---
title: "What is Repost? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone"
canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/repost"
last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:18:25.975Z"
meta:
  description: "A repost is content previously shared on a subreddit that gets posted again, either by a different user or the same one."
  "og:description": "A repost is content previously shared on a subreddit that gets posted again, either by a different user or the same one."
  "og:title": "What is Repost? — Social Media Glossary"
  "twitter:description": "A repost is content previously shared on a subreddit that gets posted again, either by a different user or the same one."
  "twitter:title": "What is Repost? — Social Media Glossary"
---

**Reddit**

# Repost

A repost is content previously shared on a subreddit that gets posted again, either by a different user or the same one.

[**Reddit **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/reddit-post-scheduler)

Reddit's version of plagiarism — except sometimes nobody cares, and sometimes it's a capital offense. The reaction depends entirely on which subreddit you're in, how recently the content last appeared, and whether the community is in a forgiving mood.

A repost is any content that's been shared before in the same subreddit. Same image, same article, same video. It doesn't matter if you found it independently. If it's been posted there before, it's a repost.

## The Repost Police

Reddit communities are remarkably good at catching reposts. Bots like u/RepostSleuthBot automatically scan submissions and comment with links to previous versions. Power users with long memories call them out manually. In some subreddits, reposting triggers an automatic removal.

The hostility comes from a real place. Karma farmers — accounts that repost popular content to accumulate karma — clutter subreddits with recycled material and push original content down. Communities that don't enforce repost rules often decline in quality over time.

But not every community treats reposts the same way. r/jokes openly accepts them because new users haven't seen old jokes. r/todayilearned allows them if the last posting was more than six months ago. r/memes removes them on sight. Know the rules before you post.

## Reposts vs. Crossposts

There's an important distinction. A repost is the same content in the same subreddit. A [crosspost shares content from one subreddit to another](https://www.postpone.app/blog/crossposting-reddit) using Reddit's built-in crosspost feature. Crossposts are generally welcomed because they introduce content to a new audience. Reposts are contentious because they show the same audience the same thing twice.

For anyone posting regularly on Reddit, the safest move is to search the subreddit before submitting. Sort by "new" and "top" to check if your content — or something very similar — has appeared recently. Thirty seconds of searching saves you from a comment section full of people calling you out.

When in doubt, create original content. Reddit always rewards that more than recycled material.

**Example**

A meme that hit r/funny's front page six months ago gets uploaded again by a new user. The top comment, inevitably: 'Repost.' Some subreddits like r/memes ban reposts outright using bots like RepostSleuthBot. Others tolerate them if enough time has passed.

## **Why It Matters**

Getting called out for reposting kills credibility on Reddit. Understanding repost etiquette — when it's acceptable, when it's not, and how communities detect it — is essential for anyone posting consistently on the platform.

## **Related Terms**

[Crosspost](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/crosspost) [Karma](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/karma) [Moderator / Moderation](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/moderator-moderation) [Subreddit](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/subreddit) [Upvote / Downvote](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/upvote-downvote)

[**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)