Reddit has a new privacy feature that gives users more control over the content that appears on their user profiles.
These include “content and activities” settings that hide all public posts and comments, including those made directly on user profiles, or selectively hide posts and comments made in specific subreddit communities.
There’s also a “NSFW” toggle that hides posts and comments in subreddits that are flagged as NSFW.
Users cannot select individual comments or posts to hide from their profiles.
These settings also won’t hide comments or posts in the subreddits in which they were published.
Users now have greater control over what shows up on their user profiles thanks to a new privacy feature on Reddit. Instead of having all of their activity visible to anyone who clicks on their profiles, users can now selectively hide posts and comments from subreddits they participate in, according to a Reddit update that was announced on Tuesday.
The default setting, which has contributed to Reddit’s reputation as an open platform, will continue to allow all public posting and comment history to be seen on profiles unless the user chooses to filter it. Considering how easily others could reveal private information and embarrassing behavior in their post and comment history, sometimes garnering viral attention, many users frequently create “throwaway” accounts to avoid being identified.
The “curate your profile” tab in the settings menu offers a few new customization choices that are being added. These include “content and activities” settings that either selectively hide posts and comments made in particular subreddit communities or hide all public posts and comments, including those made directly on user profiles. A “NSFW” toggle is also available to conceal posts and comments in subreddits that have been marked as inappropriate.
Users are unable to choose which posts or comments to remove from their profiles. It is also not possible to conceal posts or comments in the subreddits where they were published using these settings.
Community moderators, who frequently have to examine user profiles before taking action against accounts, have some carveouts in the privacy settings. For 28 days after a user posts, comments, sends modmail, requests to join a private subreddit, or requests to be an approved poster, moderators will have complete access to the user’s profile. After 28 days, the user’s selected visibility setting will remain in effect; however, if they engage with the subreddit again, the timer will be reset.
Given its post-IPO focus on advertisements and AI training, Reddit is probably making these changes to encourage users to interact with the platform without using disposable accounts, which makes it more difficult to gather individual user engagement and interest data. However, it appears from the comments on Reddit’s FAQ thread that some users are concerned about the privacy features.
One user commented, “This seems like it’s going to make it easier for bad actors to hide their behavior from the average user.”. They’re posting inflammatory misinformation across a dozen different subs, for example, and you won’t be able to see it unless you’re a mod. It is not good to have less transparency. “.”.
