Reddit's user base grows 19% as people seek human interaction
17 Feb 2026

Reddit, the online discussion platform that launched in 2005, is witnessing a surge in popularity as people seek human interaction amid an increasing amount of AI-generated content.

In its latest third-quarter report, Reddit revealed it has 116 million daily active users worldwide, an impressive 19% increase from the same period last year.

The platform has evolved from its early days as a niche site for tech enthusiasts to become a global hub for diverse discussions.

User demographics and unique platform structure
User base

Reddit's user base is predominantly female, with women making up over 50% of users in both the US and the UK. In fact, among UK women, Reddit is the fastest-growing social platform.

The site is organized into user-created communities called subreddits, where content is ranked by user voting rather than chronological order.

This unique structure allows users to post links, pictures and comment on various topics while maintaining a sense of community through volunteer moderators who manage specific communities and enforce rules.

Trending topics on Reddit
Unique value

Jen Wong, Reddit's COO, believes that the platform's human element is what sets it apart in a world flooded with AI-driven content.

She said, "I do think that in a world of AI—and there is a lot more AI driven content that's really crowded the internet—people recognize that what Reddit offers stands out more."

Wong also noted that popular topics gaining traction on the site include parenting, reality TV and skincare.

Challenges with moderation and credibility of conversations
Issues faced

Despite its growing popularity, Reddit faces challenges with the credibility of conversations on subreddits and inconsistent moderation.

Dr. Yusuf Oc, a senior lecturer in marketing at Bayes Business School in London, said, "Reddit's biggest weakness is that credibility can look like consensus."

He added that upvotes reward what a community likes, not necessarily what is true, which can lead to information cascades and echo chambers in certain subreddits.

How Reddit is tackling manipulated content concerns
Defense strategy

In response to concerns about manipulated content and inauthentic behavior, a Reddit spokesperson said, "Reddit's policies prohibit manipulated content and inauthentic behavior."

They added that their safety teams enforce such rules with a combination of human review and sophisticated automated tooling capable of detecting such content at scale.

The spokesperson also emphasized that community moderators set the subreddit-specific rules that can be even stricter than the platform's overall guidelines.