Reddit To Tighten User Verification System

Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, shared a post this Monday announcing that the platform will add new verification systems to ensure users are human. The decision was made just a few days after researchers deployed AI bots on the platform.

In a post on Reddit, Huffman reflected on the company’s recent Q1 earnings and included a section addressing AI usage, its involvement on the platform, and Reddit’s response.

He acknowledged the power of the technology—particularly in areas like safety, moderation, translation, and summarization—but also noted its risks and the company’s concerns.

Huffman emphasized the elements that make Reddit unique, including its human community, user trust, and features that support anonymity.

“Unwelcome AI in communities is a serious concern. It is the worry I hear most often these days from users and mods alike,” wrote Huffman. “Reddit works because it’s human. It’s one of the few places online where real people share real opinions. That authenticity is what gives Reddit its value.”

Last week, a group of researchers—allegedly from the University of Zurich—conducted an unauthorized experiment on Reddit, deploying dozens of AI bots over several months. These bots generated more than 1,800 comments in the subreddit r/changemyview, which has over 3.8 million members. The experiment raised alarms among users once it was revealed.

The researchers were able to easily create fake accounts, as the platform requires very little information from users. Huffman noted that the freedom to tell stories and share personal experiences anonymously was one of the platform’s defining features—but added that Reddit will now begin requiring more information from users.

“To keep Reddit human and to meet evolving regulatory requirements, we are going to need a little more information,” added the CEO. “Specifically, we will need to know whether you are a human, and in some locations, if you are an adult. But we never want to know your name or who you are.”

Huffman explained that the new user verification systems will be provided in collaboration with “various third-party services,” focusing only on essential information.

During the past few months, Reddit has also been criticized for its lack of strong age verification systems to prevent children from accessing the platform and reaching sensitive content. The UK recently launched an investigation, and the Australian online safety regulator ESafety recently reported that children can easily bypass age verification systems—Reddit was among the platforms mentioned.