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Reddit Explores Face ID and Passkeys to Verify Human Users

The company says device-level biometrics could confirm a person is present without exposing identity.

Overview

  • CEO Steve Huffman told the TBPN podcast that lightweight options such as Face ID, Touch ID, and passkeys are under evaluation as proofs of human presence.
  • Other approaches on the table include decentralized third-party attestations as well as more burdensome ID-checking services where required by regulation.
  • Huffman reiterated Reddit’s stance that it wants to confirm humanity rather than identity, saying the platform does not need users’ real names.
  • Co-founder Alexis Ohanian voiced skepticism about user acceptance of face-scanning even as he agreed action is needed against fake and botted content.
  • Reddit has not announced any rollout plan or timeline for verification features and says it already removes large numbers of suspicious accounts each day.