Parents' Guide to Reddit

Website http://www.reddit.com
Reddit Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Michelle Kitt By Michelle Kitt , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Share, rank, and discuss news -- and adult topics.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Enjoy 3 free reviews when you get the Common Sense Media app .

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
age 16+

Based on 30 parent reviews

Parents say this website can be a dangerous and toxic environment, filled with explicit content and unfriendly interactions that can negatively impact young users. Many reviewers express concern about the site facilitating bullying, promoting harmful behavior, and having arbitrary bans on accounts, suggesting it is not appropriate for children and may pose risks to mental health.toxic environmentexplicit contentunsafe for kidsbullying and abusearbitrary bans
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 30 parent reviews
age 13+

Based on 112 kid reviews

Kids say that the website has a mix of positive and negative aspects, offering a platform for social interaction and educational content. However, concerns about inappropriate, NSFW, and toxic content are prevalent, with many users recommending parental supervision and content filters for younger audiences to navigate safely.social interactionparental supervisioninappropriate contenttoxic communityeducational upsidecontent filters
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 112 kid reviews

What's It About?

Kids can access links that lead to stories or photos on external sites on REDDIT. Once they register, they can vote, make self-posts, or subscribe to "subreddits" that focus on specific topics. The signup process doesn't require proof of age. Voting a link "up" or "down" affects its popularity over other stories on the page. Kids can comment in response to stories or other users, and then vote on those, too; a user with a lot of upvoted comments earns "karma," which doesn't affect the user's experience, but does look nice in the bare-bones user profiles. As of 2017, users can upload videos as well.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 30 ):
Kids say ( 112 ):

This unique social sharing site is an excellent example of the power of people, but it's definitely not for kids. In its completely open environment groups have formed, campaigned, and raised significant amounts of money for positive change. Subreddits connect users with common interests while moderators keep things on topic and stick to clearly posted rules. The drawback on Reddit is the same as it is for the entire Internet -- there's just no telling what people will put out there. Links, comments, and entire subreddits may expose kids to biased, offensive, or sexual content. Reddit's best audience is a grown-up one.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the benefits and drawbacks of an open, free-speech community like Reddit. What are the consequences of sharing opinions in an anonymous, public environment? What are good rules to follow when responding to others? Read Common Sense Media's Digital Life: Our Kids Connected Culture.

  • Kids begin to form their moral and philosophical beliefs in their mid to late teens. How does the news affect them? Read Common Sense Media's Explaining the News to Kids.

  • Families can talk about how to recognize bias and stereotyping in the media. Read Common Sense Media's Tips for Battling Stereotypes.

Website Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Reddit Poster Image

You May Also Like...

See all

Stop Cyberbullying Online

See all recommended website lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate