Reddit is not new to controversies. Back in 2016, Huffman, Reddit’s CEO has been said to have insulted back his detractors by inserting a code that had automatically replaced his name with the username of this critic which resulted to turning the insult addressed to him back to his critics. Unfortunately, Redditors noticed this quickly and we not happy to learn that their data could be manipulated. Though the CEO no longer has this ability, there are still other issues that Reddit have and had to face. There were celebrity nude photo hacks, removal of warrant canary in 2016, rebellious content moderators, allegedly tracking of users for advertising purposes and many more. If you are tired of these controversies and are highly concerned about your online security and privacy and would like to delete your account permanently, we do not blame you and we are here to help and guide you step by step on deleting your Reddit account.
Deactivating vs Deleting:
Unfortunately, unlike other social media accounts, Reddit does not allow its users to deactivate or temporarily disable their own accounts. This means, if you delete your Reddit account, it will be gone forever and this includes all your favorite accounts. However, if you have not individually deleted your comments before you have deactivated your accounts, your comments will still be visible but the author will be displayed as deleted.
Take note that if you if have decided to change your mind and would want to sign up again with Reddit, you will not be able to use your old or same username as you were using before. Also, you will not be able to download your Reddit data. If you wish to do so, you will need to contact the company and request a download.
Step by Step Guide on How to Delete Your Reddit Account
- Log in to your Reddit account
- Click on your user icon
- Select User Settings found on the drop down menu
- Scroll to the bottom of the page
- Look for Deactivate Account and Click on it.
- Re-enter your login details
- Choose a reason why you are deleting your Reddit account
- Check and accept that you understand that deactivated accounts cannot be recovered.
- Click on Deactivate
- You will be asked if you are sure. Take note that this action cannot be undone.
- Click Deactivate again
- Once you have clicked it, your Reddit account will be permanently deleted.
Additional Ways to Keep Your Data Private Online
In the past years, there have been controversies and scandals that have been surrounding privacy protocols and social media such as Facebook when Cambridge Analytica shared data of 87 million users. There also have been many burglars invading houses knowing that the owners are on holidays as announced in their social media. Moreover, social media also share and reveal where your exact location is whenever you post through geotags without even knowing it. Aside from that, there are also some that would get and steal your identity and many more. If you would like to wish to protect you from these attacks and issues, we highly recommend the following:
- Read and research about the privacy policies of the sites and social media you join in.
- Be cautious of the data that you share in your social media
- Monitor your privacy settings
- Do not give permission to any social media to post or access your location.
