Reddit safety for kids is a bit of an uphill battle, but it’s not impossible. This article explores the cost-free browser tools and Reddit settings parents can use to monitor or completely block access.

How to Block Reddit Content

The easiest way to prevent your kids and teens from viewing potentially harmful material is to block Reddit content altogether by restricting site access.

Here are a few methods for tackling this safeguard.

• Restrict access at the router level: Use your router’s parental controls to add Reddit to your list of blocked sites. You could also turn on a timer that cuts off internet access for the whole household.
• Use parental controls on your kids’ devices: Whether you’re an Android or Apple household, every platform includes safety measures parents can turn on at the device level, to prevent kids from bypassing router- or browser-based restrictions.

Reddit Safety Settings for Kids

While Reddit states that account holders must be 13 or older, it doesn’t require any sort of age verification. On top of that issue, no specific parental controls exist.

However, there are several settings parents can toggle off to increase Reddit safety by blocking access to and from your child’s account.

1. Click the profile avatar in the right-hand corner.

2. Select Settings.

3. Click Profile.

4. Toggle off Show active communities to increase your child’s profile anonymity.

5. Next, click the Privacy tab.

6. Under Social interactions, deselect Allow people to follow you.

7. From Who can send you messages, select People I choose.

8. Next, choose Nobody beside Who can send you chat requests.

9. In the Discoverability section, deselect profile listing and indexing in search engines.

10. Finally, toggle off Ads personalization.

11. Move over to the Preferences tab and check that mature content settings are disabled.

    If you’d like to block content suggestions or certain communities, you can do that from Preferences > Content > Show recommendations in home feed and/or Muted communities.

12. Another measure to consider is turning off Autoplay media under Accessibility.

13. Next, click Limit ads in selected categories > make your choices > and select Done to finalize.

14. To go a step further, consider limiting messaging and activity notifications from the Notifications and Email tabs.

    It’s wise to spend some time here to restrict notifications to the Reddit inbox, turn off alerts if you can, or remove email notifications to minimize distractions and prevent kids from excessive use of the platform. All settings are on by default, including activity, messages, newsletters, mentions, etc.

Other Steps Parents Can Take to Protect Kids on Reddit

While built-in account and privacy settings are helpful in theory, your child can bypass these safeguards by accessing Reddit in a browser or on a smartphone without logging in.

Speaking candidly and respectfully with your child and taking an active role in their Reddit and general social media use could be one of the most effective protective measures you can take.

Options could look like:

• Encouraging your kids to bring questionable content or interactions to your attention, without judgment.
• Giving them tools they can use in the platform and in real life to report bad actors.
• Using the platform together and with your account information to maintain transparency without spying.