Ask me anything: what is Reddit?

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to provide an overview of the popular website Reddit.

Design/methodology/approach

In many cases, items that are popular on Reddit become viral, appearing on other social media sites and in the news several days later.

Findings

The site’s content is supplied by its users, and the popularity of that content is also determined by the membership. While the site can be described simply as an aggregator of user provided content, this simple description does not adequately capture the essence of the Reddit community and the impact of that community and its generated content on society.

Originality/value

Librarians should be aware of this impact and the potential that Reddit possesses for connecting with a number of different communities.

Citation

Anderson, K.E. (2015), "Ask me anything: what is Reddit?", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 8-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-03-2015-0018