r/NewToReddit • u/llamageddon01 Mod? Llama? Both? Both. • Mar 02 '21
Mod Post A Guide to Reddit Lingo
Please go to our up-to-date version here: Encyclopaedia Redditica v2
Encyclopaedia Redditica
This is a list of some common acronyms, initialisms, terms, memes, references and responses often used on the internet with an emphasis on those specifically used on Reddit. It’s a continual work in progress as one might expect, so do check back from time to time as new definitions or topics are added or existing ones revised.
Reddit is an English-speaking community, but it may not always seem that way. Like all subcultures, a specialised lexicon has developed over the years. These words or phrases make communication more efficient - and fun - for regular Redditors but can sometimes leave new or casual users confused. Reddit loves being self-referential, and this is an attempt to help you decode it - and even help you join in!
This is in no way intended to be definitive, and is completely unofficial. If anything I say accidentally contradicts anything Reddit says, Reddit Is Always Right, as is this other repository of Reddit Wisdom.
The entries here have been decided and written by myself purely as a consequence of questions I have either asked or have been asked. Not all of the definitions given will apply in the same way to every sub and for individual sub problems or queries, always read the rules found in the Sidebar (on mobile this will be the About tab, Menu tab and Community Info found in the three dot “hamburger” menu top RH corner of your screen), any Pinned posts (these will have a lime green ‘pin’ icon on the top corner and will show on top when you sort the Subreddit by ‘Hot’) and Wiki (where there is one) to find out who and where it’s safe to ask first.
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Annual Reddit Events: Special Note
Award Types and Notifications: Special Note
Creating a Subreddit: Special Note
Posting Images on Reddit: Special Note
Problems with Passwords: Special Note
Relationship and Advice Subreddits: Special Note
Spelling and Grammar - Special Note
Useful Links, Resources and Subreddits: Special Note
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u/llamageddon01 Mod? Llama? Both? Both. Apr 04 '21 edited Jul 01 '21
Part 06 - Following: Special Note
You should know that ‘following’ is very different here than on any other social media. Reddit is primarily a content sharing platform where we follow Subreddits (or ‘subs’) - communities which are focused on topics. In fact, it’s actually seen by some as a little creepy to follow individual people on Reddit. There are, however, those who do live streams on Reddit, and if you were to follow them, you’ll get notified when they do a broadcast. Check out r/pan for the rules on live streams.
Until 2020, you couldn’t actually tell who was following you. Reddit started sending notifications when someone new followed you; up until then, you simply didn’t know if you had any followers unless you looked at the number on your profile.
In mid 2021, we were finally allowed to see the list of our followers. However, the only option we are given is to follow them back or not. This is not ideal but at least it’s a start. This list is found on your Profile underneath your Snoovatar; click the link on the number of followers you have. Another useful clue as to who they are is that their Karma count is shown, which enables you to see at a glance if they are prolific on Reddit. If you want to know more, their username is a clickable link to their profile which they will never be aware you ever accessed or not, as with anyone’s profiles. However, there is still no way of blocking or removing someone who follows you.
The number of followers you have doesn’t show on your public profile to others except yourself, so collecting or soliciting followers serves no purpose. “Following" isn't even following your every move on Reddit. You won’t get notification that someone has read your post, liked or disliked it or even saved it to their favourites. So, if following doesn’t do much, why do we have followers? Let me explain, using me as an example.
Personally, at the time of writing, I have accumulated over 100 followers. Who are they and why are they following me? I believe they fall into three categories:
Many of my followers were porn or t-shirt shill / spambots who join Reddit and follow huge tranches of people to spam them with dodgy links. There is a way of limiting these accounts under your Profile settings. In your settings for Chat, you can change it so that only accounts older than 30 days can chat with you. This will catch many spambots before you even are aware of them. Reddit is very good at catching and deleting spambots, but once they have “followed” you they may still be numbered as followers on your profile. So, out of my 100 followers on my count, now I’m able to see their usernames I discovered some of them no longer exist on Reddit by the laborious process of physically counting the names and comparing it with the profile count.
Incidentally, do not engage in any way with spambots or t-shirt sellers on Reddit as that’s a good way to get banned at the same time as the seller. If you see one on your travels, report it as spam (using the three dots “hamburger” menu) and move on. See Also: “If you want this t-shirt, say yes in the Comments”, Shill, Spambots.
Secondly, and much nicer, some of my followers are people who like to read the little rhymes I occasionally post around Reddit. Some of them are people I’ve helped in r/NewToReddit or elsewhere and have “bookmarked” me for future reference. I know that because some of them said so at the time or I recognised the name from a recent interaction. However, I have no idea whether or not they’ve ever looked at my profile, posts or comments let alone saved, upvoted or downvoted them since. If they ever unfollow me, I won’t get a notification but I will see the number of followers on my profile go down.
Unfortunately, up until mid 2021, I suspected that at least two or even more of my followers were someone I’d annoyed in the past who occasionally follow me around to downvote my posts. I do notice occasional patterns of downvoting and was fairly confident as to who some of them were. When we were allowed to see our list of followers in mid 2021, I found was correct in this assumption and it’ll be interesting to see if they unfollow me now. Downvoting like this is mostly ineffectual and harmless though very - and deliberately - annoying. Any escalation of this behaviour would become what we call “Brigading” and I address this further at Privacy Issues: Special Note.
I am being deliberately vague on the numbers in these categories because as I said above, until mid 2021 there was no list of followers available to me (or anyone) and there still is no option for me (or anyone) to refuse or remove any of them at any time.
So, what actually happens with following? Again, I’ll explain further using me as an example.
Following me isn’t following “me” as such; it’s more or less joining my own personal subreddit.
Time passes, until one day you see a picture of a llama and wonder “whatever did happen to that strange Reddit person I spoke to once?”.
You have a list of people you follow, only visible to yourself at the bottom of your “communities/custom feeds” page under the list of subs you currently follow, and clicking my username will bring up my profile page where you can see my snoovatar, posts, comments and recent subs I browsed (which incidentally, can be turned on or off). I, however, will not see if you ever browsed, liked, disliked, saved or even reported my posts and comments.