Reddit has announced a new step to fight the spread of fake human-like bots on its platform after an online experiment caused concern among its users.Â
The move comes after a group of researchers released over 1,700 AI-generated comments on the “Change My View” subreddit.
These bots pretended to be real people, sharing personal stories or controversial views, making it hard for others to tell whether they were interacting with actual users or not.
The company described the experiment as unethical and reported it to the university involved.
 But the event served as a wake-up call, showing that bots are becoming harder to spot and may be used in ways that confuse or manipulate users.
Reddit, known for being a space where people can speak freely and stay anonymous, is now taking steps to make sure that real people, not machines, are behind the posts and comments.
On Monday, Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, said the platform would start working with outside companies to check whether users are human.
This will involve new steps to confirm that people signing up or using certain features aren’t bots, and in some places, that they are adults.
However, the company insisted it will not ask for users’ names or personal identity details beyond what’s needed to confirm they’re real.
This marks a big change for Reddit, which has long allowed users to join and post without sharing much about themselves.
 The new rules may affect those who value complete anonymity on the site, especially in sensitive communities where people share private stories or seek advice.
Reddit hasn’t said exactly when or how these checks will roll out, and a spokesperson declined to share which third-party services will be used.
 However, many companies already use tools like Persona, Plaid, and Stripe Identity to confirm identities, often requiring a government-issued ID.
Some platforms are even exploring newer tools like eye scans.
Critics of these checks worry that giving out personal information could be risky, especially on platforms like Reddit where users often share things they wouldn’t feel safe saying if their identity were known.
 There’s also fear that authorities might demand information, as seen in past cases involving other social media sites.
 Reddit said it will only collect the minimum information needed and that protecting user privacy remains a top priority.
Despite these worries, Reddit said the changes are necessary to protect the community from bots and meet new laws in some countries that require online platforms to check user ages.
The company said it will still push back against any unfair demands for user data and that user privacy and freedom to speak will remain core values.
The new system may take time to fully appear across Reddit, but the platform has made it clear: keeping Reddit a place for real people is now more urgent than ever.
