Carbon Footprint of Reddit

What drives this estimate most

• Autoplay, recommendation loops, and image/video-heavy feeds extend session length.
• Short-form video often behaves more like streaming than lightweight browsing.
• The device and network layer still matter even when individual interactions feel small.

Assumptions and boundaries

• The estimate reflects active social-media use over time rather than a single refresh.
• It bundles app-side, network-side, and device-side energy demand into one consumer footprint.
• The number is most useful for comparing habits and platforms.

Uncertainty note: Social-media footprints vary with media density, autoplay behavior, device, and the amount of video in the feed.

Ways to reduce this footprint

• Disable autoplay and cut accidental scroll time where possible.
• Use smaller devices and lower brightness for casual sessions.
• Set app time limits if recommendation loops are extending usage.

Estimate review

Who reviewed this estimate

These estimates are meant to help compare digital habits. They are directional, not exact reproductions of proprietary vendor accounting.