Experts explain the appeal of anonymous confessions on Reddit — TIME
In January 2026, the /r/GirlDinnerDiaries community appeared on Reddit, where participants post photos of food along with anonymous personal confessions or requests for advice. It now has about 6 million members. As TIME reports, researchers link the popularity of this format to the psychological effect of self-disclosure and a sense of trust between strangers.
Self-disclosure and trust
Leslie John, a professor at Harvard Business School, noted that talking about oneself can be pleasurable. She referred to experiments by psychologists Diana Tamir and Jason Mitchell: during functional MRI scans, participants answered either ordinary questions or questions about themselves. In those who shared personal information, the brain's pleasure centers were activated.
According to John, a personal confession is a social risk and at the same time a signal of trust toward the other person. This can prompt the other person to trust in return. John's research also showed that people were more willing to consider dating a hypothetical person who confessed to a bad act than one who refused to answer questions.
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Food as a context for confessions
Tamar Ashuri, a sociologist at Tel Aviv University, explained that self-disclosure had previously been studied mainly in direct communication — in intimate relationships or situations such as a conversation with a random fellow traveler. The internet has created a different format: users can anonymously talk about personal matters on a public platform without face-to-face contact.
In /r/GirlDinnerDiaries, a photograph of food makes difficult or painful stories more understandable and ordinary, Ashuri believes. The community's creator, Taylor, who asked to be identified only by her first name, created it after discussions in another Reddit community, Girl Dinner: some users wanted to read stories beneath photos of dishes, while others wanted to see only food. Only approved users can comment on posts, which adds protection for participants sharing personal experiences.
At the same time, John cautioned that online confessions do not always provide the same benefits as in-person communication, including a sense of real social connection. Studies mentioned in the article also link daily social media posting to poorer mental health indicators. However, privately reflecting in writing on traumatic events, according to research by social psychologist James Pennebaker, can bring psychological relief.
