Opinion| I gave in to Reddit, and it is now my online space

It was clear that the responses came from people who had either faced the same issue or had expertise in repairing classic Macs. Many of them were serious vintage Mac collectors like me. That day, I felt a sense of belonging to a community I had known nothing about or to the people who were part of it. It’s so fascinating to see so many people share the same love for old Macs as I do. Even though I didn’t know who they were or where they were from, we all shared the same passion for vintage tech. That was how I began to love Reddit. But that was just the beginning.

The most interesting aspect of Reddit, especially the concept of joining communities or subreddits, is how specific they are to the subjects or topics you’re interested in. The information (depending on what you’re looking for) is often authentic, and the conversations feel genuine. Initially, I saw Reddit as an alternative to Google, which is sometimes true. However, the more I used the platform, the more I realised it was much more than that. Reddit isn’t replacing Google yet, as the tech giant still has an edge over real-time searches, like finding a restaurant nearby or looking up movies playing in a city.

It wouldn’t be wrong to call Reddit an open discussion forum where you won’t encounter hate and negativity like on X. (Screeenshot: Reddit)

A safe space

However, where Reddit excels over other online platforms is in providing unfiltered information, becoming a safe space for free-flowing conversations that no other online platform currently offers. It’s important to understand that individual subreddits are managed by moderators — users who oversee communities and enforce content rules, albeit under a stricter set of overarching policies. With platforms like X increasingly plagued by trolling, online abuse, and harassment, Reddit remains a haven of free speech for people.

Reddit is different also because humans, not bots, engage in discussions on specific topics, and you get a diverse set of views. It’s up to you to decide which side you’re on or whether you agree with any of them. Honestly, I don’t see the same rawness or the way Redditors unabashedly share their thoughts on any other platform on the internet. And, that is what drew me to Reddit.

Reddit is free to join, allowing you to become part of any community you’re interested in. You can participate in and join any conversation while remaining completely anonymous. I’m big Bollywood buff, and for me, Reddit is my primary source of celebrity gossip which I visit daily for my dose of news from Tinsel Town. I no longer rely on news sites or YouTube videos to stay updated on what’s happening in Bollywood.

Reddit has become so popular for Bollywood gossip that many news sites now source information from discussions on the platform. With celebrities carefully controlling their narratives on social media, through podcast interviews or PR articles, the information they share often feels manufactured. In contrast, I find Reddit refreshing. On a popular Bollywood gossip subreddit, the conversations feel genuine, the criticism is valid, and Redditors call out actors without resorting to the attacks or humiliation often seen on X.

Each of the “subreddits” is managed by volunteer moderators and administrators, who can set and enforce rules of conduct within that community. (Screenshot: Reddit)

Highly vocal and engaging

I’m not saying the information shared by Redditors is always verified (and frankly, no one can truly verify gossip). However, it is often circulated by insiders who have worked with celebrities at some point or are part of a film crew. You could say Reddit holds the same value today as magazines like Stardust or Cineblitz did in the 90s for gossip on stars’ lives.

At a time when moral policing has taken over online platforms, the existence of Reddit shows that the internet is not all gloom. It provides a space where you can join discussions while remaining completely anonymous and actively participate in them. That being said, Reddit is still relatively small compared to other social platforms. However, its community is highly vocal and engaging, with users who know why they are there and aren’t afraid to share their opinions. On my part, I engage in many topics — not just tech and Bollywood — but also on immigration, the future of jobs, and how AI might change journalism.

The other day, someone asked me how I would describe Reddit, and I replied that the platform is part social media, part search engine, and a place where you can find answers that are as authentic as possible. Of course, Reddit is far from perfect; there is always some bias in the answers wherever humans engage in conversations, and it’s bound to happen. Yet, I feel Reddit still retains some purity as an online platform, especially for people like me who aren’t active on other social platforms for obvious reasons but need a more intelligent space where conversations have more depth and answers aren’t shallow.