Reddit to hide ‘abhorrent’ material under new tighter content policy
Social sharing platform Reddit is to clamp down on ‘abhorrent’ content posted on its website by handing moderators the power to hide discussions from general view which are deemed to fall outwith general standards of decency – although registered users will still be able to log-in and view the material.
The move is an attempt to square the circle of facilitating freedom of speech without being hijacked as a platform for people to post racist, sexist views by starving them of the oxygen of publicity through a new classification system for dark material.
Interim CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman commented: “We've spent the last few days here discussing, and agree that an approach like this allows us as a company to repudiate content we don't want to associate with the business, but gives individuals freedom to consume it if they choose.
“This classification will require a login, must be opted into, will not appear in search results or public listings, and will generate no revenue for Reddit.
“If the hateful users continue to spill out into mainstream Reddit, we will try more aggressive approaches.”
Reddit will maintain an existing blanket ban on child abuse and ‘revenge porn’ images.