DEEP DIVE

Although the system in which Reddit grants its users karma is relatively clear, Redditors still debate how Reddit karma works in how the site’s algorithm determines which posts it shows to varying numbers of users. A post on the r/teenagers subreddit claiming to have found out how Reddit karma is calculated has caused quite the stir among curious Redditors and meme-makers alike.

The post to r/teenagers, which was titled “I HAVE FOUND HOW KARMA IS CALCULATED!!!!!” was later removed. This has inspired theories that Reddit deleted the post in order to keep secret how its algorithms work, as well as memes poking fun at the situation.

One prevalent theory is that posts get more attention if they receive a large number of upvotes soon after they were originally posted. Reddit has not officially released information about how this system works, but many users continue to speculate.

While Reddit karma has no real value other than as a form of online clout, it is a popular point of discussion and obsession among avid Reddit users. These memes joke about conspiracy theories related to Reddit hiding how karma works.

yeah, this is big brain time from teenagers

NOOOOOOOOO from dankmemes

Reddit covering up its algorithm with A Flex Tape: 

That’s a lot of damage! from dankmemes

Gamer crying next to Joe Swanson:

Guess we’ll never know from dankmemes

The complicated karma calculation:

It’s quite simple really from memes