Reddit, the social media platform known for its forums and discussion threads, has announced a new feature inspired by Discord - chat channels for subreddits.
In an official blog post, Reddit revealed that it is experimenting with this new feature on 25 volunteer subreddits as a part of a small pilot program.
This photo illustration shows the logo of Reddit on a mobile phone in Arlington, Virginia on January 29, 2021. - The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday said its regulators were keeping an eye on the whipsawing share prices of some Wall Street stocks that had been targeted by a social media-driven campaign intended to make wealthy hedge funds suffer.
What Are Chat Channels?
Chat channels are dedicated spaces within a subreddit where members can connect, ask questions, or simply hang out.
The company aims to take a mod-first approach based on past Chat learnings, building tools, and management capabilities from the ground up. The moderators will get a dedicated mod-only channel to talk about mod-related matters with fellow moderators.
Reddit plans to pilot-test the chat channels with its volunteer communities, with mod and user input shaping the feature as it develops.
The company aims to slowly expand the program to other subreddits as the product evolves. The move comes as part of Reddit's strategy to simplify, make it easier to navigate, and participate in communities.
No More Predictions, New Header Feature
The company has also announced that it plans to shut down Predictions, a feature that allows users to create and participate in tournaments.
The feature will officially be shut down as early as May 9th. The decision to sunset Predictions is in line with Reddit's strategy of focusing on building products with a wider impact on both moderators and users.
Reddit has introduced new updates for its chat feature as well as the subreddit header for users of iOS and Android.
The subreddit header now has a more simplified and modernized design that allows for quicker access to relevant content. It also aids in the decision-making process of users who are considering joining a community or not.
One of the changes includes making the header tabs accessible to all users through a simple click anywhere on the subreddit header.
The search bar has also been streamlined into a single button, and the spacing between posts and header has been adjusted to improve post visibility. As Reddit continues to improve the user experience, they plan to make the "About" tabs more prominent in future updates.
Reddit's chat channels are expected to enhance the platform's engagement by creating a sense of community among subreddit users. While the platform has been known for its discussions and user-generated content, this new feature aims to bring users closer together within their subreddit communities.
Related Article: Reddit's New Muting Feature is Coming to Android, iOS; Now Allows Users to Mute Content They Don't Want to See
