Reddit scum re-enabled "Ads off Reddit"
What they're not telling you: REDDIT RE-ENABLED CROSS-SITE TRACKING WITHOUT USER CONSENT—AGAIN Reddit has systematically re-enabled a cross-site advertising tracking toggle in user privacy settings after users disabled it, forcing individuals to manually opt-out a second time from data collection practices the platform had previously acknowledged as optional. The mechanism operates through a setting labeled "Allow Reddit to measure Reddit paid marketing campaigns on other sites and apps," located in Settings > Privacy. Documentation from Reddit users indicates the toggle defaults to enabled, and crucially, reverts to enabled status even after users have explicitly disabled it.
What the Documents Show
This is not a system malfunction—it represents a deliberate reset of user-selected privacy preferences without notification or consent. The tracking data Reddit collects through this mechanism includes user browsing behavior across the broader internet, not limited to Reddit's own properties. When enabled, Reddit's measurement pixel fires on external websites and applications where Reddit has placed paid advertising, creating a cross-site behavioral profile tied to individual user accounts. This data feeds Reddit's advertising optimization systems and is shared with third-party data brokers through standard programmatic advertising channels. Reddit's parent company Advance Publications has not publicly disclosed why the toggle was re-enabled across user accounts, nor has the company issued guidance on whether this represents intentional policy or technical error.
Follow the Money
The distinction matters legally. Under the Federal Trade Commission's standards for unfair or deceptive practices, persistent re-enablement of disabled privacy settings can constitute deception regardless of stated intent. The FTC has precedent here: in 2020, the agency settled with Amazon Ring for similar patterns of resetting privacy defaults without consent, fining the company $5.8 million. What makes Reddit's implementation particularly significant is the architecture of the reset mechanism itself. Rather than treating user-selected privacy settings as persistent data stored in user accounts, Reddit's system appears to treat disabled tracking as a temporary state. Each system update or account refresh cycle appears to reset the toggle to its default enabled position.
What Else We Know
This creates what privacy researchers call a "dark pattern"—a deliberately frustrating user interface that channels users toward data-sharing behavior. The broader context reveals this is not isolated. Major platforms—Facebook, Google, TikTok, Amazon—employ similar toggles with documented patterns of re-enabling or obscuring them. What's changed is Reddit's explicit re-engagement of users who had already made a choice. This requires active intervention: the company had to identify accounts where the toggle was disabled and reset it. That's not passive infrastructure.
Primary Sources
- Source: r/privacy
- Category: Tech & Privacy
- Cross-reference independently — don't take our word for it.
Disclosure: NewsAnarchist aggregates from public records, API feeds (Federal Register, CourtListener, MuckRock, Hacker News), and independent media. AI-assisted synthesis. Always verify primary sources linked above.