There is perhaps no other site on the Internet more informative, entertaining, and confusing to use than Reddit.

It’s called “the front page of the Internet” for good reason. Nearly everything you have seen catching viral buzz online likely started on Reddit.

Users can find just about anything they want, on any topic. For most of Reddit’s users, it’s awesome. For parents, it’s both good and bad.

There are countless parenting communities in Reddit, so that’s a plus. But what if your child wants to check out Reddit? Because its owners take a more hands-off approach, it’s very easy for kids to stumble into a link or image inappropriate for children.

For parents, here’s what you should know about Reddit:

What is Reddit?

Launched in 2005, Reddit is essentially a massive forum categorized by a variety of topics called subreddits, usually preceded by an “r/.” For example, some of the straightforward subreddits include r/news or r/books. Others can get pretty specific, such as r/cordcutters for users who have dropped cable or want to cut the cord and seek tips, advice, or other information.

Some are just plain strange. Want a subreddit with just pictures of birds with human arms? It really exists. If you have a topic in mind, there is a very good chance there’s a subreddit about it.

Subreddits are run by moderators, Reddit users who earn the title by creating a subreddit or being promoted by a current moderator. In some cases, moderators will have their own set of rules for participating in a subreddit.

How popular is Reddit?

According to traffic analytics firm Alexa, Reddit is the fourth most popular site in the U.S., with more than 300 million users each month. For perspective, it’s behind only Google, YouTube and Facebook. Reddit boasts more than 138,000 communities.

Why is Reddit such a big deal?

You can find literally anything on the Internet via Reddit. It’s an incredibly powerful, crowdsourced outlet. It uses a voting system where users decide which content is most relevant by giving them “up” or “down” votes.

Another cool element to Reddit is the AMA: short for Ask Me Anything, where people (including celebrities) appear on the site to answer questions from the community. Guests range from former President Barack Obama to someone who claims they were randomly attacked and bitten by a bat, twice. You can’t make this stuff up.

No surprise, but parenting is pretty well represented, with a broader subreddit for parenting, as well as specific communities just for current moms and dads, expecting moms and dads, and other categories including adoption and raising kids.

Should I worry about my kids using it?

Reddit is kinda like YouTube, in that kids can start with seemingly innocent stuff then fall down this rabbit hole into stuff that’s a lot more questionable for their ages. In the case of Reddit, there is plenty of “not safe for work” (NSFW) material to uncover. Think of it this way: if it’s something you can find on a typical Google search, odds are you can find it on Reddit, too.

Reddit also features a lot of anonymous comments and messaging, and it’s possible for any one to message your child if they’re on Reddit.

How can I protect them?

On the messaging front, users can control who sends them messages. They can add “trusted users” by their username, so only they can send messages. For questionable comments, users can report them for review.

As for content, users can control what subreddits or items appear on Reddit. Under "preferences," then "content options," there are two important boxes: one says "I am over eighteen years old and willing to view adult content," and another allows NSFW results to show in searches.

Another trick is subscribing to subreddits, which help shape what the front page of Reddit will look like. This is a good time to explore with your child why they want to visit Reddit, and tailor the experience so it fits them. Keep in mind all of this works when you're logged in, so be sure you have signed in to Reddit beforehand.

You can also learn "reddiquette," an informal set of rules for how to use Reddit.

If you're not sure whether your child is ready for their own Reddit account, create one they can use. This allows you to keep track of what your child is reading.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.