Type of site | Subreddit |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| URL | www |
| Users | ~17,500,000 (As of December 2017[update]) |
| Launched | May 2009 |
/r/IAmA is a subreddit for question-and-answer interactive interviews termed "AmAs". AmA interviewees have ranged from various celebrities to everyday people in several lines of work. Founded in May 2009, the subreddit has went on to become one of Reddit's most popular communities.
IAmA ("I Am A") is based around posting 'AMAs' (for "Ask Me Anything"), or similarly "AMAs" (for "Ask Me Almost/Absolutely Anything") – prompts for others to ask questions about any topic. AMAs are open to all Reddit users, but interviewees require proof that they are who/what they claim to be. These interviews use the site's comment system for both questions and answers; it is similar to a press conference but online.[1] Like the rest of Reddit, users can also both upvote and downvote potiential interviews - with the most favoured being more likely to recieve an answer
According to The Atlantic, this concept is new to the digital age. They deemed the closest equivalents to be game shows, and radio call-in shows - but those are still different in that the focus is on the celebrities.[1] Contrastingly, /r/IAmA places more emphasis on the users answering the questions.
This genesis on the internet began in the 1990s; Slashdot launched similar interviews in 1999, but only 10 questions per person were allowed. Parpicitants included free software advocate Bruce Perens and Linux developer Alan Cox. This was followed by Something Awful's Ask/Tell forums, which was more focused on interviews with everyday people.
Reddit built on these ideas with video interviews with site staff Alexis Ohanian and Erik Martin. The demand for AmA-style interviews led to the creation of the current /r/IAmA subreddit in May 2009. Unlike its precursors, it requred proof of identity. By 2012, it had 2.5 million subscribers; as of 9 December 2017[update], it has approximately 17.5 milion subscribers.[2] Since its founding, similar features have appeared in other social media sites, like Tumblr and Ask.fm.[1]
Initially, AmAs focused more on ordinary citizens; these still make up some of the subreddit's content today.[1] As Reddit expanded, its staff made efforts to reach out and contact celebrities - early examples included businesswoman Caterina Fake. Since then, a number of notable individuals have participated in the IAmA subreddit or in an AMA, some of whom have appeared multiple times. Notable people who participated in the IAmA subreddit itself include then-United States President Barack Obama (while campaigning for the 2012 election),[3] Bill Gates (multiple times),[4] and Donald Trump (also while campaigning).[5]
As of May 2017[update], Barack Obama's AMA is the highest rated on the site, followed by those for Victoria Taylor, Reddit's former director of talent; Ken Bone, an Illinois man who went viral during the 2016 U.S. presidential election; Leah Remini, an actress who is a former member of Scientology; and Bill Gates.[2] The increased traffic for Obama's AMA brought down many parts of the website when it occurred on August 29, 2012.[6]
Celebrities participating in IAmAs have seen both positive and negative responses. In 2012, Woody Harrelson's AMA[7] was criticized after Harrelson declined to answer questions that were unrelated to the movie Rampart he was promoting. Similarly, Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra's AMA was criticized for evasiveness when she focused on promoting her upcoming album to the detriment of other questions.[8] By contrast, rapper Snoop Dogg's 2012 AMA[9] attracted 1.6 million page views[10] after he provided several candid responses to the community's questions. A particularly well received AMA of 2014 was that of Peter Dinklage, best known for his role as Tyrion Lannister in the HBO drama series Game of Thrones.[11] Redditors attribute the thread's success to the thoroughness of his responses and the fact that he stayed online much longer than he was expected to so he could spend more time with his fans. The actor departed by commenting:
This feels like being interviewed by a hundred thousand news anchors at once! But much friendlier anchors...who seem to know their material...I really appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and questions. I tried to move another engagement to make more time but it's really hard during shoots. I am going to try to answer a few more short ones now. And remember: If you see me on the street and want a photo, ask! It's just weird when your kid asks for directions.[11]
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See also: Reddit § 2015 |
From 2013 to 2015, Victoria Taylor assisted reddit's volunteer community in presenting interviews.[12][13] Primarily transcribing spoken celebrity responses, she also helped organize timing, send a guide on best pracices, and assist in preparation.[14] On July 2, 2015, hundreds of subreddits, including several with over a million subscribers, were set to private by their respective moderators after Victoria Taylor was dismissed.[15][16][17] Site volunteer moderators stated that a primary factor for the shutdown was a lack of warning for Reddit's decision; Reddit provided no immediate replacement for Taylor's services. Sources closer to Reddit users cited an increased focus on commercializing AMAs as the most likely reason.[14][18]