I’m still trying to get a grasp of the Reddit community and how it works. The reason its taken me so long is mainly because of my lack of time on it which is tough when you’re already spending way too much time on other social networks. All I know is that it seems like every funny picture/video/meme gets found or shared on Reddit first.

Since its creation in 2005, Reddit has grown into one of the most influential communities on the internet. More than just a content aggregator, it generates information and new content, and has given birth to intriguing collaborative projects that reflect a particular group character and value system. The Reddit community has become so active that it has had an impact on recent political events like SOPA/CISPA. And like any real-world community, it also has its share of internal social issues, forcing it to grapple with its commitment to free speech and the lawlessness of the internet.

PBS’s Off Book just published this great piece in which they talk with Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian and other Reddit editors to give us a quick history lesson on how things started and how the community has grown and works.