This revelation, which aligns with Reddit’s long-standing reputation as an unconventional tech giant, proves that sometimes, “faking it till you make it” isn’t just an industry cliché—it’s a survival tactic.
“We Basically Faked Our First Users”
The confession resurfaced in a clip shared by the Facebook page ‘CEO Being CEO’, where Ohanian is heard admitting, “For our earliest users, this is not going to sound right, but we basically faked our first users by submitting under different usernames… For the first few weeks of Reddit, I’d say 99% of submissions were either me or Steve Huffman, under different usernames.”
The admission sheds light on a lesser-known but widely practiced strategy in Silicon Valley—creating artificial engagement to attract real users. The logic? No one wants to enter an empty room, but if that room looks lively, people will stick around.
A Masterclass in Growth Hacking
Reddit, which was founded in 2005 as part of Y Combinator’s first startup cohort, struggled with a fundamental problem that haunts all new social networks—user engagement. Unlike traditional platforms that focus on content creation, Reddit thrives on user-generated discussions. But with no users in its infancy, the platform risked looking like a ghost town.
So, the founders took matters into their own hands. They submitted posts, created discussions, and upvoted their own content—crafting the illusion of an active, thriving community. The trick worked. Real users eventually started engaging, and Reddit gained momentum organically.
From Fake Accounts to a $10 Billion Company
Fast forward to 2025, and Reddit is the ninth most-visited website in the world, valued at $10 billion with over 500 million monthly active users. What began as a two-person operation with fabricated engagement is now a powerhouse in social media, influencing everything from politics to stock market movements.
The Ethics of Faking It
Ohanian’s confession raises an interesting debate: Is it deceptive or just smart marketing? Many startups employ similar tactics—be it buying followers, running bots, or inflating engagement metrics—to break into an oversaturated market. While some see it as dishonest, others argue that it’s simply a tool to level the playing field in an era where digital visibility is everything.
Regardless of where one stands, Reddit’s journey proves one thing: sometimes, the best way to build a community is to create one—even if it starts out as a mirage.