Karma
Definition
Reddit's public reputation system reflecting the aggregate net votes — upvotes minus downvotes — a user has accumulated across their posts and comments over the account's lifetime. Karma is split into Post Karma and Comment Karma and is displayed on every user's profile page.
Context
Reddit's karma system is the oldest persistent community trust scoring mechanism on any major social platform. Individual karma numbers have limited precise meaning — what matters is relative difference. An account with 10 karma versus one with 10,000 karma signals the difference between an untested participant and an established community contributor, and moderators and AutoModerator rules act on this distinction constantly.
Relevance to Reddit
Karma is the primary trust signal communities and moderators use to assess account legitimacy. Accounts with low karma histories face heightened suspicion; many subreddits enforce minimum thresholds before new accounts can post. Building genuine karma through legitimate participation before any branded posting is a strategic prerequisite for any organic Reddit program.
