Reddit plans to require login for all users, testing the change in non-US regions before rolling out globally. The move follows a drop of one million search engine referrals per week in October, which CEO Steve Huffman attributed to AI summaries in Google results that answer queries without directing traffic to Reddit. "Google has really shifted in their relationship with the rest of the internet," Huffman said during an investor call.
Over 80% of Reddit's revenue comes from logged-in and app users, so the company will prioritize building "a direct daily habit" independent of search traffic. Planned features include algorithmic feeds, improved app design and performance, AI-powered moderation tools, games, and visual podcasts that convert posts into AI-generated videos.
Requiring login also protects "Reddit's extremely valuable corpus of data," Huffman said. Reddit currently has AI training arrangements with OpenAI and Google. Huffman stated the company is in "active discussions" with partners but has nothing new to announce, committing to decisions that serve "Reddit strategically and economically."
Reddit reported 53% year-over-year revenue growth in Q3 2026 and 16% growth in weekly active users, though its share price dropped due to lower-than-expected guidance for the next quarter.