Reddit What First Attracted You to Your So
A Reddit Guide for Parents
If you're a parent of teenagers, you may have seen them browsing a site called Reddit, and you may accept been unable to decipher what they were looking at. Non merely do Reddit pages comport an incredibly confusing design, but there's so much happening on the site that you probably wouldn't know where to begin.
You too may take seen Reddit in the news. And that might requite you break to wonder what your children are doing on at that place and who they're doing information technology with. We accept some answers.
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What is Reddit?
Often referred to as "the front folio of the cyberspace," Reddit is a social news website. Its content is generated by more than 243 meg monthly active users (who call themselves redditors) that come together to share stories, links and images, too every bit engage in oftentimes-heated debate. All of that activity is monitored past unpaid yet dedicated forum moderators.
If y'all visit Reddit, the first thing yous'll see is its front page, also known as r/all, which compiles the almost pop posts at a given moment. That listing contains trending news, controversial stories or random thoughts (oftentimes posted to r/ShowerThoughts, which has half dozen,883,426 subscribers every bit of June 2016). The posts that go far to the front page are originally found on subreddits, which are forums dedicated to a unmarried topic. You lot're too likely to see a ton of cute fauna photos and funny memes. (Considering why wouldn't you want to come across adorable pictures of teacup pigs.)
Reddit became a phenomenon almost as shortly equally it launched in 2005. By May 2016, the Alexa analytics house ranked information technology the 30th most trafficked site on the web. The site'south user voting organization and the site's Enquire Me Anything events, which let regular users get answers from celebrities, including Peter Dinklage, Al Gore and Snoop Dogg, were instantly popular. Even so, over time, the more seedy and malicious corners of Reddit take earned information technology a reputation equally being the premiere destination of angry folk with unsavory desires.
How does Reddit work?
Redditors submit links or text that other users then upvote or downvote. Users comment on those posts, creating threads that ascension and fall based on upvotes and downvotes. An upvote is given to not bad content, and according to Reddit, downvotes should be given to something that "does not contribute to the subreddit it is posted in or is off-topic in a particular community." The posts with the most upvotes make it to the "Hot" page of their respective subreddit, and if a post is especially pop, it could current of air up on the site's forepart page.
If your teen'due south already on Reddit, it may be beyond time to have a conversation about stranger danger and how to stay prophylactic on the cyberspace.
One style redditors advantage each other (or themselves) for stellar content is by giving Reddit Gold, a process they call gilding. A unit of Reddit Gold can be purchased for $3.99, and information technology tin be exchanged for a month of premium membership (or for $29.99 per year).
A Reddit Gilt fellow member gains admission to a agglomeration of features, including a switch that turns off advertisements and themes that change the site's appearance. Y'all too become a custom Reddit Alien avatar (that mascot with the antenna yous meet on the front page is named Snoo).
Redditors mensurate success on the site past karma points, accrued when other users upvote the posts and comments you submit. While it must be squeamish to have a lot of karma that you could brag near, there is no usable perk to amassing these points. But, if a redditor develops particularly low karma, they may accept their power to mail or comment taken away.
What's a subreddit?
Reddit is comprised of more than 853,000 topic-based forums called subreddits, and they're commonly referred to with an "r/" in front of them, which is standing in for "reddit.com/r/". By subscribing to subreddits, that content will appear on your own personalized Reddit.com main page.
Subreddits focus on wide topics such as r/Technology (five,039,654 subscribers) as well as more than specific sections including r/Zelda (141,754 subscribers). Subreddits sometimes form around random topics, such as images of Vice President Joe Biden eating sandwiches (r/joebidenandasandwich, 1,606 readers) to photos of birds that feature photoshopped-on arms (r/birdswitharms, 82,679 subscribers).
While you lot may be able to learn from these rabid enthusiasts, their comments and posts can sometimes edge on the inappropriate. For instance, as oftentimes every bit this site resembles Rule 39 of the internet (One cat leads to another), Reddit can also often embody Rule 34 (If it exists, at that place is porn of it). You lot'll need to have a talk with your teen about what's advisable and what'south non. Then they'll demand to be careful before clicking on whatever links that are tagged NSFW or NSFL (more on those afterwards).
Over fourth dimension, the more seedy and malicious corners of the Reddit have earned information technology a reputation as beingness the premiere destination of angry folk with unsavory desires.
Reddit is besides known to take a trolling problem. A troll is a commenter online who says hateful or aggressive things, oft with no other goal than to be offensive. It's important to talk frankly with your teen about bullying online, and to know how to downvote such comments. Yous tin as well formally report trolls to the site.
How practise I participate on Reddit?
If y'all're ready to jump in, you'll need to first by creating an business relationship and and then searching for subreddits that match your interests. For starters, you lot might want to subscribe to r/Parenting (98,891 subscribers) to talk to others who are dealing with teens. If you're feeling brave, check out r/College (32,613 subscribers) to run across what kids are proverb about college education.
Once you've subscribed to subreddits (click the green push button in the correct track), you can click on a link to see its contents, or click on the comments link underneath to see what others take to say nearly that postal service. Remember to upvote posts and comments you like, and downvote anything you think reduces the quality of the conversation.
When you lot're going to mail to a subreddit, check to see if someone'south already posted the aforementioned thing (self-appointed moderators will remove your post if this happens). If your post is about breaking news, check for like posts in the New tab, which sorts by newness.
You can besides have Reddit everywhere by downloading its official app (Android, iOS).
MORE: Parental Monitoring: How Much Is Too Much?
But I don't speak the lingo!
AMA (Inquire Me Annihilation): Posts that characteristic persons answering questions submitted by redditors. Whether this is a movie star promoting a new film or someone with a specific career (a garbage man, a pizza delivery person), AMAs are meant to be informative sessions that open users to new experiences.
DAE (Does Anyone Else?): No one wants to experience alone in the world. You can use this autograph in any mail service on any subreddit to find out if others empathise with you. But many of these questions go posed in the r/DAE section.
FTFY (Fixed That For Yous): If someone'south wrong on Reddit, and you feel the need to correct them, you lot might precede your correction with this snarky acronym. FIFY (Fixed It For Y'all) is an accepted alternative).
IIRC (If I Recall Correctly): Someone isn't exactly sure about their retentivity, and is willing to admit it.
ITT (In This Thread): Referring to what takes place in the current post or thread.
Karma whore: A redditor who's only out for raising their karma points, and doesn't intendance about how. These folks will repost already submitted links and make upwards stories for the sake of the upvotes. They're a relative of the internet troll, interim for their own benefit, but without any malice or ill will. Whore may be a muddied word that you may non want your teen using in any sense, and you lot'd be right. This phrase is definitely an insult on Reddit.
Lurker: Someone who visits Reddit, merely does not post or comment.
OC (Original Content): Reddit is best when information technology's made of new posts and links, as it keeps things interesting. You'd use this term when affectionate someone's content, or calling out someone for posting rehashed material.
OP (Original Poster): The user who creates a thread.
Meme: An prototype, video or text, such equally those often institute in the r/AdviceAnimals (4,121,528 subscribers) subreddit, which is copied (ofttimes with pocket-size changes) and spreads beyond the cyberspace apace.
NSFW (Not Prophylactic For Work): A label slapped on explicit content that is not appropriate for all ages or all settings (at work, for instance).
NSFL (Not Safe For Life): A label on explicit content that is likely to be something then horrific that you'll wish you never saw it.
Repost: A link that's already been shared on the site. If a moderator or another user sees reposted content, information technology'll be taken down.
Throwaway: A Reddit user account fabricated to post once to avoid being traced.
TIL (Today I Learned): A shorthand acronym used to preface an explanation. This is a way for a redditor to acknowledge that he or she only recently acquired this noesis.
TL;DR (Likewise Long; Didn't Read): Often institute at the end of a lengthy mail service, TL;DR headers are followed past the curt version of the story. Information technology could aptly exist described as the CliffsNotes of the internet.
X-post: A link that'southward already been submitted to a different subreddit.
What'due south a Reddit AMA?
Reddit gained a lot of popularity with its Enquire Me Anything (AMA) events, where one person — often a celebrity — answers a series of questions from redditors. The most famous AMA hosts include President Barack Obama, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey and Captain Picard himself, Patrick Stewart. As its title suggests, yous tin anonymously ask any question. Just because you ask doesn't mean they will reply — trolls and malicious types oft send nasty questions — only no topic is considered off limits.
There'due south even a subreddit just for AMAs; it's r/iama (11,372,544 subscribers), which stands for "I'm ____ Ask Me Annihilation." Our sister site Laptop Mag conducted an AMA about ThinkPad notebooks in May 2016.
Who are my kids talking to on Reddit?
There is no manner to know who your teens are talking to on Reddit. The site is built on the idea of anonymity. Redditors rarely mail under their given name and there's no verification of identity (unless you're hosting an AMA). That ways it tin can be a dangerous place for young people, and a nightmare for parents, peculiarly since redditors ofttimes do in person run across-ups.
Meeting IRL (In Real Life), is almost mutual for members of the same subreddit. Plus, in that location are subreddits devoted to organizing meet-ups, such equally r/Meetup (14,631 subscribers) and r/NYCmeetups (5,601 subscribers). If your teen is already on Reddit, information technology may be beyond time to accept a conversation most stranger danger and how to stay safe on the internet.
Why is Reddit controversial?
Reddit management is very hands-off, which is a policy that oft leads to a whole mess of problem. Although helping people find like-minded friends tin can exist a noble goal, that aforementioned practice can foster communities of those who share beliefs that some find destructive or toxic. That has led to moderators running subreddits by their own rules, and the site'southward troll side that has evolved over fourth dimension.
If you don't think your teen is ready for the wild world of Reddit, there are steps you tin can take to cake his or her access to the service.
While the site is still very much about free spoken language and open discourse, the founders did realign some company policies in 2015. In lodge to hide "Communities that are dedicated to shocking or highly offensive content," the site instituted a Quarantine feature so simply users with verified email addresses can enter. One such locked community is r/Ferguson, which has been run by white supremacists, though the r/WhiteRights (ix,251 subscribers) subreddit is still public.
The site's troubles with free speech still persist, as on June 12, 2016, the moderators of r/news (8,929,571 subscribers) showed poor judgment in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Moderators banned comments to the about popular thread near the story, removed additional links to the story, and and so deleted comments that included information most how to give blood donations.
I moderator went so far as to respond "impale yourself" to a commentor. Then, the chief page was suddenly flooded with posts from the r/The_Donald that accused the site of censorship. All of this behavior seems contrary to Reddit'southward goals, and serves equally an example of how a subreddit's unpaid and unregulated mods can go rogue.
In response to that result, Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman made some changes to how the site works, but stood behind the site's moderation policies. Huffman told the Washington Mail that if he could change how it happened, "We would have stepped in right away and created a live thread," a tool that Reddit developed for live events.
To prevent the master page from beingness deluged by a single subreddit's content, Reddit changed the way posts make it to r/all, then that according to Huffman, "the more often a customs is in [r/all], its 'hotness' gets demoted a little bit."
But even while Reddit'south algorithms are tweaked, its policy on community moderation looks to stay the aforementioned. Huffman stood behind the current standards, saying, "Reddit should be operated so that communities can operate how they like — you lot tin can exist as strict or as lenient as you similar, as long as yous're not more lenient than Reddit's rules."
Can I restrict access to Reddit?
If you don't think your teen is ready for the wild world of Reddit, there are steps you lot can take to cake their access to the service. You can blacklist Reddit.com using parental controls on Windows ten PCs, Windows 8 PCs, Windows 7 PCs and Macs. You can also block your kids from downloading the official Reddit App using the parental controls for iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Can I report bad content on Reddit?
If you see something horrible on Reddit, use our guide for reporting abuse to flag content. Hopefully, the moderators will take intendance of information technology.
Any more questions? Enquire me anything in the comments below.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/us/parents-guide-to-reddit,news-22876.html
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