The social media platform has rolled out new privacy controls that fundamentally change how user profiles display public activity. These changes represent a significant shift from Reddit's traditionally open approach, where all user interactions were visible to anyone viewing their profile.
New Privacy Controls Allow Selective Content Hiding
Reddit's latest update introduces a curate your profile feature that enables users to selectively hide posts and comments from specific subreddit communities. The new settings can be accessed through the profile settings menu, offering users unprecedented control over their public presence. Users can now choose to hide all public posts and comments, selectively hide activity from specific subreddits, or maintain the current default setting where all activity remains visible.
Key Privacy Features Available:
- Hide all public posts and comments
- Selectively hide activity from specific subreddits
- Toggle NSFW content visibility
- Hide follower counts
- Customize community-specific visibility
NSFW Content and Follower Count Management
The privacy overhaul extends beyond general posting activity to include specialized controls for sensitive content. Users can now toggle off NSFW-flagged subreddit activity from their public profiles, addressing long-standing concerns about professional or personal reputation management. Additionally, the update allows users to hide their follower counts, providing another layer of privacy control that wasn't previously available.
Moderator Access Provisions and Time Limitations
The new system includes specific provisions for community moderation needs. Moderators retain full access to user profiles for 28 days after any interaction within their subreddit, including posts, comments, modmail, or membership requests. This grace period ensures that community management remains effective while respecting user privacy preferences. The 28-day timer resets with each new interaction, maintaining the balance between privacy and accountability.
Moderator Access Rules:
- Full profile access for 28 days after user interaction
- Timer resets with each new subreddit interaction
- Access includes posts, comments, modmail, and membership requests
- Privacy settings honored after 28-day period expires
Platform Strategy and User Concerns
Reddit's motivation for these changes likely stems from its post-IPO focus on user engagement and data collection for advertising and AI training purposes. The platform hopes to reduce reliance on throwaway accounts, which limit the company's ability to build comprehensive user profiles for commercial purposes. However, the community response has been mixed, with some users expressing concern that reduced transparency could enable bad actors to hide problematic behavior across multiple communities.
Feature Limitations:
- Cannot hide individual posts or comments (only entire subreddit activity)
- Activity remains visible within original subreddit communities
- Username still appears on posts and comments in communities
- Default setting remains full visibility unless manually changed
Implementation and Availability
The feature began rolling out on June 3rd, though availability varies across users and may require app updates to access. The gradual rollout means some users may not immediately see the new options in their profile settings. When available, the curate profile menu appears directly under the View profile option, making the new privacy controls easily accessible to users who want to modify their public visibility settings.