Reddit

Sitting down with your child and exploring Reddit together is a good way to understand why they like to use it and gives you an opportunity to chat about ways they can keep safe.

Talk to your child about the different communities on Reddit and agree some rules about which ones they can join. Keep in mind that children might use Reddit for different reasons such as, to seek support or chat with people who have similar interests to them. So it’s important to listen and be enthusiastic about what they have to say.

Make sure to switch off the NSFW feature to help stop your child from seeing inappropriate content. To do this:

1) Go to settings.
2) Go to feed settings.
3) Select adult content.

Help your child think about what they share online and who sees it. Compare it to what they would be happy to share offline.

Use examples that are easy for them to understand: “You shouldn't give your number to somebody you don't know on the street. Is somebody online you don't know any different?”

Listen to their answers. And be positive and encouraging.

Remind them that they shouldn’t share private things, such as:

• personal information, like names, emails, phone numbers, location and school names
• other people's personal information
• links to join private group chats
• photos of themselves
• photos of their body, such as sexual photos or videos.

Explain that you understand the internet is a great place to play, create, learn and connect. But remind them they can talk to you if anything upsets or worries them.

Reassure them that you won’t overreact – you’re just looking out for them.

It’s important to remind your child that they can talk you, another adult they trust, like a teacher, or Childline about anything they see online.

Reddit provides online information on their Content Policy, including unwelcome content, prohibited behaviour and moderation.  

You can talk about this with your child to decide whether you think it’s appropriate and ask them questions to make sure they understand.   

Your child might read or see something upsetting or negative on Reddit. If this happens, they might want to report the content. 

Reddit Help has specific guidance on rules and reporting. And they also have information on how to report spam, abuse or other issues. (You have to be logged into your account to see these pages.) 

And remember to let your child know that they can always talk to you about worrying things they see online.