Reddit is introducing a new system to identify and label bot accounts on its platform, a move that could require some users to verify they are human. In a post on Wednesday, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman outlined plans to add an “[APP]” label to registered automated accounts and flag others showing suspicious activity.
Users behind such accounts may be asked to confirm their identity through methods like fingerprint scanning or a PIN. Huffman noted these checks “will be rare and will not apply to most users.”
How Will Reddit’s Bot Verification System Work?
Developers will now be able to register automated accounts directly with Reddit, which will then carry an “[APP]” label.
Beyond that, Reddit says it will also watch for unlabeled accounts showing unusual behavior. “If something suggests an account isn’t human, including automation (hi, web agents), we may ask it to confirm there’s a person behind it,” Huffman writes.
For verification, Reddit is looking at several options that stop short of fully identifying a user. These include passkey checks such as fingerprint scans on a smartphone, PIN entry, and third-party biometric services.
One such service being considered is World ID, backed by Sam Altman, which uses an eye-scanning device to confirm a user is human.
What Happens To Accounts That Cannot Verify?
Huffman also mentioned third-party ID verification services, describing them as “the least secure, least private, and least preferred” option, though he noted that countries like the UK and Australia already require platforms to support it. Accounts that fail to verify may face restrictions.
Reddit began testing account verification for brands and individual users last year. Huffman had hinted at a bot verification system in a shareholder letter in February and brought up the idea of using Face ID during an interview on TBPN this week.
Reddit also plans to make reporting suspected bots simpler. “Our current focus is to ensure there is a real, live human behind the accounts you’re seeing,” Huffman says.
