Reddit to Start Forcing You To Log In Because It’s ‘Better for Our Ads Business,’ CEO Says

Reddit wants you to stop lurking without logging in, and its CEO isn’t shy about the payoff: It’s “better for our ads business.”^[1]

Steve Huffman, who posts as u/spez, says Reddit is moving toward a “primarily logged-in experience.” For people who browse threads without an account, that could mean another login screen standing between them and the answer they came for.

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What’s changing, and why now?

For two decades, Reddit has largely let people read without signing in.

Nevertheless, Huffman says tests will begin in select markets outside the U.S. in the coming months — boundaries still undecided.

He wants the front page and posts reached through search or shared links to remain accessible, and says one-off visitors aren’t the main target.

The business incentive is, of course, substantial: Reddit’s latest quarterly results show ads generated $847 million of its $895 million in revenue. That’s roughly 95% of the total.

The company also described logged-in and app users as its most engaged and monetizable audiences.

A username doesn’t stop ad targeting

“We don't need your name. We don't need to know who you are,” Huffman wrote.

But you don't need a real name to build an advertising profile. Reddit’s own advertising explainer says personalized ads can draw on browsing history, votes, comments, clicks and inferred interests.

Depending on your settings and region, Reddit can also use information advertisers supply about activity outside Reddit, including purchases and website visits. Advertiser lists can be matched to your account using your email address.

That distinction matters: Keeping your name off your profile doesn’t mean your reading habits are disconnected from an account advertisers can reach.

Huffman also argues that requiring logins will help curb unauthorized scraping while Reddit continues licensing its data.

Reddit’s Incognito Mode has limits

Huffman called the app’s rebuilt incognito mode “truly private.” The mode is available in the mobile app, with exceptions in some regions requiring age assurance. It lets you read, but account features such as commenting and voting aren’t available.

Reddit’s help page describes a narrower promise: Incognito browsing and searches aren’t linked to your account or used to shape its recommendations and personalized ads.

That said, Reddit also says it may temporarily retain your incognito session’s IP address to measure advertising performance. Websites can use that to customize the content you see, too, so it doesn't offer complete privacy.

How to limit tracking while you browse

Start with Reddit’s privacy settings and review the advertising controls available in your region. Turning off personalized ads reduces some uses of your information, but Reddit says ads can still reflect your current session, community memberships and general location.

If you want to read without adding those searches to your account history, check whether the app’s incognito mode is available to you.

You can also review your browser’s cookie controls, limit or remove them, though deleting cookies can also sign you out of websites.

For broader protection while browsing, an ad blocker with tracker-blocking features is a relevant option. These tools can reduce supported ads and tracking requests, with results depending on the browser, website and settings.

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Author Details

Thomas Kent

About the Author

Thomas Kent is a multi-disciplined reporter with over a decade of experience covering online platforms, digital trends, and consumer-facing tech. Tom focuses on digital privacy, data tracking, and user behavior, with a particular interest in how cookies, online surveillance, and platform design shape the modern internet experience. His reporting takes a research-driven, news-focused approach, translating complex technical topics into clear, accessible insights.