Reddit Introduces ‘Human Verification’ to Tackle Suspicious Bot Activity

Reddit plans to tackle bot issues as a response to Digg’s shutdown caused by bot overload. New measures include labeling service-providing automated accounts and requiring suspected bot accounts to verify their human status. This is not a widespread verification, only applied when accounts show suspicious activity. Verification would use third-party tools like passkeys from major providers and biometric services, with government IDs as a last resort in some regions. Reddit aims to maintain user anonymity while increasing transparency. These efforts address the pervasive problem of bots influencing politics, spreading misinformation, and other activities. Reddit continues its fight against bots by removing about 100,000 accounts daily, while providing updated tools for reporting bots and labeling legitimate ones.