Reddit is set to discontinue the r/popular feed, which has been the default option for new users. The company’s goal is to introduce “better, more relevant and personalized feeds,” according to CEO Steve Huffman. He describes the current r/popular as inadequate, indicating that it creates a misleading representation of Reddit’s culture by reflecting only what is favored by the most active users, rather than what is genuinely popular across the platform.
Huffman argues that Reddit has evolved beyond having a single front page, noting that user interests vary significantly. He plans to eliminate r/popular for new users, and for those who do not frequently engage with it, it will gradually be removed from primary feeds in the app. Changes related to r/popular might start appearing for some users as soon as this week, according to spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt. This feed had been established as the default for logged-out users in 2017.
Although Huffman did not provide specifics on the upcoming personalized feeds, he expressed support for incorporating features such as News feed filters. The company is still in the early stages of testing these new functionalities.
In addition to updating the default feed, Reddit is revising its moderator policies to limit the number of high-traffic communities that a single user can oversee. Effective March 31, 2026, moderators will be restricted to overseeing a maximum of five communities with over 100,000 weekly visitors. The company estimates this change will affect less than 0.1% of active moderators. Huffman emphasizes the need for distinct leaders for various communities, citing concerns about individuals moderating an excessive number of large groups.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/837780/reddit-r-popular-community-going-away-steve-huffman