It has existed for years but many are wondering what Reddit is and how it works : defining it in a few lines is not simple, it is in fact one of the most complex and articulated (for use and content) platforms present online that is characterized by being a halfway between a forum and a social network (but it has nothing to do with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
What is Reddit if anyone who recently followed the short squeeze of GameStop actions will have asked but it is likely that many times you have opened the portal for a meme, to read the most disparate theories on the last season of Game of Thrones or to have previews on the new Fortnite update.
In fact, on Reddit we discuss and talk about the most disparate topics, usually the most popular are presented at the top of the home of what defines itself as the first page of the internet. Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know about Reddit.
What is Reddit?
The name Reddit derives from Read it which is the main function of the platform: reading the various topics and feeding the discussion, posting valid and relevant contributions to the discussion in which you participate from time to time.
Reddit was created starting from the idea had by Alexis Ohanion and Steve Huffman then realized thanks to Christopher Slowe and Aaron Swartz , who contributed to its development: it has been online since 2005.
Summarizing what Reddit is is as complex as the platform itself, full of ideas and arguments: Reddit is in fact both social and online forum, both news aggregator and search platform for original content (many of the memes that arrive on Facebook and Twitter start from a thread on Reddit).
Just open the Reddit homepage to find yourself disoriented from outside : it is current, as it still has an active community made up of millions of users, but also archaic in the form in which the threads are divided and commented on (who has never having seen a forum it might feel out of place).
In fact, just use the search bar at the top of the page to understand that on Reddit you can find discussions on any type of topic.
How Reddit works
Reddit lives thanks to the immense contribution of its users, called redditor , who can create discussions, called subreddits , on specific topics by establishing the rules of the individual topics from time to time.
Reddit is essentially free , with redditors who can become moderators of the various open subreddits, but it has some fundamental guidelines indicated in the Reddiquette : in these it is recommended for example to insert a link to the original source when possible, moderate the posts for quality ( beyond their opinions on a given topic), comment by giving constructive content to the post. Promotional activities, the publication of personal data belonging to users or third parties are banned.
On the other hand, it is important to give a positive or negative vote to the discussion which allows to improve not only the content in question but also the topic of the discussion.
You can also download video from Reddit by using RedditVideoDownloader.
What are subreddits
In the romantic vision of its founders, but also of a large slice of users, Reddit channels the very soul of the forums in a more modern way by focusing on the free discussion of users (who are often protected by anonymity) as in the days of the glorious Roman forum.
A subreddit is an area of interest that users can access to have their say or contribute to a topic. Through the subreddits it is possible to create real communities of users who gather and meet again with variable frequency only to feed the current subreddit. The name of each subreddit is always accompanied by the following nomenclature: “r /”. Basically Reddit is the site while the subreddit is the specific group that contains a certain community within Reddit.
A subreddit discusses the topic indicated. The individual comments are accompanied by two arrows to rate the single content positively and negatively.
A few examples: do you like video games? Then we will comment in r / gaming. Would you like to comment on the latest episode of WandaVision? Then you will post on r / wandavision. Are you there for the memes? Then you will go to r / meme.
All discussion posts under the various subreddits are sorted by popularity, rating, achieved by indicating the trending ones to visitors.
What changes between Reddit and Facebook or Twitter
Why can’t Reddit properly be defined as a social network but at the same time channels some features of it?
Unlike a Facebook group or a trending hot topic on Twitter with a certain hashtag on Reddit, users (redditor) focus on content over their personal profile.
The overwhelming majority of those who comment on Reddit keep anonymity and interact in relation to the post or the discussions that are created: you do not follow each other with the aim of perhaps deepening knowledge, even if this can happen, but you enter on Reddit to make a contribution or to read what users are saying about a particular thread.
How to sign up for Reddit
Signing up for Reddit is simple and free although there is also a premium membership ( Reddit Gold ) which allows ad-free access.
To register, follow these steps:
- open Reddit.com;
- click on Sign Up;
- enter your email or log in automatically with Google and Apple;
- choose username and password.
Through the pop up menu it is possible to select the topics of our interest and access the various subbredits:
- Justforyou , or Reddit suggestions based on our profile;
- Recommended , the most popular subreddits;
- Advice , which contain advice and guides;
- Animals , dedicated to the world of nature and animals;
- Art , for art;
- DIY , for do it yourself;
- Electronics , for technology;
- Entertainment , for entertainment between cinema and TV;
- Fashion , for fashion;
- Food , for food;
- Funny , for fun;
- Gaming , for video games;
- Health , for health;
- Memes , for memes;
- Music , for music;
- News , for the main news;
- Outdoors , for lovers of excursions;
- Photography , for photos and photography lovers;
- PICS and GIFS , for images and GIFs;
- Relationship , for dating app relationships and couple advice;
- Science , for science;
- Sports , for sports lovers;
- TV , for television;
- Tech , for technology;
- Traver , for travel;
- Videogames , for video games;
- Videos , for links to various videos or videomaking tips;
- Vroom , for the world of engines;
- Writing , for writing enthusiasts.
Reddit: slang and useful jargon
On Reddit the English language is used most of the time and also for this reason in Italy it is often little known or used. Those who frequent Reddit know very well, however, the slang that is often used in the various subreddits through various.
If you are taking your first steps on Reddit and are feeling disoriented, here are some of the main expressions:
- IANAD : “I am not a doctor”, is used when you want to give health advice even if you are not doctors;
- IANAL : “I am not a lawyer”, similar to I’m not a doctor but used in legislative and legal subreddits.
- IMO or IMHO : “In my opinion” or “In my honest opinion” used to have your say, literally translated as for me / my humble opinion.
- AMA : “Ask me anything”, ask me what you want.
- ELI5 : “Explain like I’m 5 (years old)”, explain to me in an extremely simple way.
- NSFL : “Not safe for life”, reports or accompanies sensitive content.
- CMV : “Change my view”, let me change my mind.
- AFAIK : “As far as I know” which means “as far as I know” on a certain topic.
- MRW or MFW : “My reaction when,“ My face when ”, indicate your reaction to a topic or issue, usually accompanied by GIFs and images.
- FTFY : “Fixed that for you”, when we solve a problem or answer a question posed by a user.