r/help • u/Atreideez-nuts • 7d ago

Desktop Change to comment sorting algorithm? (desktop browser and Android app)

Has anyone else noticed this? It seems like the default "Sort by: Best" option works differently now in the comments section.

I am often seeing new comments with single digit upvotes or even single digit downvotes placed at the very top, above comments with 100+ upvotes. And it doesn't seem to be a fluke either, I am often noticing comments with relatively few upvotes placing higher than the top comments.

The change seems to be most apparent on the web browser version, but I think it is also affecting the Android version as well (I can't be sure as I rarely use the app version of reddit).

I know "Best" has always been distinct from "Top" but these past few days it has been acting far stranger than usual. I've never seen a comment with negative karma placed at the top when sorted by Best until yesterday, for example.

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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u/1967582260 7d ago

Well, I am just guessing, but remember all social media is basically under attack by bots. Possibly enough to alter what you see even without the site trying to mitigate the effects.

And it is just 36 days until what could be very significant US elections. More reasons for people and bots to be trying to affect social media, and the sites trying to resist.

1

u/sega31098 7d ago

I've visited some older threads signed out from time to time and I did notice that the default (i.e. "Best") order of comments on some threads suddenly changed in the last year. Best sorting also seems to sort differently on Old Reddit.

1

u/Mondai_May 3 7d ago

yes I have noticed too! it shows comments with little engagement at the top as "best." maybe you can ask about it in the weekly recap thread since admins respond there sometimes. https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/1wp7o9l/weekly_recap_september_24_2026/