Reddit COO targets 1 billion users as internet’s ‘odd duck’ aims for new heights

For much of its existence, Reddit has occupied the internet’s stranger fringes. Users vote posts up or down, propelling some to viral fame (or infamy), and organize themselves into communities, known as subreddits. At its worst, the site has harbored hateful rhetoric, conspiracy theories and misinformation, forcing the company to ban entire communities when discussions spiral into extremism or violence. Yet Reddit is also home to some oddly moving exchanges between strangers, mundane advice on everyday life, and impassioned debates between far-flung enthusiasts. “We were an odd duck a decade ago, but things have changed,” Reddit COO Jen Wong tells Fortune. In a world filled with deepfakes and AI slop, she argues, “the most radical thing a platform can offer is people talking to people.” That proposition appears to be paying off. Lately, while Reddit’s seedier side persists, the platform has broadened its appeal as millions of new users have flocked to its forums. The site went public in 2024 and became profitable for the first time in its history, driven by a swell in users and advertising revenue. The platform now attracts more than 120 million daily users across over 100,000 active communities. In the U.K., its second largest user base after the U.S., more than half are women. Whether it’s choosing a skincare routine, planning a holiday, or navigating a career change, Reddit has become an unlikely repository of lived experience. “There is, quite literally, something for everyone,” Wong says—her own favorites are subreddits dedicated to vintage cameras and sourdough pizza. The challenge is turning those communities into a bigger business without undermining what made them valuable. “It’s really important that the ideas on Reddit come from real people,” Wong says. “That is everything.” Open for business Reddit was slow to develop its advertising business. While ads were first sold on the social media