Reddit, a privately owned company headquartered in the US, was founded in 2005 and employs approximately 2970 individuals. Its main product is social networking platforms, operating as a tier 1 media tech buyer. The platform enables users to submit, vote, and comment on content, stories, and discussions focused on diverse topics.
On September 17, 2026, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian critiqued the tech industry's "tone deaf" messaging regarding artificial intelligence risks, advocating for a shift from apocalyptic "Terminator and Skynet" scenarios to practical concerns, a pivot that could reshape public perception and policy development. Also on September 17, hackers compromised HBO Max's verified Reddit account, using it as a malware distribution channel for 108 malicious advertisements over roughly 48 hours. Security researchers linked this attack, which targeted passwords and cryptocurrency wallets with different malware for Windows and macOS users, to a broader campaign named PasteSwitch. Previously, on September 16, Ohanian had stated that the technology industry's poor communication had fueled misinformation in the public debate, asserting that real AI risks, such as "agent swarms," are less apocalyptic than commonly portrayed. Earlier on September 16, it was reported that the malicious ads posted from the compromised HBO Max account promoted fake HBO Max content, AI tools, and developer tools.
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