Reddit may replace CAPTCHA with simpler ways like Face ID or passkeys.
Rising AI content is making it harder to trust online discussions.
The goal is to confirm users are human without collecting personal details.
Artificial intelligence has raised widespread concern, but the challenge of proving one’s identity online has existed long before it. This issue may soon ease on Reddit. According to reports, the platform is considering new ways of ascertaining that users on its platform are real people and not bots, as it continues to grapple with a rise in AI-generated content. Famous for open and anonymous discussions, Reddit is reportedly considering Face ID, Touch ID, and passkeys as a means of identifying users without the use of personal names. The move comes as trust in online conversations declines. A recent study estimates about 15 per cent of Reddit posts are AI-generated, pushing the company to balance authenticity with privacy.
In a recent podcast interview, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said the company is looking at lightweight ways to confirm that users are human. However, it’s suggested that instead of building its own system, Reddit may rely on outside providers that can verify identity without sharing personal details with the platform itself. Moreover, Huffman also emphasised that Reddit does not want to know who users are, but they just want to make sure they, the users, are not bots but real living individuals.
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The problem with bots has become a serious issue on social media sites. As the bots have the potential to flood any discussion, propagate false information or narratives, and influence people’s opinions. Reddit is particularly vulnerable to this problem given how much it relies on discussions.
In 2025, researchers at the University of Zurich did an experiment on a popular debate forum. They used AI bots that pretended to be real people and tried to change others’ opinions on important topics.
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However, Reddit is not the only discussion platform facing this issue, as other discussion platforms like Quora are not spared either. Digg was once a popular website for sharing content. It planned to start again, but too many bots caused problems, so the plan was stopped. Furthermore, it also became one of the reasons behind the company’s recent layoffs.
Reddit’s possible move toward biometric or passkey-based checks reflects a broader shift in how online platforms may operate in the future. However, as bots evolve to be more sophisticated, it is possible that relying only on usernames and passwords to maintain authentic and trustworthy digital spaces may not be enough.
