'Not a Single Person Who Uses Reddit Wants This': Users Slam New Reddit Reviews Feature

Reddit has long been a popular destination for people looking for honest opinions before buying a product. In an attempt to make the research process quicker, the platform recently introduced Reddit Reviews as an AI-powered feature that summarises conversations about products and categories. The move, however, does not seem to have gone down well with a section of its community, with several users and subreddit moderators criticising the new feature.

Backlash Over Reddit Reviews

According to Reddit, its Reviews feature brings together discussions about products from different communities and presents them on dedicated review pages. The feature uses AI to summarise what users are saying, including common positive, negative and mixed opinions. It also highlights recurring themes, such as features people like or dislike, and lets users browse the original comments through topic filters.

As reported by CNET, however, the feature has drawn criticism from Reddit users and subreddit moderators, who believe it could undermine the platform's appeal as a place for genuine, unfiltered conversations. One user described seeing the feature in practice as a "nightmare", claiming that it turned a basic discussion into an ad-filled and distracting experience.

Moderators have also raised concerns about how Reddit Reviews could affect communities that have strict rules against advertising. One moderator of health-related subreddits argued that advertisements can be misleading and predatory, particularly for vulnerable users seeking advice. They said such communities neither wanted nor needed the feature.

Spam and covert marketing are another major concern. Critics reportedly fear that turning these discussions into AI-generated product summaries could give brands and marketers another incentive to create fake accounts, potentially seeding conversations with favourable opinions.

One Redditor's comment warned that the feature could encourage existing spammers to increase their activity, while another said it would make the work of moderators trying to control spam considerably harder.

Others were more blunt in their assessment, with one user saying that nobody who uses Reddit wants the feature.

Reddit, for its part, says product recommendations in Reviews will not be paid placements, and businesses will not be able to pay to have their products included. The company also added that volunteer moderators will continue overseeing individual communities, while its Safety team will enforce platform-wide rules. Users can vote on posts based on their usefulness and relevance.

The Reviews feature is currently rolling out to users in the US across iOS, Android and the web, with an initial selection of around 10,000 products across Electronics, Health and Beauty, Home and Garden, and Fashion and Apparel. The company plans to expand the selection and bring Reddit Reviews to more markets beyond the US next year.