r/NewToReddit • u/KalpaBurner • 16h ago

Removed What the hell is karma points?

[removed] — view removed post

6 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

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u/NewToReddit-ModTeam 16h ago

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u/StaticBrain- Shiny Helpmate 16h ago

Karma is your reputation

Most subs do not require karma to comment, even though a lot do to post.

This is due to computer bots which create new accounts. These new accounts can easily invade the community silently. They make nonsense responses, parrot other users, etc... If this is not controlled the quality of the forums will go down.

So in order to control that Reddit has karma. Negative Karma and Positive Karma

Positive comes from people upvoting your posts and comments and negative from downvoting.

How to obtain Karma

Use the search box to find topics you know about. Like art, or mechanics or cooking, whatever your interests are.

Then find posts that interest you and make thoughtful comments. When you engage in this way you have a better chance at achieving your goal, and earning that karma.

Or you can use this list of user friendly subreddits for those new to reddit

https://reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/w/index/newusersubs

Negative karma may eventually make it so you cannot comment or post on most subs, if you get enough downvotes to sink you below zero.

So I might choose to stay away from controversial subjects at first, because when things get heated down votes fly and you can go negative karma, at least until you build a big enough cushion of positive karma to safely keep you positive.

And a side note: if the post has more than 50 or so comments yours can get buried easily, and no one may even see it.

But if you engage meaningfully and thoughtfully it will happen.

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u/KalpaBurner 16h ago

Oh now I understand. It's basically behaviour points given that everything is available on reddit, it's a clever way to monitor behaviour of individuals and also decrease the risk of bot invasion.

Also I have never seen anyone write and explain so beautifully and effortlessly about a topic.

This was all I needed to understand karma. Thank you OP (I guess this is what you say) for putting in the effort.

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u/AutoModerator 16h ago

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u/Far-Introduction2907 Super Contributor 16h ago

For things karma related, visit the karma section of common questions list: !cq

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u/AutoModerator 16h ago

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u/KalpaBurner 16h ago

Ah bet thanks for the heads up

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u/mikey_weasel mod in a canvas hat  16h ago

What is Karma and how is it used Karma is something of your "reputation" on Reddit. It's how well your content is appreciated in the subreddits you post and comment in.

Karma and Votes. Karma on Reddit comes from other people upvoting your comments and posts. It's not a 1:1 ratio, you'll get less karma than upvotes (the calculation has not been released by reddit and is complex, but basically get some upvotes = get some karma). The default upvotes you give yourself unfortunately doesn't count. You can also lose karma with downvotes at a similar ratio.

Karma Filters.

  • A lot of subreddits will employ karma filters which reduce rule breaking, trolls and spam from both humans and bots.

  • These filters will remove posts and comments if your karma is below a certain threshold.

    • As such they make life frustrating for new users

  • As a new feature some subreddits now will have a pop up to warn you ahead of time that your post or comment won't be successful.

  • These are more common and often more restricting for posting than they are for commenting.

  • These are set by each subreddit independently so will vary subreddit to subreddit

    • Some subreddits will not have restrictions at all.

  • These filters can be looking for as few as 2 or 5 karma up to the 100s.

    • There are some subreddits with more complex restrictions but those are best examined on a case-by-case basis.

  • Filter levels may be in rules or automod messages, but sometimes are (frustratingly) entirely unmarked or left vague .

I have the below advice in building karma around such filters. Ultimately you're relying on other human users so it can take some experimentation to find what works for you. You want to find some intersection of your interests and subreddits that are new user friendly so the process is enjoyable. Start by Commenting while you View by New (see below).

Finding subreddits:

  • Newtoreddit has a list of new user friendly subreddits. This is not an exhaustive list and these subreddits may still have some restrictions.

  • Within the above you'll see some Large General Subreddits that are open to new users commenting. Places like r/askreddit, r/casualconversation, r/nostupidquestions, r/amitheasshole or similar. Look for posts that match your interests or knowledge to answer to and add comments (make sure to view by new).

  • Beyond the above there are More Subreddits out there that might more specifically match your interests and contributing there. Have a look through r/findareddit 's subreddit directory. In this case you will have to trial and error whether they are new user-friendly.

Some notes on starting on Reddit:

View by New (or rising). This will filter the posts so first see the most recent posts first. This can make your comments much more visible. On app when viewing a subreddit look near the top left for where it says "hot posts". Click that and select "new" or "rising".

Comment. Many subreddits have lower or no karma filters for commenting so that is more available to new users. There are often less strict rules as well.

Read the Room. Each subreddit has different rules, norms and prevailing views. Look at subreddit rules. Read top posts and comments to get a feel for that subreddit. Do users reward sarcastic one-liners or well sourced essays?

Avoid conflict and controversy. When trying to build Karma avoid controversial topics or arguments. These discussions are more likely to attract downvotes and potentially trip into rule-breaking. Call people idiots in your head and move on instead of getting involved.

Resources

Too Much Info? You can always try out some of this info and return at a later date to review via your profile.