On a recent Wednesday, Reddit made a significant announcement regarding a comprehensive overhaul of its privacy settings. The primary objective behind this transformation is to achieve a higher degree of consistency in the toggles related to ad personalization and account visibility. Notably, one major change is the removal of the option for users to opt out of ad personalization based on their activities on the platform.
In this update, Reddit has emphasized its commitment to maintaining opt-out controls within specific regions, although the specific details regarding these regions have not been provided. The company has sought to reassure its user base that this alteration will not lead to an increase in the number of advertisements they encounter. Instead, users can anticipate a more refined and targeted ad experience tailored to their interests and preferences. All of this information was shared with the Reddit community through a blog post published by the company.
“Reddit requires very little personal information, and we like it that way. Our advertisers instead rely on on-platform activity—what communities you join, leave, upvotes, downvotes, and other signals—to get an idea of what you might be interested in,” the company stated.
Changes to Reddit Ad Personalization Options
In an evolving move, the company is taking a step towards unifying the options related to ad personalization. Essentially, the choice to opt out of being tracked based on your activities on Reddit is being phased out. This means that users will no longer have the ability to distinctively toggle settings for ads based on activity and information obtained from partners. The previous separation of these settings is being consolidated into a single toggle, removing the ability to customize preferences for each aspect independently.
Reddit has recently made changes regarding the options for tailoring post recommendations based on users’ “general location” and activities on affiliated websites and applications. The platform is in the process of phasing out the toggles associated with these preferences, leaving users uncertain about whether these parameters will now be utilized for post suggestions by default, with no opt-out available.
Additionally, Reddit has announced its intention to introduce enhanced controls allowing users to limit exposure to specific advertising categories. These categories include alcohol, weight loss, dating, gambling, pregnancy, and parenting. The forthcoming controls will grant users the ability to reduce the frequency of ads within these categories, although it’s important to note that disabling the toggles may not entirely eliminate ads from the mentioned categories. Reddit clarified that its ad-limiting mechanisms rely on a combination of manual tagging and machine learning, acknowledging that the system may not be entirely flawless, providing a reason for the inability to guarantee complete filtration of ads.
Reddit’s Streamlined Location Customization Feature
Reddit is streamlining its location customization feature into a centralized menu for enhanced user accessibility, consolidating the settings for both app and web platforms.
The platform has undergone a series of significant alterations in its ongoing efforts to bolster monetization. Notably, modifications to its data API terms precipitated the closure of numerous third-party clients, prompting substantial backlash from subreddits. More recently, Reddit introduced a robust creator rewards program aimed at incentivizing users to elevate the quality and frequency of their content contributions. Alongside this initiative, they implemented a user-friendly alteration, simplifying the process for users to purchase Gold rewards.
During an open discussion with The Verge in the month of June, Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, delved into the pervasive rumors surrounding the possibility of an Initial Public Offering (IPO). He placed considerable emphasis on the company’s overarching objective: attaining the critical milestone of breakeven. This strategic directive remains unwavering, irrespective of the ever-fluctuating economic landscape.
