White House Joins Reddit: Once A Waffle House Idea, Now Source For 'Critical Information' And Hurricane Milton Updates

Zinger Key Points
  • The White House has a Reddit account and is using the platform to communicate information about hurricanes.
  • The account could further validate Reddit as a source of information and show the rise of social media for politics going forward.

The White House is now on Reddit RDDT, which means you can get hurricane information and updates from the American government the same place retail investors have scoured for trading tips and investment ideas.

What Happened: Reddit has an official White House account, which is currently being used to share information about what the Biden administration is doing to work on the restoration efforts for Hurricane Helene and preparation efforts for Hurricane Milton.

"As a big Reddit fan, I'm so excited we launched a White House account on the platform today! Meeting more people where they are to get out critical information about the work this Administration is doing," White House Deputy Platforms Director Megan Coyne tweeted Tuesday.

Using the account u/whitehouse, the White House is sharing information and also working to dispel misinformation that has spread about Helene restoration efforts, as reported by TechCrunch.

Posts from the White House account have been shared on state Reddit pages, which could prove beneficial to help residents in particular regions in the restoration efforts and preparedness for Milton.

The White House had a Reddit account created in 2021, the company told TechCrunch. A handful of posts and comments can be found before Tuesday. The White House now has an official badge from Reddit as part of the company's Pro Program, the company told TechCrunch.

Read Also: Hurricane Milton Evacuations ‘A Matter Of Life And Death,’ Biden Says: Fed’s Bostic Says Storm Could Have Significant Economic Impact Over Next 6 Months

Why It's Important: Reddit's origin story famously began when co-founder Alexis Ohanian conceived the idea inside a Waffle House restaurant.

The company has gone on to become a source of information and ideas for people around the world. Google is even using Reddit pages and comments in search results for its search engine.

Reddit, which went public at $34 a share in March, is also being used by AI companies to train data for chatbots as a course of information.

The 2024 presidential election has shown that social media is a rising source of information and a way for candidates to reach potential voters.

The White House has often used social media accounts to communicate news releases to the public, in parallel with the usage of traditional media outlets.

RDDT Price Action: Reddit stock was up 0.3% to $71.00 on Wednesday, compared to a 52-week trading range of $37.35 to $78.08. Reddit stock is up 42% year-to-date in 2024.

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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

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