Reddit has banned an anti-vax community in the wake of a site-wide blackout

[TexasTowelie]

The company's CEO had previously refused to remove anti-vaccine content.


Earlier this afternoon, r/NoNewNormal, an anti-vax subreddit with more than 124,000 users, was banned from Reddit, for “brigading,” the act of one community overwhelming another with a stream of spam and memes, a form of digital invasion designed to drown out the voices of internet foes.

The subreddit had been the subject of a blackout protest by more than 100 subreddits — from huge communities like r/Futurology and r/tifu to smaller, niche groups like r/sourdough and r/SouthAfrica — for spreading Covid-19 misinformation.

On Monday, the moderators of the more than 100 subreddits coordinated, opting to “go private,” and essentially shutting down their sections of Reddit for everyone, even members of their respective communities. The posts and comments became completely inaccessible. Instead, the pages now displayed a simple message: “Our community is closed until the Reddit administration removes /r/NoNewNormal and other vaccine misinformation subreddits from Reddit. We cannot remain open and also keep our consciences clear.”

REDDIT NOT DOING ENOUGH — The move came after a public letter, posted in several places on Reddit, claimed that the site wasn’t doing enough to combat misinformation on the site. In a post on r/announcements a week ago, Reddit CEO Steve Hoffman responded that “dissent is a part of Reddit and the foundation of democracy,” and that it supports conversations that disagree with popular consensus.

Read more: https://www.inputmag.com/culture/reddit-has-banned-anti-vaxxer-community-in-the-wake-of-a-site-wide-blackout

[Doodley]

1. A group that in festers in a sewer hatred for follow Americans, without any actual facts.

[crickets]

2. Way to go, Nate & co. 💙