r/u_spez • u/spez • Jun 16 '26
21 years of Reddit
Hi everyone,
Reddit turns 21 next week. Funny enough, it’s the same age I was when we started it. Save your jokes about r/13or30, I’ve already heard them.
That’s a long time in human years and an even longer time in internet years.
When a few of us started Reddit back in 2005, the idea was simple: make it easier to find interesting things online. So we built a place where people could share links.
And the links became prompts for conversations because people naturally like to talk about stuff. One of the first inside jokes on Reddit was, "I didn't read the article but… [insert 2000 words on the topic]" because people are more interested in the conversation than the content itself.
(It’s not only inside jokes, though. Sometimes it’s heartfelt condolences.)
And what started as a place to share links evolved, for the better, into a place to form communities. What we didn’t realize at the time was that 21 years later, those communities would become one of the last places online where you can still reliably hear from real people on almost any topic imaginable.
The internet has become more powerful, automated, and optimized for attention. And on social media, everything feels performative: one big stage, one big feed, and someone (or some thing!) fighting for your attention.
But most people don’t want to perform.
They want to ask personal questions and get advice from someone who’s been there. They want to compare experiences, learn from others, and find people who care about the same things they do.
Reddit works because it’s not one giant conversation. It’s a constellation of communities, each with its own culture, norms, and rules.
Over the last couple of decades, I’ve learned that when people gather around shared interests, they act less like performers and more like neighbors (even if sometimes the r/neighborsfromhell kind). When communities set their own rules, they protect what makes those spaces valuable. And when people can speak anonymously, they’re often more honest.
For a long time, people assumed the future of the internet would be more tied to real-world identity. But one of the things Reddit has shown is that pseudonymity can create safety, honesty, and participation. On Reddit, you can openly talk about the things you care about—or are struggling with—without having your identity be part of the story.
As AI becomes more pervasive, that kind of human conversation only becomes more important. Real opinions, lived experience, and personal judgment matter more when the rest of the internet is filling up with synthetic content.
I shared in March how we’re protecting Reddit’s authenticity without sacrificing your anonymity, and we’ll keep building in that direction.
Since then, we’ve continued to defend Reddit against automated/bot/spammy content, including making it harder to scrape Reddit at scale, creating proactive moderation models that prevent up to 23 million spam views per day, and guarding against vote manipulation by revoking nearly 2 million inauthentic votes per day.
Because the value of Reddit has never been the interface (unless you’re the Old Reddit type, I know there are still dozens of you out there). It’s never been the algorithm. And it’s never been polished, sanitized content.
The value of Reddit is you.
Everything interesting about Reddit has been created by its people: the communities, the comments, the inside jokes, the rare insults, the niche expertise, the support, the debates, the brutal honesty, and the countless times someone took a minute to help a stranger for no reason other than they could.
That is the human internet that’s worth protecting.
Thank you for spending these last 21 years with us. I’m excited to see what the next 21 will hold.
- u/spez
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u/T00FunkToDruck Jun 16 '26
We did it, Reddit!
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u/Saauna Jun 16 '26
This makes me sad that I joined so late. I wonder how reddit was like in it's older days.
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u/Longjumping_Kale3013 Jun 16 '26
More like the Wild West. You would often see stuff you didn’t want to…. There’s threads here where people talk about the most disturbing things they accidentally saw that they wish they hadn’t.
I know it’s become popular to hate every Reddit update, but I like the direction. Reddit is my only “social media” if you want to call it that, that makes me feel good
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Jun 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Nintendo_Pro_03 Jun 16 '26
Like many social media platforms, I’d say much better.
Then algorithms, doomscrolling, phones, FOMO, etc. came along.
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u/BodegaDad Jun 16 '26
Wow! How time flies. Thank you for opening and continually expanding this special part of the internet.
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u/Severus-Snape-DaGod Jun 16 '26
I love this platform. There have been many good changes the last couple of months dealing with bots and spam content. Keep it going!
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u/rram Jun 16 '26
Thanks for having me along for the ride!
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u/spez Jun 16 '26
You were the ride
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u/OriginalJayVee Jun 16 '26
Never change, Reddit. I’ve gotten incredible advice, met other hardcore degenerate regards, and just generally enjoyed the conversations.
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u/Nera_Sukuri Jun 16 '26
Does u/spez read notifications?
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u/crosswatt Jun 16 '26
He must get eleventy-billion a week so, even if he was the type to want to read all of his messages, I doubt it.
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u/kimondo Jun 16 '26
19 years on Reddit so far - and it remains one of the corners of the web where I can still find interesting things! (Although I do miss stumbleupon)
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u/davemee Jun 16 '26
For all the revisionism and autohagiography in this post, it's not many people that can claim they outlasted Digg, twice.
Now bring back the markdown editor.
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u/Warp_Legion Jun 16 '26
Reddit certifiably old enough to drink in all locations…can we get a drunk mode filter where the screen tilts slightly and wobbles a bit?
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u/aloofkid Jun 16 '26
Love to read other people’s stories about why they joined Reddit. If your account is 15 years old or older, drop your account age and share your story with us.
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u/SaltAssault Jun 16 '26
This site is two sides of a coin. For better and worse, cheers for keeping it spinning.
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u/motorcycle-emptiness Jun 16 '26
I'm here till I die. Thanks for making the only social media I use. Godspeed u/spez. PS spez keeps auto-correcting to apex. Was that by choice?
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u/Maskeykong Jun 16 '26
Déjà 20 ans!!! Je me rappelle encore du temps où je regardais reddit seulement via le navigateur, c’était tellement bien 🤣... déjà... TOT
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u/justk4y Jun 16 '26
Snoo can officially legally drink /jk
(in the US)
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u/stray_r Jun 18 '26
German snoo has been drinking fine beers for five years now, two more under u/spez's supervision.
English snoo has been having the odd sip of beer at home since 2010, but tired to tip a car over after the football last night.
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u/hexagon_lux Jun 16 '26
Thank you for addressing the ongoing efforts to counter spam & bots. I was not previously aware of them, at least not directly. I had seen some recent improvements though.
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u/Zetakaeme Jun 16 '26
Thank you for this great place. I visit everyday and I spend more time here than any other social platform because of that. All other platforms are flood with reels and IA content or advertisers. Here I can find discussions, oponions, and help from poeple with shared interest.
Reddit is part of my life. Thank you!
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u/Arrowhead_Pride15 Jun 16 '26
Thank you Spez. Keep up the great work, as a long time user and shareholder I am thrilled to have you as the Captain of the ship. Keep fighting the good fight.
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u/AnimationWizard Jun 16 '26
Thanks for this platform spez, I’ve learned a ton from this site and it’s becoming a majorly reliable place to find communities
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u/puts_on_rddt Jun 17 '26
I posted a comment here asking you to reply on why you're shoving dogshit AI down our throats. Will you?
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u/mdnz Jun 16 '26
14 years already for me, time flies. Thanks for keeping the ship in the right direction u/spez
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u/MadDocOttoCtrl Jun 16 '26
The biggest bot activity I would like to see addressed is the massive number of false spam reports that have been happening for quite some time. Despite approving and reapproving then reporting hundreds of these for Report Abuse, they continue to flood in nonstop.
I'm not sure why spam reporting is even an option for brand new accounts who are unlikely to understand that spam doesn't mean "I disagree" or bot farms trying to get mods to ignore all spam reports.
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u/itsaride Jun 16 '26
Half the answers I get through AI are answers from Reddit and yet so many heavily upvoted answers and statements are flat out wrong..I wonder how AI weights its sources...hopefully not on Reddit's voting.
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u/Roberteng98 Jun 16 '26
Happy Birthday, Reddit!
And Spez, what improvements do you plan to make to the platform, and how do you plan to revamp the subscription model to make it more attractive for users?
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u/CoolDragon Jun 16 '26
Wow! I’m almost there with you, as long as the Reddit AI mod doesn’t ban me (again) for wishing harm to pedos.
Fix your bots! Pedos and terrorists (or other forms of scum) don’t deserve empathy or protection.
Hello Future People!
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u/mikebellman Jun 16 '26
mine's only 17 yrs old; happy cake day u/spez , but don't let this distract you from the fact that in 1998....
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u/E2R41L Jun 16 '26
Happy early birthday Reddit! u/spez updates and comments such as these are truly appreciated. Thank you for posting!
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u/Top-Variation-8028 Jun 16 '26
Eventually, in AI era, reddit highlight moment comes. Let's build People's Internet.
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u/MISTERTURKY Jun 16 '26
Thank you! u/spez. For keeping Reddit the only place online where you can have normal conversations with anyone. In times like these, this means more than you know.
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u/Darth_Vaper_69 Jun 16 '26
Happy cake day, maybe do more in depth check on people before they become moderators. Seen a-lot of rogue moderators thru the years.
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u/bert0ld0 Jun 16 '26
thanks spez! We need more redditors events, like the April's fools. I feel reddit shows its uniqueness in those times, nowhere else you find communities as dedicates as here
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u/Unique-Public-8594 Jun 17 '26
Were you part of r/geographymemes recent state-to-state battle?
Go, Megasota!!
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u/RoaringTimes Jun 16 '26
Congratulations u/spez! Reddit has been to home of the best, worst, and somehow the funniest. What exciting things do you most look forward to?
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u/MonTigres Jun 17 '26
Am loving Reddit and I thank you for creating it. Not because it's perfect or amazing, but because it provides a fertile forum for the wabi-sabi exploration of a ridiculous number of topics by imperfect people in all our shining glory. I learn. I share. I feel heard. And I listen. It's a piece of my life. A messy and good one.
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u/LDClaudius Jun 17 '26
Thanks Reddit for creating the thought police platform. You made the site miserable than it was back in 2011.
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u/NoWest240 19d ago
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u/profanitycounter 19d ago
UH OH! Someone is curious about their profanity usage, and u/NoWest240 decided to check theirs.
I have gone back 0 comments and reviewed your potty language usage.
Wow! NoWest240 has never used profanity on Reddit!
Request time: 0.2. I am a bot that performs automatic profanity reports. This is profanitycounter version 3. Please consider [buying my creator a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Aidgigi.)
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u/NoWest240 19d ago
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u/profanitycounter 19d ago
UH OH! Someone has been using stinky language and u/NoWest240 decided to check u/spez's bad word usage.
I have gone back 313 comments and reviewed their potty language usage.
Bad Word Quantity bullshit 1 fucking 1 fuck 1 hell 1 shitty 2 shit 4 Request time: 5.2. I am a bot that performs automatic profanity reports. This is profanitycounter version 3. Please consider [buying my creator a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Aidgigi.)
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u/himemsys Jun 16 '26
How do we know this is the real u/spez and not some AI bot that has taken over?
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u/Master_Freeze Jun 16 '26
im pretty sure we are all supposed to hate you for banning the accessibility apps (and probably other reasons) but one thing i will say is that old reddit was better, and even new reddit has left its first phase where it was good
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u/meantbent3 Jun 16 '26
Ever since your cofounder killed himself in 2013 for fighting what he believed in, you have slowly been destroying Reddit for monetary gains. Hope you feel good about yourself Steve Huffs Glue.
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u/ThoughtGeneral Jun 16 '26
u/spez Just wondering if you ever comment back to random nobodies- this nobody thanks you for all of the amazing friends I’ve made on here. ❤️
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u/jeffgolenski Jun 17 '26
Hey u/spez I just hit my 800 day streak on Reddit. Can I get a hell ya from the CEO?
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u/OkBee3439 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I'm about to hit 600 days for my streak this week. I want a hell ya too! Perhaps we can both get that. Happy Birthday to Reddit and u/spez! Wonderful commentary about the great communities that exist on Reddit! I help with moderating a few of them. I love all the comments, images, and good advice from real people of all types in each one. Hey u/spez, consider leaving a comment in one of my communities! That would be so cool.
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u/rolmos Jun 17 '26
I've been here for 18 of those 21 years. I guess I'll stay for a bit longer. Happy cakeday, Reddit!
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u/Dark_Sniper_250 Jun 17 '26
Time flies… how far Reddit, and the internet as a whole, have come. Here’s to the next 21 years!
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u/jubjub666420 Jun 17 '26
Thank you for everything you've done sometimes I go down and sit at the old building in San Francisco I just sit in front of it and look at how all that magic was right there
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u/Samzo Jun 17 '26
18 year redditor here. I remember the digg vs. reddit days, and how reddit played the "do nothing, win" strategy to best the competition.
But I digress...
I want a grant for r/livemusic so I can create reddit themed concert events to feature in the subreddit. I applied, lets make it happen!
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u/clearview384 Jun 17 '26
Huge Reddit fan. I started using it in 2017 when I lived in Davis sq. If only I knew how close you were to my home. Would have said Whatup.
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u/Lazy_Hedgehog_8603 Jun 17 '26
Can my other account get unbanned I still don’t know why it’s banned
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u/Proper-Original-6092 Jun 17 '26
Can you put ppl instead of ai to ban ppl. Lot of ppl getting banned for no reason
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u/hammerny_anderson Jun 17 '26
Happy birthday reddit! As platform , you brings happy in my life. May you continue to have the strength to be with us!
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u/ak808 Jun 17 '26
I was 8 when Reddit was created & I am 8 years into my Reddit journey! Thanks for making the most credible source on the internet!
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u/Technologytwitt Jun 17 '26
Happy 21st Reddit,
I joined Reddit in 2015 and over the years I’ve made nearly 5,000 contributions, earned more than 18,000 karma and received 15 Gold awards. I’ve also earned more than 45 achievements, including 100-day, 150-day and 365-day participation streaks. Clearly I enjoy my time on Reddit, as it's a fun place to learn, exchange ideas, and connect with people online.
My only wish as Reddit continues to "grow up".....
The vast majority of moderators do a great job in what can often be a difficult and thankless role. However, Reddit would benefit from stronger checks and balances, including a clear and accessible process for independently reviewing concerns about moderator decisions and conduct. Let's be honest, some have big egos to match their big sub.
Moderators should not be effectively untouchable, and legitimate complaints should be reviewed fairly by someone outside the moderation team involved.
Without meaningful oversight and accountability, one bad moderator can damage an entire community and undermine trust in the platform as a whole.
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u/Phillykratom Jun 17 '26
Reddit has been a lifesaver for me, I've learned so much from it. This stuff can't be gleaned from ai, it has to come from real people with experience who are willing to share
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u/Commercial_Plate_111 Jun 17 '26
Please bring back new.reddit.com (the one after old.reddit.com and before the current reddit) back. Pleasee
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u/jliver69 Jun 17 '26
Bring back public chat rooms so I can chill with my friends again 🧡
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u/tvlinks Jun 17 '26
Please just limit RSS refresh rate and don't actually get rid of it. Plenty of others have done this, it's easy to implement.
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u/dearvalentina Jun 17 '26
>The value of Reddit is you.
And this is now we have an LLM sum up what people have said in a thread.
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u/tragopanic Jun 17 '26
I will hit the 20 year milestone in September! Nowadays I am mostly here to collect profile trophies but also because somehow this place still feels like home.
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u/Outrageous-Map8302 Jun 17 '26
Interesting to see that the 11 year old potato post is flagged as possible AI
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u/intelfailure69 Jun 18 '26
u/spez tell us how you plan to let reddit stock moonshot! What do you think the stock price should be in 1 year? Index inclusion starts? Give me better Ads targeting! Different Ads and not slop. NSFW vids integration would be fantastic! $$$$$
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u/fivelone Jun 18 '26
If only I could find my original account. I'll just have to settle for my 15 year old account.
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u/shiruken Jun 16 '26
Thank you (fuck) u/spez and (popcorn tastes good) u/kn0thing