Reddit Rolls Out New Privacy Features to Give Users More Control Over Their Profiles

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Reddit is giving its users more control over how their activity appears on their profiles with the launch of a new privacy-focused feature. Announced on Tuesday, the update introduces a “Content and Activity” setting that allows users to better manage the visibility of their posts and comments across different communities.

By default, its profiles will still show all public posts and comments, just like before. But now, users have the option to hide all of their public activity, including posts and comments made directly on their own profiles. For those who prefer a more curated approach, there’s also the ability to select which subreddits appear on their profile while hiding others.

These controls can be found in a new section titled “Curate your profile.” In addition to managing post visibility, users can also toggle the visibility of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content and choose whether or not to show their follower count.

This marks a significant step forward in user privacy for the platform. In the past, many Redditors turned to “throwaway” accounts to discuss sensitive topics — like personal relationships, health, or mental well-being — without tying that content back to their main profiles. However, as Reddit shifts toward a more ad-driven business model following its IPO, it’s likely the company wants users to keep their activity linked to their primary accounts, allowing for more accurate targeting and analytics.

The added privacy settings could also encourage users to engage more openly on the platform. Knowing they can hide certain aspects of their activity might make users feel more comfortable asking questions or joining discussions that they might have avoided in the past.

That said, the new feature has its limits. Reddit notes that users can only manage visibility on a per-community basis, not per individual post or comment. This means you can’t selectively hide or show specific posts within a community — it’s all or nothing for each subreddit.

Additionally, this doesn’t mean users are completely anonymous. Your username will still appear next to any content you post or comment in a community. Also, Reddit moderators will retain access to your public post and comment history for up to 28 days, which helps them enforce rules and respond to “modmail” — such as join requests for restricted communities.

Reddit profile owners will also briefly be able to see another user’s full history if that person comments on one of their profile posts, providing limited transparency.

Alongside the privacy update, Reddit is also rolling out updated activity summaries on user profiles. These summaries include stats like your Karma score, total contributions, account age, and a list of communities you’re active in — all based on your visibility settings.

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