The White House hops on Reddit to share hurricane updates

White House Joins Reddit to Communicate with the Public

The Biden-Harris administration has taken a unique approach to disseminating information by launching a White House account on Reddit. This move aims to reach a broader audience and provide updates on the federal government’s initiatives and responses to current events.

Focus on Natural Disaster Response

The White House Reddit account is currently focused on sharing critical information regarding the administration’s response to hurricanes such as Helene and Milton. With millions in assistance already approved and thousands of survivors being supported, the account serves as a crucial communication channel during times of crisis.

These updates not only highlight the government’s efforts but also shed light on the devastating impacts of climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for action to address environmental challenges.

Unfortunately, the White House’s Reddit debut hit a snag when the r/Georgia subreddit initially took down their post about Hurricane Helene response efforts. However, it remained live on the r/North Carolina subreddit, where moderators confirmed the account was real. (Georgia mods later reinstated the post after verifying the account).

Reddit informed us that the White House account was created in 2021, with only a few recent posts and comments. It also has an “official” badge as part of the Reddit Pro program, according to the company.

The White House’s presence on Reddit adds to its array of social media outreach, including Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, Threads, YouTube, and Linktree. This move highlights Reddit’s growing popularity as a platform where many U.S. consumers turn to for news and updates, sometimes bypassing traditional media channels.

Reddit’s increasing popularity has led to its name being included in Google search results, prompting the tech giant to develop a feature that highlights the site’s forum posts in response to user queries. Reddit has also partnered with various AI providers, like OpenAI, allowing them to use the site’s content in training their AI models. In February, Reddit reported earning $203 million from data licensing for AI models, a figure expected to rise over time.

Update: The story has been updated to reflect Milton’s upgraded status to category 4 and to note that the Georgia Reddit reinstated the post after verifying the White House account.