A few of us here on MakeUseOf like Reddit, and apparently so do quite a few other people out on the Internet. Some of those people like it so much that they even create their own web apps and phone apps to use the site in much more creative ways.

Once again, we have another unusual way to use Reddit, and this time, it comes in the easy-to-digest form of the Reddit Investigator, a covert web app for all you Internet snoops out there. So grab your binoculars and your notepad (and maybe a first aid kit), for today, we're jumping into the Reddit Investigator.

Get To Know Someone (Better)

I've seen several instances on Reddit in which people say that they have met other users of the site, and although the chance of meeting someone is probably better than I think, it at least seems rare. This almost makes the online world "real", and it's at that moment when you go to these sites that you realize you are dealing with actual people. With that being said, since we're in the social networking era, I believe it can be safely assumed that everyone still stalks their friends online on at least some level – don't deny it.

reddit friends page

The issue here is that Reddit isn't so of much a social networking site as it is a link aggregator with many users. However, at the same time, it builds up quite a bit of discussion and sometimes even friendships. So there certainly is a social element, and for those lucky few whose friends are also Redditors, it can be assumed that social element is kicked up a few notches.

But let's say that you just met someone and found out they are a Redditor....well, in this hypothetical–not–likely-gonna–happen situation, Reddit Investigator is a great way to creep up on them.

Discover Their Interests

It's fairly simple to figure out someone's interests with Reddit Investigator. Simply plug in their username on the front page of the site, and the web app will lurk the corridors of Reddit, peeking into every hall and scouring each electronic scroll in which the searchee has written their thoughts upon. It's interesting that it's able to do this, and although I've harped about privacy before, you have to understand that this is Reddit – it's a rare instance if anyone knows who you really are.

reddit friends

Basically, on the left side of your Reddit Investigator results, you will see every single subreddit that the user has commented in since the beginning of time itself (except not really). Furthermore, you'll be privileged to find every single subreddit that they have submitted items to, as well.

Check Out Their Stats & Data

Some of you are number crunchers (for those of you that can figure out the chances of meeting another Redditor, please do). With Reddit Investigator, you jump on those crazy little things called stats that some of you crave. Here are just a few of the things you can unravel:

  • Most Active Hours Timeline.
  • Link Karma Timeline And Data.
  • Comment Karma Timeline And Data.
  • Activity Timeline.
  • User Data.
  • Word Data.
  • Fun Guessed Data (stuff like location, political stance, reputation).

For those of you that noticed the timeline that covers the Redditor's most active hours, I can only hope that your boss doesn't know your username. At least you could probably figure out how to best manage your time with this web app. Always a silver lining, right?

reddit friends page

For more help with the "Karma" you keep seeing referenced, check out our guide to what Reddit Karma is and how to earn it.

Conclusion

That's pretty much all there is to it, ladies and gentlemen. Honestly, there isn't any tool quite like a functional tool, and that's what we have here. You really can't beat that. Granted, I don't know how legal your intentions are for Reddit Investigator, but in the meantime, I'll play dumb.

What other tools for Reddit do you use besides Reddit Investigator? We recommend the following apps and extensions for Reddit. And you can also check out our guide that explains what Reddit Premium is and how it works.