Reddit is among the most popular social media platforms, with hundreds of million users. As such, it may be difficult for the platform to regulate user content completely. This is why Reddit allows users to report other users who may be contravening the platform’s content policy.
The best way for users to report other users they believe may be violating Reddit’s policy is by reporting specific posts, comments, or messages from such users that exemplify the reasons for the complaints. When a user reports content, the person who submitted such content, the originating community, and other users who may have interacted with it will all be reviewed by Reddit.
Here is how to report posts, comments, or messages:
Reporting posts
Reporting posts on Reddit’s desktop website is simple. Once you find the post in question, simply look at the options below the post. The options usually include the comment numbers “Award,” “Share,” and “Save.” Clicking on the icon will reveal two more options: “Hide” and “Report.” Clicking on “Report” will report the post to Reddit.
On the old desktop Reddit design, you can also report posts by simply clicking on them from the options below the post. You can find it among other options like the number of comments, “Share,” “Save,” “Save,” “Give award,” “Report,” and “Crosspost.” Select “Report” to report the relevant post to Reddit.
Reporting posts require a different approach on the Reddit mobile website than desktop websites. To report a post on the Reddit mobile website, click on the three-dot icon at the top-left corner right above the post. This will reveal a new window with several options, including “Permalink,” “More from xx,” “Save,” “Hide,” and “Report.” Click on “Report” to send the post to Reddit for their review.
The process for reporting posts on the mobile app version of Reddit is similar to the mobile website version. Likewise, click on the three-dot icon at the top-right corner right above the post. This will reveal a new window with several options, including “Share,” “Save,” “Copy text,” “Report,” etc. Select “Report” below “Copy text” and click on it to report the post.
Reporting comments
Reporting comments is very similar to reporting posts. Comments typically contain the same options below them, such as “Permalink,” “Embed,” “Save,” Report,” “Give award,” and “Reply” on the old Reddit website design and “Reply,” “Give Award,” “Share,” “Report,” “Save,” and “Follow.” on either platform, simply select “report” to report any relevant comment to Reddit.
On the app version, reporting a comment is slightly different. When you find the offending comment, click on the three-dot icon next to the award icon under the comment. This will disclose a pop-up window with several options, such as “Share comment,” “Subscribe to comment,” “Save comment,” “Copy text,” “Report,” etc. Select “Report” below “Collapse thread” and click on it to report the post.
The steps are the same on the mobile Reddit website, except that the three-dot icon is located at the post’s top-right corner. Likewise, the options when you click on the icon include “Permalink,” “ xx profile,” “Save,” and “Report.” Click on “Report” to send the post to Reddit for their review.
Reporting a message
Reporting messages are also very simple. On the new and old desktop website, simply hover your cursor above the message and click on the flag icon next to the message.
If you are using the mobile app, you can report a message by holding down the message. This will reveal a window below with the “Copy text” and “Report” options. Select report to report the message.
Report website
Reddit users can also report via a specialized reporting interface accessible via Reddit.com/report.
You can either report spam or abuse, or other issues. The other issues include copyright and trademark infringement, related to minors, confidential information, non-consensual intimate media, etc.
If you select the spam or abuse segment, a drop-down reveals three options, including “This is spam,” “This is misinformation,” and “This is abusive or harassing.” Depending on the option you select, the interface may request further information regarding the nature of the report you are making. The interface ultimately requests information regarding the content; you will provide a link to the comment and other optional and relevant information. After filling out the form, you can click “Submit” at the bottom of the screen.
Content removal on Reddit
Content moderation on Reddit happens in a layered, community-driven manner. This manner is similar to democracy, according to Reddit, as everyone gets the ability to vote and self-organize, observe common rules, develop community-specific behaviors, and share some responsibility for how the platform works.
Removals done by Reddit moderators may be because of any reason specific to the rules of a particular community and do not necessarily indicate that the content violates Reddit’s Content Policy.
Reddit admins also commonly remove content from the platform to enforce Reddit’s Content Policy and protect its integrity. The admins do this by manual review and removal, including through user reports and automated tools.
Victims of reports also get the opportunity to appeal whatever sanctions they receive as a result of the report, whether applied against an individual post, an account, or an entire community. Reddit admins usually evaluate the appeals, either granting or denying them. Granting an appeal results in Reddit reinstating the affected content, account, or community.
Governments may request that Reddit remove specific comments for several reasons, including alleged violations of local law. Reddit typically evaluates each request to ascertain its legality and may either push back or deny the request entirely for various reasons. One of such reasons is that the request is too broad or inconsistent with international law.
Reddit also gets legal requests from private parties for content removal. These requests typically come from lawyers/solicitors, corporations, private individuals, and social organizations to remove content they believe is defamatory or contravenes private legal rights. Reddit may restrict the relevant content in the country where the request has alleged specific content to be illegal if it violates local law but does not violate its Content Policy.