What does AMA mean? Understanding the popular phrase that means 'Ask Me Anything'

• The acronym "AMA" means "ask me anything," and it's commonly used on social media sites.
• An AMA is a type of informal interview in which the interviewee is open to questions from the public.
• AMAs can often be found on Reddit, specifically in the r/AMA subreddit.

If you've ever seen the acronym "AMA" online, you might've wondered what it means.

Here's everything you need to know about AMAs, where you can find them, and why they're popular.

What is an AMA?

"AMA" is an acronym that stands for "ask me anything." When used as a noun, an AMA refers to a type of informal interview in which the interviewee opens the floor to the general public, allowing the audience to ask them whatever they want to know.

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AMAs are usually conducted online on various social media sites, where questions can be submitted easily via comments.

Where AMAs are found online

AMAs are found on many social media sites - if you follow individuals with a large fanbase, chances are you've seen someone conduct an AMA before. AMAs are occasionally hosted on Twitter, YouTube, and on streaming sites like Twitch, but the easiest and most common place to find them is on Reddit's r/IAmA subreddit.

On r/IAmA, anyone can post their own AMA, and other Reddit users can ask whatever questions they want. Sometimes these AMAs are planned in advance for the purpose of promoting specific projects, often with a celebrity attached.

An infamous example is Woody Harrelson's Reddit AMA in 2012. This AMA was negatively received by many Reddit users because Harrelson wanted to talk primarily about his upcoming movie, and was not receptive to being asked "anything."

Many AMAs are just regular people posting their own experiences for the sake of satisfying others' curiosity. The topics covered run the gamut from completely mundane ("I am a used car salesman, AMA") to extraordinary ("I was raised in a cult, AMA").

Why AMAs are popular

AMAs are appealing for many different reasons, but mainly for their personal nature. Traditional interviews are conversations between one interviewer and the interviewee, with the questions usually vetted ahead of time. In contrast, AMAs open the conversation up to anyone on a widely accessible platform like Reddit - thus the questions and answers become far more varied and diverse, creating a unique experience for both the interviewee and their audience.

AMAs also offer a greater breadth of interviewees, since anyone can post one - you don't need to be a person of renown in order to conduct a great AMA and sate people's curiosity. People who otherwise may have never interacted can engage in fascinating conversation about topics they might have never considered before.