Reddit Eyes Sam Altman's Iris-Scanning Orb To Verify Real Users Without Compromising Anonymity: Report

Reddit Inc. RDDT is reportedly exploring a partnership with Tools for Humanity, the company behind Sam Altman's World ID and iris-scanning Orb, to offer anonymous but verified user identities.

What Happened: Reddit has been in talks with Tools for Humanity to integrate World ID, a biometric verification system powered by its Orb device, reported Semafor, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The Orb scans a user's iris to confirm they are a unique human, offering proof of personhood without collecting personally identifiable information.

If implemented, World ID could become one of Reddit's third-party verification options, allowing users to confirm their identity anonymously amid growing concerns over bots, fake accounts and AI-generated content on social media platforms, the report added.

Why It’s Important: World ID is part of a broader initiative by Tools for Humanity—co-founded by OpenAI CEO Altman—to distribute cryptocurrency called Worldcoin in exchange for biometric verification, aiming to establish a universal digital identity system.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Reddit is gaining more visibility in Google's AI Overviews, becoming the second most-cited source after Quora, according to Semrush.

This boost is linked to Reddit's $60 million content licensing deal with Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL Google in 2024. However, analysts caution that the increased exposure may not lead to significant revenue growth for Reddit.

Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate a consistent upward trajectory for Reddit across short, medium and long-term periods. More detailed performance data is available here.