Reddit has announced a new feature for subreddits: chat channels. The launch comes with a disclaimer from the company that previous Chat launches have not been done “in the best way” and that this approach focuses on small communities and mod tools to, ideally, be better.
Chat channels differ from the Live Chat feature in a number of ways, for example existing as a permanent space in the subreddit, rather than a fleeting post. They are served by the mods, who can choose to block comments, pin messages, and chat in a private channel. Mods also determine who is allowed in the channel, ranging from open participation to only trusted members.
Reddit claims to be building chat channels with room for additional updates depending on test results. The company specifically mentions features like automod rules, slow mode, and the ability to build custom channel roles as potential developments.
The announcement of the chat channels came along with two other minor Reddit updates. The company rolled out a new subreddit header that reduces the space between the header and posts, turns the search bar into a single button, and shows tabs like “menu” and “about” by clicking anywhere in the header. Reddit claims these updates have increased the number of community subscriptions and actions in tests. It also announced May 9 as the official closing date for its polling game Predictions. Users can no longer create or join an active tournament and old tournaments become inaccessible.
For now, the chat channels are still in the pilot phase, with only 25 subreddits testing them at the moment — fewer than 100,000 users in total. Mods interested in trying it out can add their subreddit to an entry waiting list.
