{{Short description|American web developer and entrepreneur (born 1983)}} {{Distinguish|Steve Hoffman (disambiguation){{!}}Steve Hoffman}} {{About|the American entrepreneur|other uses}} {{Use American English|date=June 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Steve Huffman | other_names = spez<ref name="Hempel15">{{cite news |title=Inside Reddit's plan to recover from its epic meltdown |last1=Hempel |first1=Jessi |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/10/reddit-survived-meltdown-can-fix/ |newspaper=Wired |date=6 October 2015 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108182858/https://www.wired.com/2015/10/reddit-survived-meltdown-can-fix/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | image = Web Summit 2017 - Centre Stage Day 2 CG1 7885 (38232183112) (cropped).jpg | children = 1 | image_size = | alt = | caption = Huffman in 2017 | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2023|April|19}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-19 |title=Steve Huffman on His Plans to Take Reddit Public and Why He Thinks TikTok Should Be Banned |url=https://www.gq.com/story/steve-huffman-reddit-public-tiktok-ban |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=GQ |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504071825/https://www.gq.com/story/steve-huffman-reddit-public-tiktok-ban |url-status=live }}</ref> | birth_place = Lansing, Michigan, U.S.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huffman |first=Steve |date=April 26, 2021 |title=who was going to tell me this |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/lansing/comments/myowly/comment/gvyvlig |access-date=10 May 2023 |website=/r/lansing on Reddit}}</ref> | education = University of Virginia (BS) | occupation = Co-founder and CEO of Reddit }}
'''Steve Huffman''' (born 1983 or 1984), also known by his Reddit username '''spez''' ({{IPAc-en|s|p|ɛ|z|audio=en-us-spez.ogg}}), is an American web developer and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of Reddit, which is the seventh most-visited website in the world as of July 2025.<ref name="Alexa">{{cite web |url=https://www.alexa.com/topsites |title=The top 500 sites on the web |publisher=Alexa Internet |access-date=11 June 2018 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715000009/https://www.alexa.com/topsites |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also co-founded the airfare search engine website Hipmunk, which was shut down in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Baran |first1=Michelle |date=2020-01-18 |title=RIP Hipmunk, the Travel Booking Site That Took the "Agony" out of Search |url=https://www.afar.com/magazine/hipmunk-is-shutting-down-heres-everything-you-need-to-know |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=AFAR Media |language=en}}</ref> His tenure as Reddit CEO has been met with many controversies regarding his changes to the platform. As of November 2025, Huffman's estimated net worth is approximately $1.2 billion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Steve Huffman |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/steve-huffman/ |website=Forbes |date=November 3, 2025 |access-date=November 3, 2025}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Steve Huffman grew up in Warrenton, Virginia.<ref name="Jaffee14">{{cite news |title=The Voice of His Generation |last1=Jaffee |first1=Michelle Koidin |url=http://uvamagazine.org/articles/voice_of_his_generation |newspaper=Virginia |date=Fall 2014 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=10 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310062516/http://uvamagazine.org/articles/voice_of_his_generation |url-status=live }}</ref> He began programming at age 8.<ref name="Jaffee14"/> He graduated in 2001 from Wakefield School in The Plains, Virginia.<ref name="Wakefield">{{cite web |url=https://www.wakefieldschool.org/page.cfm?p=1017&newsid=1416 |title=The Odyssey of an Alum |date=3 May 2016 |publisher=Wakefield School |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=15 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915042259/https://www.wakefieldschool.org/page.cfm?p=1017&newsid=1416 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the University of Virginia (UVA), he studied computer science, graduating in 2005.<ref name="Jaffee14"/><ref name="grad">{{cite web | url=http://www.seas.virginia.edu/pubs/uvaengineer/websites.php | title=Unleashing High-Profile, High-Profit Websites | author=Zak Richards | access-date=2012-10-11 | archive-date=2012-09-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916100000/http://www.seas.virginia.edu/pubs/uvaengineer/websites.php | url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career== During spring break of his senior year at UVA, Huffman and college roommate Alexis Ohanian<ref name="Hempel15"/> drove to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend a lecture<ref name="MassLive">{{cite web |title='This internet thing is not a fad': Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian to discuss online entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst |last1=Williams |first1=Michelle |url=http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2014/02/reddit_co-founder_alexis_ohanian_steve_k.html |website=Mass Live |date=August 2015 |access-date=27 March 2018 |archive-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001070334/https://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2014/02/reddit_co-founder_alexis_ohanian_steve_k.html |url-status=live }}</ref> delivered by English programmer-entrepreneur Paul Graham.<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="Fink15">{{cite news |title=Mr. Meme |last1=Fink |first1=Steve |url=http://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2015/8/4/reddit-ceo-alexis-ohanian-reflects-on-10-years |newspaper=Baltimore |date=August 2015 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001070049/https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2015/8/4/reddit-ceo-alexis-ohanian-reflects-on-10-years |url-status=live }}</ref> Huffman and Ohanian talked with Graham after the lecture and he invited them to apply to Y Combinator, his startup incubator.<ref name="Hempel15"/> Huffman came up with their original idea, My Mobile Menu,<ref name="Fink15"/> which was intended to allow users to order food by SMS.<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="Fink15"/> The idea was rejected, but Graham asked Huffman and Ohanian to meet him in Boston to pitch another idea for a start-up; it was at this brainstorming session that the idea for what Graham called the "front page of the Internet" was created.<ref name="Hempel15"/> Huffman and Ohanian were accepted in Y Combinator's first class.<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="Fink15"/> Huffman programmed the entire site in Lisp.<ref name="NPR1">{{cite episode |title=Live Episode! Reddit: Alexis Ohanian & Steve Huffman |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=545635014 |series=How I Built This With Guy Raz |network= NPR |date=31 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="Wallace15">{{cite news |last1=Wallace |first1=Benjamin |title=Can Steve Huffman Save Reddit From Itself? |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/10/reddit-founder-steve-huffman.html |access-date=28 March 2018 |work=New York |date=6 October 2015 |archive-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329143418/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/10/reddit-founder-steve-huffman.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He and Ohanian launched Reddit in June 2005, funded by Y Combinator.<ref name="grad"/><ref name="Macale">{{cite web|last=Macale|first=Sherilynn "Cheri"|title=A rundown of Reddit's history and community [Infographic]|url=https://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/10/14/a-rundown-of-reddits-history-and-community-infographic/|website=The Next Web Social Media|date=14 October 2011|access-date=November 12, 2011|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108132540/http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/10/14/a-rundown-of-reddits-history-and-community-infographic/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The site's audience grew rapidly in its first few months, and by August 2005, Huffman noticed their habitual user-base had grown so large that he no longer needed to fill the front page with content himself.<ref name="NPR1"/><ref name="Mead12">{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-reddit-got-huge-tons-of-fake-accounts--2/ |title=How Reddit Got Huge: Tons of Fake Accounts |author=Derek Mead |date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Motherboard |access-date=11 June 2018 |archive-date=18 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618075556/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/z4444w/how-reddit-got-huge-tons-of-fake-accounts--2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Johnston12">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/06/reddit-founders-made-hundreds-of-fake-profiles-so-site-looked-popular/ |title=reddit founders made hundreds of fake profiles so site looked popular |author=Casey Johnston |date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Ars Technica |access-date=11 June 2018 |archive-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001031014/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/06/reddit-founders-made-hundreds-of-fake-profiles-so-site-looked-popular/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Huffman and Ohanian sold Reddit to Condé Nast on October 31, 2006, for a reported $10 million to $20 million.<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="wired">{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2006/10/31/breaking-news-conde-nastwired-acquires-reddit/ | title=Condé Nast/Wired Acquires Reddit | date=2006-10-31 | access-date=2017-06-25 | archive-date=2018-02-15 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215091751/https://techcrunch.com/2006/10/31/breaking-news-conde-nastwired-acquires-reddit/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Huffman remained with Reddit until 2009, when he left his role as acting CEO.<ref name="Koh16">{{cite news |title=Reddit's 'Ask Me Anything' CEO opens up on overcoming crisis |last1=Koh |first1=Yoree |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/reddits-ask-me-anything-ceo-opens-up-on-overcoming-crisis-1473775200 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=13 September 2016 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=20 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220213814/https://www.wsj.com/articles/reddits-ask-me-anything-ceo-opens-up-on-overcoming-crisis-1473775200 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Huffman spent several months backpacking in Costa Rica<ref name="Marantz18">{{cite news |title=Reddit and the Struggle to Detoxify the Internet |last1=Marantz |first1=Andrew |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/19/reddit-and-the-struggle-to-detoxify-the-internet |newspaper=The New Yorker |date=19 March 2018 |access-date=27 March 2018 |archive-date=27 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327021010/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/19/reddit-and-the-struggle-to-detoxify-the-internet |url-status=live }}</ref> before co-creating the travel website Hipmunk with Adam Goldstein, an author and software developer, in 2010. Funded by Y Combinator,<ref name="hipmunk-about">{{cite web | date=2010-08-01 | title=About Hipmunk | publisher=Hipmunk | url=http://www.hipmunk.com/about | access-date=2010-08-26 | archive-date=2015-06-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616224330/https://www.hipmunk.com/about | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="hipmunktechcrunch">{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/17/reddit-cofounder-dips-back-into-y-combinator-with-travel-startup-hipmunk/ | date=2010-08-01 | title=Reddit Co-Founder Dips Back Into Y Combinator With Travel Startup Hipmunk | author=Leena Rao | access-date=2017-06-25 | archive-date=2019-03-21 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321113602/https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/17/reddit-cofounder-dips-back-into-y-combinator-with-travel-startup-hipmunk/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Hipmunk launched in August 2010<ref name="pepitone10">{{cite news |title=Hipmunk's dazzling new view of flight search |last1=Pepitone |first1=Julianne |url=https://money.cnn.com/2010/08/19/technology/hipmunk/index.htm |newspaper=CNNMoney |date=19 August 2010 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=25 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425233746/http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/19/technology/hipmunk/index.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> with Huffman as CTO.<ref name=Inc30/> In 2011, ''Inc.'' named Huffman to its 30 under 30 list.<ref name=Inc30>{{cite web | last1=Lagorio-Chafkin | first1=Christine | date=2011-06-27 | title=Adam Goldstein and Steve Huffman, Founders of Hipmunk | work=Inc | publisher=Inc.com | url=http://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/profile-steve-huffman-adam-goldstein-founders-hipmunk.html | access-date=2012-04-22 | archive-date=2012-06-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606041839/http://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/profile-steve-huffman-adam-goldstein-founders-hipmunk.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2014, Huffman said that his decision to sell Reddit had been a mistake, and that the site's growth had exceeded his expectations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/atrocious-mobile-sucks-reddit-cofounder-steve-huffman-on-what-site-has-become-20141209-122txn.html|title='Atrocious, mobile sucks': Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman on what site has become|work=The Age|date=10 Dec 2014|author=Matthew Hall|access-date=16 July 2015|archive-date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713031433/http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/atrocious-mobile-sucks-reddit-cofounder-steve-huffman-on-what-site-has-become-20141209-122txn.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 10, 2015, Reddit hired Huffman as CEO following the resignation of Ellen Pao<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/11/technology/ellen-pao-reddit-chief-executive-resignation.html |title=Ellen Pao Is Stepping Down as Reddit's Chief|date=July 10, 2015 |work=The New York Times |last1=Issac|first1=Mike|access-date=July 10, 2015|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612222944/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/11/technology/ellen-pao-reddit-chief-executive-resignation.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and during a particularly difficult time for the company.<ref name="Lagorio18">{{cite news |title=Steve Huffman Talks About Bringing Reddit Back From the Brink |last1=Lagorio-Chafkin |first1=Christine |url=https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-speaks-at-sxsw.html |newspaper=Inc. |date=9 March 2018 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=14 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314202831/https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-speaks-at-sxsw.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Upon rejoining the company, Huffman's top goals included launching Reddit's iOS and Android apps, fixing Reddit's mobile website, and creating A/B testing infrastructure.<ref name="Hempel15"/>
Since returning to Reddit, Huffman instituted a number of technological changes including an updated mobile site and stronger infrastructure, as well as new content guidelines. These included a ban on content that incites violence, quarantining some material users might find offensive, and removing communities "that exist solely to ... make Reddit worse for everyone else".<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="Lagorio18"/> Shortly after returning, Huffman wrote that "neither Alexis nor I created Reddit to be a bastion of free speech, but rather as a place where open and honest discussion can happen."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://recode.net/2015/07/14/new-ceo-some-people-on-reddit-shouldnt-be-here-at-all/|title=New CEO: Some People on Reddit 'Shouldn't Be Here at All'|work=Re/Code|date=14 Jul 2015|access-date=16 July 2015|archive-date=16 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716043308/http://recode.net/2015/07/14/new-ceo-some-people-on-reddit-shouldnt-be-here-at-all/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2012 interview, Alexis Ohanian had used the phrase "bastion of free speech" specifically to describe Reddit, as noted by ''The New Yorker'' and ''The Verge''.<ref name="Marantz18"/><ref name="Robertson15">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/15/8964995/reddit-free-speech-history |title=Was Reddit always about free speech? Yes, and no |author=Adi Robertson |date=15 July 2015 |publisher=The Verge |access-date=4 May 2018 |archive-date=3 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503022715/https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/15/8964995/reddit-free-speech-history |url-status=live }}</ref>
Huffman also worked to make the site more advertiser-friendly<ref name="Hempel15"/><ref name="Lagorio18"/> and led efforts to host videos and images on site.<ref name="Shaw16">{{cite news |title=Reddit plans to host videos on its site |last1=Shaw |first1=Dougal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-36426265 |newspaper=BBC News |date=2 June 2016 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001143809/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-36426265 |url-status=live }}</ref> In late 2016, Huffman was the focus of controversy for altering posts on a subreddit popular with supporters of Donald Trump, /r/The Donald. Following criticism from Reddit users, he undid the change and issued an apology.<ref name="Roisin16">{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/spezgiving-how-reddits-ceo-triedand-failedto-troll-the-trolls/ |title='Spezgiving': How Reddit's CEO Tried And Failed to Troll the Trolls |author=Roisin Kiberd |date=5 December 2016 |work=Motherboard |publisher=Vice |access-date=3 May 2018 |archive-date=18 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218113641/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/ezpkpk/spezgiving-how-reddits-ceo-triedand-failedto-troll-the-trolls |url-status=live }}</ref> Beginning in 2017, Huffman led the redesign of Reddit's website with its first major visual update in a decade.<ref name="Pardes18">{{cite news |title=The inside story of Reddit's redesign |last1=Pardes |first1=Arielle |url=https://www.wired.com/story/reddit-redesign/ |newspaper=Wired |date=2 April 2018 |access-date=16 May 2018 |archive-date=3 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403010137/https://www.wired.com/story/reddit-redesign/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Loten18">{{cite news |title=Reddit CEO revamped outdated website from the IT foundations |last1=Loten |first1=Angus |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2018/04/10/reddit-ceo-revamped-outdated-website-from-the-it-foundations/ |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=10 April 2018 |access-date=17 May 2018 |archive-date=3 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503043307/https://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2018/04/10/reddit-ceo-revamped-outdated-website-from-the-it-foundations/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Huffman said the site had looked like a "dystopian Craigslist" whose outdated look deterred new users.<ref name="Pardes18"/> Development of the new site took more than a year, and the redesign launched in April 2018.<ref name="Pardes18"/>
In 2020, ''Fortune'' magazine included him in their '40 Under 40' listing in the technology category.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Steve Huffman {{!}} 2020 40 under 40 in Tech|url=https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2020/steve-huffman/|access-date=2020-09-13|website=Fortune|language=en|archive-date=2020-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021143201/https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2020/steve-huffman/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In anticipation to Reddit's initial public offering, it was revealed that Huffman’s compensation package for 2023 was worth $193.2 million, which included a salary of $341,346, stock awards worth $98.3 million and stock options valued at $93.8 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2024-02-22 |title=Reddit Discloses Finances in IPO Filing, Will Let Influential Moderators and Users Buy Shares at Offering Price |url=https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/reddit-ipo-filing-users-buy-shares-offering-price-1235919736/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
In September 2024, Huffman was named by ''TIME'' as one of the 100 most influential people in AI.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Chow|first=Andrew R.|date=September 5, 2024|access-date=October 14, 2025|title=Steve Huffman |url=https://time.com/7012845/steve-huffman/ |magazine=TIME}}</ref>
==Controversies and criticism==
===Comment modification controversy===
On November 23, 2016, a member of a subreddit dedicated to Donald Trump, r/The_Donald, posted evidence indicating that Reddit administrators had modified multiple user comments inside the subreddit.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Menegus|first1=Bryan|title=Reddit CEO Caught Secretly Editing User Comments, Chatlogs Leaked [Update]|url=http://gizmodo.com/reddit-ceo-caught-secretly-editing-user-comments-chatl-1789342358|accessdate=24 November 2016|work=Gizmodo|date=24 November 2016|archive-date=24 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124201923/http://gizmodo.com/reddit-ceo-caught-secretly-editing-user-comments-chatl-1789342358|url-status=live}}</ref> Following this post, Huffman took responsibility for the comment modifications, writing that "Our community team is pretty pissed at me, so I most assuredly won't do this again."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Yeung|first1=Ken|url=http://venturebeat.com/2016/11/23/reddit-ceo-apologizes-for-editing-comments-critical-of-him-following-pizzagate-ban/|title=Reddit CEO apologizes for editing comments critical of him following Pizzagate ban|publisher=VentureBeat|accessdate=24 November 2016|archive-date=24 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124161742/http://venturebeat.com/2016/11/23/reddit-ceo-apologizes-for-editing-comments-critical-of-him-following-pizzagate-ban/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Russell |first1=Jon |title=Reddit CEO admits he secretly edited comments from Donald Trump supporters |work=TechCrunch |publisher= |url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/23/reddit-huffman-trump/ |access-date=24 November 2016 |archive-date=24 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124070150/https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/23/reddit-huffman-trump/ |url-status=live }}</ref> His administrative modifications involved changing one specific insulting phrase, in several comments, to make them appear as if the insults were directed toward the moderators of the subreddit instead of him.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Weingerger|first1=Matt|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-modifies-donald-trump-the-donald-2016-11|accessdate=24 November 2016|publisher=Business Insider|title=The CEO of Reddit confessed to modifying posts from Trump supporters after they wouldn't stop sending him expletives|archive-date=24 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124053421/http://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-modifies-donald-trump-the-donald-2016-11|url-status=live}}</ref> In a Reddit post, Huffman wrote that he "messed with" some of the comments but that he "restored the original comments after less than an hour."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/reddit-ceo-admits-editing-pro-trump-users-comments/article/2608177|title=Reddit CEO admits editing pro-Trump users' comments|first=Daniel|last=Chaitin|publisher=Washington Examiner|date=November 25, 2016|access-date=November 25, 2016|archive-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817040047/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/reddit-ceo-admits-editing-pro-trump-users-comments/article/2608177|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 30, 2016, Huffman announced that sticky posts from r/The_Donald would no longer show up on r/all, stating that the community's moderators were abusing the feature in order to "slingshot posts into r/all, often in a manner that is antagonistic to the rest of the community."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lecher|first1=Colin|title=Reddit will punish hundreds of 'toxic users' and hide some posts from pro-Trump community|date=30 November 2016|url=http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13797712/reddit-trump-the-donald-ban|publisher=The Verge|accessdate=30 November 2016|archive-date=30 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130213105/http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13797712/reddit-trump-the-donald-ban|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Dave|title=Reddit moves against 'toxic' Trump fans|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38165435|accessdate=December 1, 2016|work=BBC News|date=November 30, 2016|archive-date=December 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201001207/http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38165435|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Black Lives Matter===
On June 1, 2020, Huffman published an open letter as Reddit's CEO, titled "Remember the Human – Black Lives Matter",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huffman |first1=Steve |title=Remember the Human – Black Lives Matter |url=https://redditblog.com/2020/06/01/remember-the-human-black-lives-matter/ |website=Upvoted |date=June 1, 2020 |access-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117184848/https://redditblog.com/2020/06/01/remember-the-human-black-lives-matter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which addressed the topic of racism on the platform.
Former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao called out Huffman's letter with a tweet on her official Twitter profile, saying that Reddit had long condoned racism and that the platform "monetizes white supremacy". The popular NBA and NFL subreddits agreed with Pao, obscuring their sections for 24 hours.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Katie |title=Reddit slammed by former CEO Ellen Pao for 'amplifying' racism and hate |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/reddit-slammed-by-former-ceo-ellen-pao-for-amplifying-racism-and-hate-nfl-nba/ |website=CNET |language=en |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-date=January 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112205122/https://www.cnet.com/news/reddit-slammed-by-former-ceo-ellen-pao-for-amplifying-racism-and-hate-nfl-nba/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Alexis Ohanian resigned on June 5, 2020, asking to be replaced by a black director and urging the company to finally ban hate speech and hate communities on Reddit in an open letter.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alexis Ohanian Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/alexisohanian/status/1268943033137053698|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Twitter|language=en|archive-date=2021-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230233231/https://twitter.com/alexisohanian/status/1268943033137053698}}</ref>
===2023 API changes=== {{Further|2023 Reddit API controversy}} In April 2023, Reddit announced changes in its API rules.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creating a Healthy Ecosystem for Reddit Data and Reddit Data API Access - Upvoted |url=https://www.redditinc.com/blog/2023apiupdates |website=www.redditinc.com |access-date=10 June 2023 |date=18 April 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609152731/https://www.redditinc.com/blog/2023apiupdates |url-status=live }}</ref> In response to the announced plan to begin charging some third-party apps for access to its API, several third-party apps, including Apollo, announced that they would shut down services.<ref>{{cite web |title=Why everyone is freaking out about the Reddit API right now |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/reddit-api-changes-explained/ |website=Digital Trends |access-date=10 June 2023 |language=en |date=9 June 2023}}</ref> The announced changes led to planning for protests across the platform scheduled for June 12, 2023, including several thousand subreddits temporarily switching to private-only access for 48 hours.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerken |first1=Tom |title=Reddit blackout: Subreddits to go private on Monday |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65855608 |website=BBC News |access-date=10 June 2023 |date=9 June 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609220255/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65855608 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bell 2023">{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Karissa |title=Reddit CEO will host an AMA on API changes as thousands of subreddits plan to 'go dark' |url=https://www.engadget.com/reddit-ceo-will-host-an-ama-on-api-changes-as-thousands-of-subreddits-plan-to-go-dark-193423226.html |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=Engadget |date=June 8, 2023 |archive-date=8 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608221335/https://www.engadget.com/reddit-ceo-will-host-an-ama-on-api-changes-as-thousands-of-subreddits-plan-to-go-dark-193423226.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Davis 2023" />
[[File:Fuck spez.png|thumb|"Fuck spez!" written by Reddit users across the July 2023 canvas of r/place]]
In response, Huffman held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on June 9, 2023;<ref name="Peters 2023">{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Jay |title=Reddit won't budge on the API changes that are shutting down apps like Apollo |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/9/23755640/reddit-api-changes-apps-apollo-shut-down-ama-spez-steve-huffman |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=The Verge |date=9 June 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609190704/https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/9/23755640/reddit-api-changes-apps-apollo-shut-down-ama-spez-steve-huffman |url-status=live }}</ref> according to Wes Davis at ''The Verge'', "Huffman was met with seemingly universal anger" and "If there are positive comments, I didn't find them."<ref name="Davis 2023">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Wes |title=Reddit's users and moderators are revolting against its CEO |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/10/23756476/reddit-protest-api-changes-apollo-third-party-apps |access-date=13 June 2023 |work=The Verge |date=10 June 2023}}</ref> During the AMA, Huffman said the plan to begin charging some apps for access to the Reddit API on July 1, 2023, and to limit third-party app access to mature content from Reddit was still scheduled to happen.<ref name="Kan 2023">{{cite news |last1=Kan |first1=Michael |title=Reddit CEO: We're Sticking With API Changes, Despite Subreddits Going Dark |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/reddit-ceo-were-sticking-with-api-changes-despite-subreddits-going-dark |access-date=10 June 2023 |work=PCMag |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> After the AMA, some subreddits announced their suspension of public access would be indefinite, until API policy issues were addressed.<ref name="Davis 2023" />
In July 2023, Reddit relaunched its popular r/place experience in the midst of the API changes controversy, sparking mass protests on the page regarding Huffman and his Reddit account u/spez, with the slogan "Fuck Spez!" featured repeatedly and noticeably, including similar sentiments expressed in other languages.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/20/23801716/reddits-r-place-protest-art |title=Reddit's r/Place is going about as well as expected |date=July 20, 2023 |last=Peters |first=Jay |work=The Verge |access-date=July 20, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Dexerto">{{Cite web |title=Reddit API protest continues on r/place as users hit out at CEO |url=https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/reddit-api-protest-continues-on-r-place-as-users-hit-out-at-ceo-2219390/ |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=Dexerto |date=July 20, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Lausson>{{cite news |last1=Lausson |first1=Julien |title=r/Place se finit avec des pixels en noir et blanc et un ultime " fuck Spez " |url=https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/1458054-r-place-se-finit-avec-des-pixels-en-noir-et-blanc-et-un-ultime-fuck-spez.html |access-date=July 26, 2023 |work=Numerama |date=July 25, 2023 |language=French}}</ref>
==Net neutrality activism== Huffman is an advocate for net neutrality rules.<ref name="Kang17">{{cite news |title=F.C.C. repeals net neutrality rules |last1=Kang |first1=Cecilia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-vote.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=14 December 2017 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=14 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214181729/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-vote.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ingram17">{{cite news |title=Reddit flexes its muscle over net neutrality |last1=Ingram |first1=Mathew |url=https://www.cjr.org/analysis/reddit-net-neutrality-fcc.php |newspaper=Columbia Journalism Review |date=6 December 2017 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312161740/https://www.cjr.org/analysis/reddit-net-neutrality-fcc.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, he told ''The New York Times'' that without net neutrality protections, "you give internet service providers the ability to choose winners and losers".<ref name="Kang17"/> On Reddit, Huffman urged redditors to express support for net neutrality and contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Ingram17"/> Huffman said that the repeal of net neutrality rules stifles competition. He said he and Reddit would continue to advocate for net neutrality.<ref name="BloombergTech17">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-12-14/reddit-ceo-net-neutrality-vote-stifles-competition-video |title=Reddit CEO says net neutrality vote stifles competition |date=14 December 2017 |publisher=Bloomberg LP |access-date=30 April 2018 |archive-date=5 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105025836/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-12-14/reddit-ceo-net-neutrality-vote-stifles-competition-video |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== Huffman lives in San Francisco, California.<ref name="Osnos17"/> He mentors aspiring programmers at coding bootcamps including Hackbright Academy.<ref name="Truong13">{{cite news |title="Become an iOS developer in 8 weeks": The truth about hack schools |last1=Truong |first1=Alice |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3023456/become-an-ios-developer-in-8-weeks-the-truth-about-hack-schools |newspaper=Fast Company |date=17 December 2013 |access-date=12 March 2018 |archive-date=14 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114200811/https://www.fastcompany.com/3023456/become-an-ios-developer-in-8-weeks-the-truth-about-hack-schools |url-status=live }}</ref> Huffman was an instructor for e-learning courses on web development by Udacity.<ref>{{cite web | date=2012-04-01 | title=Udacity CS253 Web Application Engineering | url=http://www.udacity.com/overview/Course/cs253/CourseRev/apr2012 | access-date=2012-04-22 | archive-date=2012-04-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423124309/http://www.udacity.com/overview/Course/cs253/CourseRev/apr2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Gee15">{{cite web |url=http://www.i-programmer.info/news/150-training-a-education/9125-top-cs-moocs-by-the-numbers.html |title=Top CS MOOCs by the numbers |author=Sue Gee |date=11 November 2015 |publisher=I Programmer |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=16 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216205820/http://www.i-programmer.info/news/150-training-a-education/9125-top-cs-moocs-by-the-numbers.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="O'Neill12">{{cite news |title=Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman sheds light on the early days |last1=O'Neill |first1=Megan |url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/reddit-fake-users/ |newspaper=Adweek |date=19 June 2012 |access-date=30 April 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009100433/https://www.adweek.com/digital/reddit-fake-users/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He is on the board of advisors for the Anti-Defamation League's Center for Technology and Society.<ref name="Carson17">{{cite news |last1=Carson |first1=Erin |title=Anti-Defamation League taps tech giants to fight hate |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/anti-defamation-league-taps-tech-giants-to-fight-hate/ |access-date=13 November 2017 |work=CNet |date=13 November 2017 |archive-date=13 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113232343/https://www.cnet.com/news/anti-defamation-league-taps-tech-giants-to-fight-hate/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Huffman is a ballroom dancer.<ref name="Osnos17">{{cite magazine|last1=Osnos|first1=Evan|title=Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/30/doomsday-prep-for-the-super-rich |access-date=23 January 2017|magazine=The New Yorker|date=30 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="Wallace15"/> At UVA, Huffman competed in intercollegiate competitions.<ref name="Osnos17"/><ref name="Wallace15"/> Huffman married in 2009, but is now divorced.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-10-06|title=Can Steve Huffman Save Reddit From Itself?|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/10/reddit-founder-steve-huffman.html|access-date=2021-02-20|website=Intelligencer|language=en|archive-date=2018-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001070123/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/10/reddit-founder-steve-huffman.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He has a daughter with his fiancée.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoyle |first=Ben |date=April 17, 2021 |title=Meet Steve Huffman, co-founder of Reddit, the world's most influential website |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/social-media/article/meet-steve-huffman-co-founder-of-reddit-the-worlds-most-influential-website-bkjp67xk6 |work=The Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240907062114/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/social-media/article/meet-steve-huffman-co-founder-of-reddit-the-worlds-most-influential-website-bkjp67xk6 |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Wikiquote}} * [https://reddit.com/user/spez Reddit account] * {{Triangulation|94|Steve Huffman}}
{{Reddit}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huffman, Steve}} Category:1980s births Category:American billionaires Category:American businesspeople in the computer industry Category:American computer programmers Category:American chief executives in technology Category:American technology company founders Category:Living people Category:Reddit people Category:University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni Category:Web designers Category:Web developers