powerful, crowdsourced outlet. It uses a voting system where users decide which content is most relevant by giving them “up” or “down” votes.
SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT MY KIDS USING IT?
Reddit is kinda like YouTube in that kids can start with seemingly innocent stuff then fall down this rabbit hole into stuff that’s a lot more questionable for their ages.
Reddit also features a lot of anonymous comments and messaging, and it’s possible for anyone to message your child if they’re on Reddit.
HOW CAN I PROTECT THEM?
On the messaging front, users can control who sends them messages. They can add “trusted users” by their username, so only they can send messages. For questionable comments, users can report them for review.
As for content, users can control what subreddits or items appear on Reddit. Another trick is subscribing to subreddits, which help shape what the front page of Reddit will look like.