Reddit Safety Guide
Understanding Reddit's risks for young people, including content exposure, anonymity, and community dynamics.
Official age
13+
We recommend
16+
Developer
Reddit Inc.
Risks
3
Overview
Reddit is a discussion platform organised into communities called 'subreddits'. It contains content on virtually every topic, including many that are inappropriate for children. Unlike social media, Reddit is primarily anonymous, which changes the risk profile.
How children use it
Teenagers use Reddit for gaming communities, memes, homework help, and interest-based discussions. The anonymous nature appeals to teens who want to ask questions without their identity being known.
Main risks
Recommended privacy settings
Content visibility
Location: Settings > Feed Settings > Adult Content
Set to: Off
Prevents NSFW (not safe for work) content from appearing in feeds.
Chat and messaging
Location: Settings > Chat & Messaging > Who can send you chat requests
Set to: Nobody or Accounts older than 30 days
Limits who can send direct messages.
Profile visibility
Location: Settings > Account > Profile visibility
Set to: Off for sensitive options
Controls what information is visible on your child's profile.
Parent actions
Discuss that Reddit contains adult content and is best for 16+
Time: 5 minutes
Disable NSFW content in settings
Time: 2 minutes
Discuss anonymity — it doesn't mean safety
Time: 5 minutes