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  • CAREER FEATURE

How scientists are making the most of Reddit

As X wanes, researchers are turning to Reddit for insights and data, and to better connect with the public.
  1. Hannah Docter-Loeb

    1. Hannah Docter-Loeb is a freelance writer in Washington DC.

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It has been almost 18 months since Elon Musk purchased Twitter, now known as X. Since the tech mogul took ownership, in October 2022, the number of daily active users of the platform’s mobile app has fallen by around 15%, and in April 2023 the company cut its workforce by 80%. Thousands of scientists are reducing the time they spend on the platform (Nature 613, 19–21; 2023). Some have gravitated towards newer social-media alternatives, such as Mastodon and Bluesky. But others are finding a home on a system that pre-dates Twitter: Reddit.

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Nature 628, 221-223 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00906-y

References

  1. Fiesler, C., Zimmer, M., Proferes, N., Gilbert, S. & Jones, N. Proc. ACM Hum. Comp. Interact. 8, 5 (2024).

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  2. Proferes, N., Jones, N., Gilbert, S., Fiesler, C. & Zimmer, M. Soc. Media Soc. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211019004 (2021).

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