Reddit

Reddit is dangerous. The admins are out of control. Humanity needs a viable alternative.

General:

Abuse multireddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20210710055446/https://old.reddit.com/user/maximiliankohler/m/abuse/ - now defunct due to the admins shutting down or restricting all the subs.

Reveddit.com - created by /u/rhaksw. Enables you to review deleted content.

2023/05/01 Reddit kills Pushshift and reveddit. No longer are you able to see what content has been deleted. https://web.archive.org/web/20230501181536/https://old.reddit.com/r/modnews/comments/134tjpe/reddit_data_api_update_changes_to_pushshift_access/

Summary thread that links out to much more: https://web.archive.org/web/20210223233517/https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/apu3oz/with_the_recent_chinese_company_tencent_in_the/ - https://archive.ph/jlSHZ

/u/Kavster92 describes the same degradation of comment quality 2/21/2019: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831130025/https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/asvzot/advertisers_boycott_youtube_after_pedophiles/egxmlo6/ - https://archive.fo/ze7Oi#selection-2549.0-2549.1

The manipulation of reddit got even worse during COVID: https://web.archive.org/web/20210904051852/https://old.reddit.com/r/arizonapolitics/comments/iaswj7/im_finally_taking_the_time_to_do_a_full_write_up/ - https://archive.ph/vZN23 - beyond that write up, I unsubscribed from a number of political and non-political subs I'd been subscribed to for years due to the fact that mods were taking this opportunity to push their own agenda/preferences regarding off-topic things like COVID onto the users. A huge portion of non-COVID subs were inundated with COVID stuff - often by the mods themselves.

If anyone still thinks it's just random mods who are at fault, the reddit admins just proved to me that's not true. The admins are 100% behind the corrupt mods. /r/news /r/worldnews /r/inthenews. This may be my last post on this topic since Reddit is now banning subs for covering mod abuse (Sep 2021) https://web.archive.org/web/20210917163656/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/ppid6p/the_reddit_admins_recently_demonstrated_that_they/ - https://archive.md/yyz73

Reddit’s 2021 Mod Summit was incredibly revealing. These aren't people I'd trust to tie my shoe laces, much less run one of the biggest and most important websites in the world. And their new "true block" announcement is a perfect example that they're either horribly corrupt or incompetent. (Dec 2021) https://web.archive.org/web/20211228045659/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/rptsn5/reddits_2021_mod_summit_was_incredibly_revealing/

Examples of true block being abused shortly after it went live:

We need to talk about people weaponizing the block feature. https://web.archive.org/web/20220126213522/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/sd7zsa/we_need_to_talk_about_people_weaponizing_the/
Testing Reddit's new block feature and its effects on spreading misinformation and propaganda. https://web.archive.org/web/20220202172730/https://old.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/sdcsx3/testing_reddits_new_block_feature_and_its_effects/

Downfall of Reddit (Apr 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du9SnhBHnCw

Reddit Is Cringe | The Story of Why Reddit Is Trash (Feb 2021) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr6WA2sMT7A

Reddit's promises & reneging:

Aaron Swartz, reddit's beginnings, and the direction it took: https://archive.fo/BZyrb#selection-1869.0-1873.1

October 2012: "We stand for free speech. We will not ban legal content" https://archive.fo/Ykfqp - https://archive.fo/EF1CM

More quotes & changes of stances, along with Steve Huffman interview: https://archive.fo/xEFxs

Subreddit bans & quarantines:

Lists of banned subs: https://old.reddit.com/r/reclassified/ - https://web.archive.org/web/20210818184642/https://old.reddit.com/r/reclassified/ - https://archive.ph/BRoh6

Bans and quarantines: https://ruqqus.com/post/3l28/ban-wave-news-92520 - https://archive.ph/wip/WepyY

Banning of /r/deepfakes:
"How reddit admins conspiring with power mods manipulate the community to censor: r/deepfakes banned after two consecutive power mods accuse the sub of cp coincidentally right after the new rules about sexualization of minors are enforced. One of them seems to have posted the cp himself" https://web.archive.org/web/20210831113834/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7w0zll/how_reddit_admins_conspiring_with_power_mods/ - https://archive.ph/wip/zI4bH
"[META] Reddit has now banned /r/fakeapp, a subreddit exclusively for discussion of the technology of deepfakes, despite the fact that they explicitly and strictly enforced a "NO PORNOGRAPHY" policy. The admins are liars." https://web.archive.org/web/20210831113925/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7xxh8b/meta_reddit_has_now_banned_rfakeapp_a_subreddit/ - https://archive.ph/wip/2unC8

Yet another wave of subreddit bans with some extra admin hypocrisy https://web.archive.org/web/20210831113556/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/865hru/yet_another_wave_of_subreddit_bans_with_some/ - https://archive.ph/wip/7A84b - https://archive.fo/0a1Q1 - https://archive.fo/TKOv8

Reddit removing legal anime despite previous promise to not remove anything not illegal: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831114636/https://old.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/aq9h0k/reddits_2018_transparency_report_and_maybe_other/egebshu/ - https://archive.fo/6kLoV

Admins ban clothed cartoon depictions of minors, then lie and claim their content policy has always banned this type of anime content. One user notices and links to the past policy, as well as their past statements warning against exactly this type of slippery slope (Feb 2019):

Reddit Bans Gory Subreddits (/r/watchpeopledie) After New Zealand Shooting 3/15/2019: https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-new-zealand-shooting-reddit-bans-gory-subreddits - https://archive.fo/r5lkd#selection-24545.11-24545.12

ER nurse/medic shares info on value of /r/watchpeopledie: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831115921/https://old.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/baegh5/somebody_stop_him/ekb48hy/ - https://archive.fo/8JbWQ#selection-1957.11-1961.0

/r/leftwithsharpedge: https://raddle.me/wiki/history - https://archive.fo/NnSHn

3/19/2019 /r/piracy gets warning from admins: https://web.archive.org/web/20190326153317/https://old.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/b28d9q/rpiracy_has_received_a_notice_of_multiple/ - https://archive.fo/TOpQi

Quarantined /r/waterniggas for the word "nigga", but /r/4chan is fine even though "nigger" is regularly used.

/r/The_Donald finds numerous comments in other subs advocating violence and says the admins are ignoring it https://archive.fo/2paTT#selection-2507.230-2507.231 - https://old.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/cljuik/quarantine_update_transparency_report_08032019/

06/29/2020: Another subreddit ban wave: https://web.archive.org/web/20200630191922/https://old.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/hi3yq7/new_admin_policy_announced_including_the_banning/ - https://archive.vn/bvQFD

2021-09-02: Admins come up with extremely sketchy reason to ban /r/NoNewNormal https://archive.ph/MZomH - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901234012/https://old.reddit.com/r/redditsecurity/comments/pfyqqn/covid_denialism_and_policy_clarifications/ after /u/Spez had said a few days prior that Reddit would not acquiesce to the demands of people who have been manipulating Reddit towards one viewpoint, and want dissenters silenced https://web.archive.org/web/20210831043145/https://old.reddit.com/r/ScienceUncensored/comments/pbxihl/uspez_responds_to_the_we_call_upon_reddit_to_take/ - https://archive.ph/mxUE5. Many of the users in comments are rightfully calling Reddit out for the BS excuse (Eg), while the vast majority are calling for even more extreme action. /r/modnews thread where others agree NNN was never brigading, and the accusers have no proof: https://archive.ph/ZpJ1w#selection-3797.11-3801.0 "You guys create your own boogeymen then demand Reddit save you from them".

At the same time they started quarantining subs for "medical advice" https://web.archive.org/web/20210901211552/https://old.reddit.com/quarantine?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fold.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fcovidlonghaulers - https://archive.ph/S1Zfr

Sep 10, 2021: r/NoMandatoryVax banned. A seemingly completely legitimate topic gets completely shut down by Reddit with the excuse that it was similar to a previously banned community. https://archive.ph/k5Buu "Now that NoNewNormal is gone, they can ban any derivative subreddit without backlash because they are still small communities. This is what Reddit always does. Kills a large community over a long period of time and then wipes out every small community that branches from it in order to wipe them all off the platform, despite if any of those derivative subreddits are actually breaking the rules or not."

Mar 2022: They quarantine /r/Russia, and remove a mod of that sub for acting in "bad faith". While ignoring the fact that mods manipulating subs' content according to their own biases & agendas is the norm across reddit https://web.archive.org/web/20220306013314/https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/t6mdb8/supporting_ukraine_and_our_community/

Aug 2021: Admins tell /r/WatchRedditDie that they can no longer cover unjust bans: "there should be no posts here where users are showing off any bans from any other community". https://web.archive.org/web/20210831110123/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/pen9rn/removed_as_wrd_moderator_by_admins/ - https://archive.ph/ZN7I0. Admins eventually force /r/WatchRedditDie to close down. The admins banned all the original mods and their alt accounts.

Archives of top links for WatchRedditDie [1][2] and DeclineIntoCensorship [1][2].

At the same time they banned [1][2] /r/The_Cabal, which was dedicated to covering mod and admin abuse as well. Recent archives [1][2]. Top links of all time [1].

They made it an official rule on Sep 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221003114134/https://www.redditinc.com/policies/moderator-code-of-conduct

Dec 2022: Reddit bans /r/banned and /r/Modsbeingdicks. Two more subs dedicated to archiving the rampant abusive mod actions all over reddit. https://archive.vn/nNZf5. A former mod details the way reddit goes about "warnings" and bans: https://archive.vn/CxJdq#selection-2927.13-2927.14 - the admins exhibiting the exact behavior of corrupt mods. Screenshots: [1][2]

Feb 2023: They came for /r/DeclineIntoCensorship: https://web.archive.org/web/20230201032749/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/10qfrgv/update_very_important_please_read/ -- https://web.archive.org/web/20230318003856/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/11tuklk/state_of_the_sub/

Oct 2023: r/ModsAreKillingReddit has been permanently banned without warning. https://web.archive.org/web/20231024223300/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditCensorship/comments/17fjqsz/rmodsarekillingreddit_has_been_permanently_banned/

Study says bans are effective and don't unleash quarantined communities onto the rest of reddit: https://archive.fo/AfTT4#selection-1901.41-1901.42 - https://nypost.com/2017/09/12/reddits-ban-on-bigots-was-successful-study-shows/ | Some critiques: https://archive.fo/hqsLo#selection-1913.41-1913.42 - https://archive.fo/ONC7A

Mod abuse:

This is why I need a reddit alternative. This is what I want from a reddit alternative. Any reddit alternative that does not safeguard for these problems will not succeed, or will go down the same path as reddit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210224164835/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/aphbov/this_is_why_i_need_a_reddit_alternative_this_is/ - https://archive.ph/06gdd

Should moderators provide removal explanations? Analysis of 32 million Reddit posts finds that providing a reason why a post was removed reduced the likelihood of that user having a post removed in the future. (Nov 2019) https://shagunjhaver.com/files/research/jhaver-2019-transparency.pdf - https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020244/https://shagunjhaver.com/files/research/jhaver-2019-transparency.pdf

First mention of Moderator Guidelines: https://web.archive.org/web/20181128060334/https://old.reddit.com/r/modnews/comments/5y33op/updating_you_on_modtools_and_community_dialogue/ - https://archive.ph/wip/Zs6VA

Dear admins, thanks a lot for the mod guidelines! Now when can we expect to see them enforced? https://web.archive.org/web/20210831122927/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/6a5lnl/dear_admins_thanks_a_lot_for_the_mod_guidelines/ - Text from deleted OP: http://archive.fo/eVMAs

List of mod abuse (older /r/modnews comment): https://archive.fo/BVjWE

Information sharing severely limited by mods on reddit (/r/bestof comment): https://archive.fo/eCglw "How ironic that my comment explaining how mods restrict this kind of content all over reddit was removed by a mod": https://web.archive.org/web/20210831123327/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/a8iijc/poweruser_upoppinkream_explains_why_she_spends_a/eccvp4n/?context=1 - https://archive.ph/wip/YIZ9v

Front page thread with virtually every comment agreeing. /r/adviceanimals in 2016, and it's only gotten worse since then: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831123814/https://old.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/4m8kii/the_inmates_are_truly_running_the_asylum/ - https://archive.fo/9zNrX

More in 2019: https://archive.fo/hmQ0x - https://archive.fo/I3hDx - https://archive.fo/E7t1x

2021: https://web.archive.org/web/20210322035035/https://old.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/m0uv62/most_reddit_mods_will_just_ban_you_if_they_dont/ - https://archive.ph/wip/qIQ2h - removed: https://archive.fo/wip/JdyMJ

Reddit mod censorship (/r/worldnews comment 2014): https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124232/https://old.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/21x7lf/new_leaks_show_nsa_gchq_infiltrating_private/cghp8mz/ - https://archive.fo/y2VGn

Jan 2019, Reddit drops from 8th most visited site in 2017 to 24th in 2018 and everyone is calling out the mod abuse issues (/r/inthenews): https://archive.fo/yiZJ2 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124343/https://old.reddit.com/r/inthenews/comments/ajpn8p/reddit_plummets_from_8th_most_visited_site_in_the/

Please restrict the ability of subs/mods to remove mentions of other subreddits. A lot of subs are doing this now and it kills any ability for new subs to grow. https://web.archive.org/web/20210711014508/https://old.reddit.com/r/ideasfortheadmins/comments/6ocf85/please_restrict_the_ability_of_subsmods_to_remove/ - https://archive.ph/yPhib - /r/health mods see this post and shadow ban me in retaliation for it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qc3haozivqbaykx/r-health%20mods%20ban%20for%20rideasfortheadmins%20post.pdf?dl=0

Hundreds of users finding out that huge amounts of their content has been secretly removed (2020): https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124529/https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/jp4j76/google_admits_to_censoring_the_world_socialist/gbckafs/ - https://archive.vn/fHiT0

Suggestion for mods to sue reddit for non-payment: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124533/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/aobkyr/meta_reddit_is_in_talks_to_secure_a_150_million/efzxvkr/ - https://archive.ph/wip/5qlVo

More discussion about terrible mods & policies: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124703/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/5uzjxu/til_that_due_to_hyper_aggressive_moderation/ddygf9n/?context=1 - https://archive.ph/wip/bGjZy - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831124712/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/5uzjxu/til_that_due_to_hyper_aggressive_moderation/ddya4q5/ - https://archive.ph/wip/0WYOg

12/14/2020: Reddit suspends my account for "harassment" for tagging mods to let them know they were the subject of various mod abuse reports: https://www.dropbox.com/s/54npi1pcqq4hzof/reddit%20suspends%20account%20for%20harassment.pdf?dl=0. Comments removed by Reddit admins: https://archive.vn/eBCw6. Given that username tagging is a basic function of reddit, that reddit designed, it makes zero sense for them to categorize using it as "harassment". I tagged each mod a single time. I did not tag them in multiple threads or multiple times. I had never previously tagged any of those users as far as I can remember. It seems obvious that they're trying to send a message that "we support corrupt and abusive mods".

Specific examples:

/u/maxwellhill, banned term list, r/politics and r/technology booted from Reddit’s list of default subreddits for a laundry list of issues that include controversial domain banning and, most notably, moderator drama. "Maxwellhill and anutensil are on one end of the moderation philosophy spectrum and theredditpope are on the opposite end" (2014): https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/reddit-maxwellhill-moderator-technology-flaw/

/u/anutensil "poisonous rot", "uses and abuses people": https://archive.fo/kP9GU - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831130241/https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/23arho/re_banned_keywords_and_moderation_of_rtechnology/cgv81t1/

Not confirmed, but research suggests that /u/maxwellhill, the Reddit account with the 8th most link karma of all time, powermod of frontpage subs like r/worldnews and r/technology, first account to reach a million Karma, is/was operated by Ghislaine Maxwell https://web.archive.org/web/20210225173223/https://old.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/hnfx0r/not_confirmed_but_research_suggests_that/ - https://archive.ph/3MLzk - also suggests connection with /u/anutensil.

/u/progress18: look at the subs they mod (something Reddit has been actively covering up). They are clearly a political user. You can see examples below of /r/democrats, /r/progressive, and /r/liberal being manipulated by the mods towards the center-right, and /r/health being generally corrupt and abusive. Despite years of history as a corrupt moderator, reddit admin /u/redtaboo purposely places /u/progress18 in a position of power on /r/inthenews. And /u/progress18 immediately shadowbans me and then fabricates a ridiculous excuse to permanently ban me when I question the shadowban.

Despite all this, and despite the fact that extreme mod abuse & corruption has been one of the main complaints over the years, the admins have not only done nothing to address it, but actively support it via changes such as:

Mods can answer modmail anonymously (reply as subreddit - and this is set as the default) so you can't tell who the bad apple is.
A single mod can archive a modmail to prevent other mods from seeing it.
Mod lists are hidden from logged out users, and thus archive sites, so there is no record of mods & mod changes.
Mods can mute users in modmail for a month to prevent them from disputing their ban.
Restricting subs/users from discussing unjust bans.

Mod abuse - long list of examples:

Long list of examples of mod abuse I've seen and experienced over the years. Of course there are many more -- daily reports on subs like /r/subredditcancer, /r/watchredditdie, /r/declineintocensorship, etc..

Subs I'm personally banned from (covered below):

/r/progressive, /r/liberal, /r/health, /r/fitness, /r/nutrition, /r/iama, /r/diabetes, /r/medicine, /r/ketoscience, /r/zerocarb (shadowban), /r/ID_News, /r/psychiatry, /r/CFS, /r/atheism, /r/Starcraft, /r/psychology, /r/publichealth, /r/babybumps, /r/beyondthebump, /r/banned, /r/askscience, /r/subredditcancer, /r/malefashionadvice, /r/breastfeeding, /r/antinatalism, /r/inthenews, /r/ontario, /r/AdvancedFitness,

Jan 2022: These subs autobanned me for commenting in /r/LockdownSkepticism: /r/pics, /r/HolUp, /r/Showerthoughts, /r/rant, /r/PoliticalHumor, /r/thanosdidnothingwrong, /r/sandiego.

/r/askreddit:

5/29/2018: AskReddit had a very popular, growing thread asking people how they felt after killing in self defense. Mods removed comments and banned users for too many comments showing guns saved lives. https://archive.ph/AIcgc#selection-8795.10-8799.0 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831142429/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/8n0aq4/askreddit_had_a_very_popular_growing_thread/

/r/bestof:

Silent comment removals, mods don't respond: https://www.reveddit.com/v/bestof/comments/b2xslo/reddit_legal_sends_a_dmca_shutdown_warning_to_a/eiw44wg/

Information sharing severely limited by mods on reddit (/r/bestof comment): https://archive.fo/eCglw - mentioning mod activity gets your comment removed. "How ironic that my comment explaining how mods restrict this kind of content all over reddit was removed by a mod": https://web.archive.org/web/20210831123327/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/a8iijc/poweruser_upoppinkream_explains_why_she_spends_a/eccvp4n/?context=1 - https://archive.ph/wip/YIZ9v

/r/bestoflegaladvice and /r/legaladvice https://archive.fo/ALQzn - https://web.archive.org/web/20180928151126/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/9jg2zz/uwaxpapers_excoriates_the_legal_advice_subreddit/

Almost all the mods of /r/legaladvice are current or former cops. /r/ask_lawyers is better, though less populated and will not give advice on specific cases. BUT they do require that all comment responses are posted by verified lawyers. So if you ask about case law or a hypothetical situation, you will probably get a far better response.

/r/bigbrother https://archive.fo/npwqL - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831143253/https://old.reddit.com/r/banned/comments/a4hsic/rbigbrother_banned_me_they_did_not_explain_why_i/

/r/conspiracy - Ban reason: "Posted Dusty Diatribe" - Public mod log proves that /r/Conspiracy moderators have a policy to ban and censor users for linking to a modmail leak in /r/undelete which shows that /r/conspiracy moderators subjectively enforce their rules (always in favor of pro-Trump content). https://web.archive.org/web/20210224140607/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6suc9h/ban_reason_posted_dusty_diatribe_public_mod_log/ - https://archive.ph/wip/iRkIE

/r/documentaries: lots of silent removals. Eg: https://archive.vn/2NvoV#selection-1857.21-1857.22

/r/eli5: https://archive.fo/DCIPv - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831143717/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/9fz5gl/137416568_almost_half_of_us_cellphone_calls_will/e610zr5/

/r/HailCorporate mod uses subreddit to shill his cryptocurrency. Users get pissed, mod begins deleting 5 posts alone and banning users. "It's not censorship, it's actual moderation." https://archive.li/Q5CdG - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831143806/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/8crwzv/rhailcorporate_mod_ironically_uses_subreddit_to/ - https://archive.ph/wip/Qeu4Q

/r/movies: https://archive.fo/SBKZU - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831143852/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/9kfxy3/54309818_tom_hardy_my_favourite_40_minutes_of/

/r/iama: some of the mods are reasonable, but one corrupt mod at the top removes thread and bans me for nonexistent rule, seemingly because I criticized redditors' behavior: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eutzqbp9po5hdqd/r-IAMA%20modmail%20re%20ban.pdf?dl=0

/r/science:

I used to think /r/science was one of the best modded subs. But the more I discover the more I think it's one of the most egregious examples. https://web.archive.org/web/20181012064406/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/63swt6/i_used_to_think_rscience_was_one_of_the_best/ - https://archive.ph/MK71t

/r/science 2/28/2018: https://archive.fo/aSakj - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831144450/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/80wcl1/overzelous_rscience_mod_removing_any_hint_that/

/r/science 5/19/2018: /r/Science mods have tantrum and make a fake news thread announcing they'll no longer do AMAs because reddit makes them less visible. In truth they were using vote manipulation tactics to slingshot their AMAs and reddit told them to stop that. https://archive.li/0UB19 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831144606/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/8klwcr/rscience_mods_have_tantrum_and_make_a_fake_news/ - "thatguydr [+1] M H 33 points 6 hours ago As one of the billion mods of science, I can verify that nallen has actually removed posts in the spez thread that are criticizing him. I took screenshots, as I assume I'll be stripped of that ability as soon as he reads this. :) What an absolute jerk of a human being."

/u/spez's reply: https://archive.li/sLKgw - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831144735/https://old.reddit.com/r/science/comments/8khscc/rscience_will_no_longer_be_hosting_amas/dz8nky8/

Example of the terrible moderation in /r/science ruining an AMA: https://steemit.com/science/@dhimmel/censorship-gone-awry-on-reddit-the-aftermath-of-our-r-science-ama

Censoring comments with high quality scientific citations during COVID:

Comments #1: https://archive.vn/T6b6L#selection-229.41-229.42

Comment #2: https://archive.vn/6F7Gq#selection-2319.9-2319.10 - removed: https://archive.vn/usRHp

Modmail: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lff3ekdmq1z4hzo/r-science%20COVID%20censorship%202020-12-07.pdf?dl=0

/r/sciences falls down the same path: https://archive.fo/BbZ6S#selection-1637.8-1637.9 - https://archive.fo/BsXH8 - https://archive.fo/92sdk#selection-1623.11-1627.0 despite the founder/mod telling me "I can guarantee you we’d never stifle conversation like that"

/r/askscience:

https://i.imgur.com/8TcG4Jw.png

More corrupt megalomaniacs controlling reddit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831145433/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/mw53de/raskscience_more_corrupt_megalomaniacs/

/r/ID_News:

Permanently banned for having the audacity to have a different, entirely fact/evidence-based opinion on COVID-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831145542/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditCensors/comments/hartcb/permanently_banned_from_rid_news_without_warning/ - https://archive.ph/iQtIq

Comment in /r/redditsecurity about it https://web.archive.org/web/20210217172114/https://old.reddit.com/r/redditsecurity/comments/ll758a/2020_overview_reddit_security_and_transparency/gns8odd/ - https://archive.ph/wip/2rH8O

/r/COVID19:

/r/COVID19 mods are unscientific, corrupt, and incompetent. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414072929/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/mq3vk0/rcovid19_mods_are_unscientific_corrupt_and/ - https://archive.ph/HWS75

/r/psychiatry:

/r/psychiatry mod displays appallingly anti-scientific, highly biased behavior and censorship. "I do not see reason to further tolerate your posting here" - Yet another mod treating reddit like their own personal playground. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831145814/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditCensors/comments/hefehq/rpsychiatry_mod_displays_appallingly/ - https://archive.ph/vE0lD

/r/psychology:

/r/psychology mods, corrupt, authoritarian, anti-science censorship and abuse. https://web.archive.org/web/20201227184315/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/kagqff/rpsychology_mods_corrupt_authoritarian/ - https://archive.ph/gmFfD

/r/publichealth:

Long time contributing member gets comment secretly censored, and permanently banned from /r/publichealth for sharing scientific anti-lockdown citations in a neutral, objective manner https://web.archive.org/web/20210730074825/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/otyikn/long_time_contributing_member_gets_comment/ - https://archive.ph/FTJQz

Elon Musk calls out reddit's /r/space for being full of censorship https://i.imgur.com/JpgEPUd.jpg - https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1100659678235652096 - https://archive.ph/kxlAx

/r/history not all that it's cracked up to be? https://archive.li/OVU3w - https://web.archive.org/web/20181012064406/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/63swt6/i_used_to_think_rscience_was_one_of_the_best/

/r/Seattle is moderated by dirtbags that use the sub to promote their own business interests while banning anything even vaguely commercial posted by anyone else. They also auto-ban anyone that mentions the existence of any of the alternative subs or questions the moderation of that sub. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151112/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/557ulc/moderator_careless_on_rseattle_bans_removes/ - https://archive.ph/wip/F4Qza

/r/canada: 6/30/2018: https://archive.li/rEZBX - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151326/https://old.reddit.com/r/onguardforthee/comments/7ywg8v/rcanada_moderator_uperma_im_a_white_nationalist/ - https://archive.ph/HG3oK

/r/bitcoin mods corruption: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151246/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/5ihyvu/reddit_for_sale_how_we_bought_the_top_spot_for_200/db8h8t7/ - https://archive.ph/wip/kjq8e. For those who are new to crypto, here is a (brief and incomplete) history of censorship in /r/Bitcoin https://web.archive.org/web/20210801002529/https://old.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/is40km/for_those_who_are_new_to_crypto_here_is_a_brief/ - https://medium.com/@johnblocke/a-brief-and-incomplete-history-of-censorship-in-r-bitcoin-c85a290fe43

/r/news:

Article talking about it happening after the Orlando shooting in June, 2016: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/06/13/redditors-checked-rnews-for-updates-on-the-orlando-shooting-instead-they-found-a-war/

People couldn't find out about the shooting until the big news companies got their articles up. They were forced to start a megathread here: https://web.archive.org/web/20190818201940/https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4nqnrm/breaking_news_orlando_nightclub_massshooting/ - https://archive.ph/s2OHv

Questionable deletions of content: https://archive.vn/S99kD#selection-5385.9-5387.0

State of the subreddit and the Orlando Shooting https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151430/https://old.reddit.com/r/news/comments/4nsiw1/state_of_the_subreddit_and_the_orlando_shooting/ - https://archive.ph/wip/wPngy

/r/news continue their censorship even after the big controversy: https://archive.vn/dk7OM - https://web.archive.org/web/20190507005248/https://www.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/4qd0xl/rnews_has_deleted_42_of_all_comments_in_their_top/

Unjustly ban people for exposing them: https://archive.vn/KUxGV - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151808/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/5ahzpf/rnews_still_pretending_they_didnt_censor_the/d9glw3l/

Still at it 5/23/2017: https://archive.vn/hQva8 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831151833/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6cv0fn/holy_fucking_crap_4423_comments_have_been/

/r/news & /r/TwoXChromosomes still abusively banning people (more in comments): https://archive.vn/s03ep - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831181752/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6knqct/im_a_sevenyear_user_of_reddit_today_a_mod_from/

/r/news & /r/inthenews still at it: https://antisocialontheinternet.blogspot.com/2017/05/root.html

/r/news same shit 8/12/17: https://archive.vn/37ELo - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831181752/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6knqct/im_a_sevenyear_user_of_reddit_today_a_mod_from/

/r/news 9/7/2017: https://archive.vn/GzEnq - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831181856/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6ymx79/53103976_12yearold_boy_who_transitioned_to_female/dmot2y1/

/r/news 2/25/2018: https://archive.fo/gBifk - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831182014/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/802xwz/rnews_censoring_stories_about_nra_response_to/

/r/news 6/16/2018: https://archive.li/RaclN - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831182051/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/8reai1/rnews_unsurprisingly_nukes_massively_upvoted/

/r/news 8/4/2018 banning people for talking about their moderation policies in /r/undelete: https://archive.fo/IrAC4 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831182209/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/94jvye/heads_up_you_will_be_banned_from_rnews_if_you/

10/7/2018 https://archive.fo/m6fNk - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831182459/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/9m5yef/heads_up_mods_at_rnews_put_people_in_the_automod/

/r/news 12/30/2018 pro-Israeli censorship: https://archive.fo/2FbbI - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831182719/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/aaxte6/11164711706_aclu_sues_texas_over_law_that_says/

/r/news 2/10/2019 removes post about Uighur musician Abdurehim Heyit who was killed in a Chinese detention camp. https://archive.vn/UqYAN

/u/douglasmacarthur stuff:

I was unceremoniously dismissed after eight years as the lead moderator of r/news on February 17th, and am working on a long write-up of how I got that position and how I lost it, and how the content you see online is chosen. https://archive.vn/0SP9m - https://web.archive.org/web/20210221164242/https://old.reddit.com/r/douglasmacarthur/comments/lp0u9a/i_was_unceremoniously_dismissed_after_eight_years/

/r/douglasmacarthur https://archive.vn/uGOBu - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831183654/https://old.reddit.com/r/douglasmacarthur/

Brief note on r/news drama https://archive.vn/E7qIq - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831183719/https://old.reddit.com/r/douglasmacarthur/comments/lmno8q/brief_note_on_rnews_drama/

https://old.reddit.com/r/rNewsWatch - banned for being unmoderated. https://archive.vn/BfvJ0 after they suspended his account: https://archive.vn/H0AT1

/r/inthenews:

Requesting /r/inthenews. It's unmoderated. https://web.archive.org/web/20210322012658/https://old.reddit.com/r/redditrequest/comments/lzdxhw/requesting_rinthenews_its_unmoderated/ - https://archive.ph/wip/Ul57j

/r/inthenews is recruiting new moderators https://archive.vn/0rDhn - https://archive.vn/kyVyU

/u/redtaboo "new mods needed" https://web.archive.org/web/20210321223535/https://old.reddit.com/r/inthenews/comments/m0k6tq/new_moderators_needed/ - https://archive.ph/B1oMO - 07/29/2021 2 days ago they added a bunch of power mods and mods of large subs. People who didn't even apply. https://old.reddit.com/r/inthenews/comments/m0k6tq/new_moderators_needed/h723hcm/ - then he silently censored my comment and locked the thread: https://archive.ph/dDDor - https://archive.ph/hm4ze and then shadowbanned me!

/r/worldnews:

/r/worldnews banning anyone who disparages Islam: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184318/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditCensors/comments/6sq45l/rworldnews_officially_implements_sharia_law_by/ - https://archive.ph/tsf6o

/r/worldnews censorship: https://archive.vn/5UfIq - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184402/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7y5732/redditor_says_reddit_is_no_better_than_twitter_or/

/r/worldnews mod wants to limit access to ceddit: https://archive.vn/5UfIq - https://archive.fo/maPxD - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184402/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7y5732/redditor_says_reddit_is_no_better_than_twitter_or/ - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184512/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/abkl54/rworldnews_moderator_is_trying_to_stop_ceddit_and/

/r/india mod team is pure cancer, they ban everyone and delete everything that doesn't suite their narrative. /r/indiadiscussion/ is a sub dedicated to log and discuss the the blatant abuse of power by /r/India mods. https://archive.vn/iIRKx#selection-2265.10-2265.11 - https://archive.vn/TjwpM - https://medium.com/@krantikaari_r/how-indias-biggest-sub-reddit-is-being-silently-censored-16ac656624e6 - https://archive.ph/wip/jyRVM - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184724/https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/6cn70w/what_dark_secrets_do_popular_subreddits_have_in/dhw789u/

/r/California:

"Auto-removes all comments with profanity, insults, slurs" - used as an excuse to censor my COVID post: https://archive.ph/vZN23

/u/BlankVerse censors comment with a large amount of scientific citations debunking his misinformation. My comment doesn't show, but there are a bunch of other censored comments: https://archive.ph/wip/kAoJu

/r/California mod spreads COVID misinformation and secretly censors users who use high quality scientific citations to debunk him. The mod seems to get off on manipulating/controlling thousands of people. https://web.archive.org/web/20210801233001/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/kqzdi9/rcalifornia_mod_spreads_covid_misinformation_and/ - https://archive.ph/p4aqo

This is actually common with that mod, and /r/golden_state was created due to that: https://archive.ph/YezPj - https://archive.ph/Ve4AR#selection-5091.10-5095.0 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210327223622/https://old.reddit.com/r/California_Politics/comments/mej4lt/list_of_safest_communities_in_california/gsipiyp/ - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831190115/https://old.reddit.com/r/Golden_State/comments/ib8mk5/welcome_to_rgolden_state_read_this_first/

/r/california_politics censored COVID discussion: https://archive.vn/Dc5VT#selection-1709.9-1709.10

Then muted for 28 days after mod demonstrates complete apathy for facts, evidence, and science: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ypwejqx0n5bsxb0/r-california_politics%20modmail%20COVID%20censorship.pdf?dl=0

/r/health:

/r/health mods strange behavior http://i.imgur.com/Go4Gl2g.png - https://archive.ph/wip/Y8grt

Former /r/health mod exposes abusive mods & practices. Gets banned by them for it. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831190714/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/5sp749/former_rhealth_mod_exposes_abusive_mods_practices/ - https://archive.ph/VSIvj

Follow up on /r/health mod issues. https://archive.li/g7xPl - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831190759/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/5slosl/follow_up_on_rhealth_mod_issues/

r-health mods ban for r/ideasfortheadmins post https://www.dropbox.com/s/qc3haozivqbaykx/r-health%20mods%20ban%20for%20rideasfortheadmins%20post.pdf?dl=0

08/01/2021: They modded a new guy, I asked to be unbanned (shadowban), and instead they permanently ban me: https://web.archive.org/web/20210801011232/https://old.reddit.com/r/Health/comments/ovixox/new_mod_and_im_excited_to_join_yall/ - https://archive.ph/wip/wxGUx

/r/nutrition and /r/HealthyFood have a ban-happy mod https://archive.fo/cgzB3 - https://archive.fo/UYxif

/r/food: https://archive.li/hTMBr - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831191837/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/8awb3w/user_points_out_that_ops_dog_is_in_the_background/dx2osdb/

/r/fitness bans for thread https://archive.fo/uBCup - https://archive.fo/ZKY1A that users asked for https://archive.fo/CfpsB

/r/zerocarb /r/carnivore /r/PaleolithicKetogenic https://archive.fo/BB9TD#selection-2211.10-2215.0 - https://gist.github.com/srid/fa1ff2af2514bad678421f95a784fab9 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210831192406/https://old.reddit.com/r/ScientificNutrition/comments/d56a0i/thank_you_for_doing_a_great_job_moderating_this/

/u/dem0n0cracy from /r/ketoscience, immature, low intelligence, anti-science https://old.reddit.com/r/HumanMicrobiome/comments/bp0bn8/ive_seen_some_people_ask_how_they_could/ - https://archive.fo/Nr6Hn - https://archive.ph/wip/m0ZXs

Banned from /r/ketoscience in retaliation by /u/dem0n0cracy after he continually displayed rule-breaking, anti-scientific, willfully ignorant, pig headed, religious-zealot-like behavior, despite many warnings https://web.archive.org/web/20210831192458/https://old.reddit.com/r/HumanMicrobiome/comments/alrq1q/what_is_a_healthy_diet/efhumuy/ - https://archive.ph/Bvp0K

/u/dem0n0cracy displays an incredible amount of cognitive dissonance and projection in /r/scientificnutrition: https://archive.vn/jrGhv#selection-2309.10-2313.0

/u/dem0n0cracy continued behavior in /r/scientificnutrition: https://archive.vn/xMTCT - https://archive.vn/p3GB8

/r/babybumps:

Banned from /r/BabyBumps for sharing a meta analysis (Oct 2019). Suppresses objective science to protect people's feelings and their personal desires regardless of the costs to the child. https://archive.ph/wip/uSbuW - https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0vfl2r1yyb6hwv/r-babybumps%20permaban%20Oct%202019.pdf?dl=0

/u/ernieball - the most active mod - was removed from /r/beyondthebump https://archive.fo/xdcIW

/r/beyondthebump:

r/beyondthebump - Long time contributing member receives permanent ban with no reason, seemingly for discussing the notion that the needs of the child should be taken into consideration rather than only the wants of the parent. https://web.archive.org/web/20210507083851/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/n3x16l/rbeyondthebump_long_time_contributing_member/ - https://archive.ph/pMd1a

/r/breastfeeding:

06/15/2021: Banned after this thread: https://web.archive.org/web/20210616114424/https://old.reddit.com/r/breastfeeding/comments/o0c2wn/new_technologies_claiming_to_copy_human_milk/ - https://archive.ph/Toz32 - https://archive.ph/wip/AyYSh

No response in modmail.

/r/CFS permanent ban https://archive.vn/vn3UT - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901090551/https://old.reddit.com/r/Microbiome/comments/jp4n8u/i_think_my_chronic_fatigue_is_gut_related/gbdyhxn/?context=3

/r/diabetes: Censored and banned https://archive.ph/huVaw - https://archive.ph/kVDgX

/r/starcraft mod corruption, abuse, censorship, manipulation of discussions. If you give random people the power to do anything they want without any checks and balances, they will abuse their power. It's as simple as that. Appalling that Reddit Inc has ignored this basic reality for so many years. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901090805/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/k5ypyr/rstarcraft_mod_corruption_abuse_censorship/ - https://archive.ph/eP431

/r/WritingPrompt mod abuse: https://archive.fo/Qq26t - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901120326/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7060ug/askreddit_thread_asks_what_is_a_total_ripoff_yet/dn173jh/

/r/malefashionadvice:

Mod approved post then banned me for it later: https://archive.ph/sRus8 - https://archive.ph/cpnAF - https://web.archive.org/web/20210322060556/https://old.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/m5lt2c/psa_please_contact_the_companies_you_buy_clothes/ https://old.reddit.com/message/messages/zrjq7m - https://old.reddit.com/message/messages/zrquh4 "eugenicists not welcome".

/r/videos: https://archive.li/qmMRq - https://web.archive.org/web/20180407003252/https://www.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/8acrlq/rvideos_completely_nukes_thread_about_a_man/

/r/vive 2/10/2019 https://archive.fo/eHQjx - https://web.archive.org/web/20200406235321/https://old.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/ak4gro/500500_needs_to_step_down/

/r/youtube:

12/13/2018 https://archive.fo/Imimn - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901120929/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/a5u4rf/68240641425_youtube_rewind_2018_is_now_the_most/

/r/LateStageCapitalism:

Autobans for participation in /r/undelete https://web.archive.org/web/20210901121111/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6652z1/rlatestagecapitalism_will_autoban_you_for/ - https://archive.ph/wip/WCBoM

No debating allowed, you get banned for criticizing that policy: https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6652z1/rlatestagecapitalism_will_autoban_you_for/dgg08iq/ - https://archive.ph/wip/0Nfry

More trigger-happy bans: https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6652z1/rlatestagecapitalism_will_autoban_you_for/dgft5ty/ - https://archive.ph/wip/TbTil

/r/socialism bans World Socialist Web Site because it was critical of the #MeToo movement https://archive.vn/35xYK - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901121253/https://old.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/1xvtpw/wswsorg_now_temporarily_blacklisted_from/

/r/atheism:

/r/atheism mod defends NBC airing Scientology ad in a thread and removes criticism of Scientology. I posted about this in the comments and the entire conversation was removed, I was then banned: https://archive.fo/lRNho - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901122139/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/7v7r0c/ratheism_mod_defends_nbc_airing_scientology_ad_in/

Permanently banned from /r/atheism for advocating for language accuracy, and against extremism. /r/atheism mods deliver even more evidence that the most megalomaniacal, power drunk, incompetent, corrupt, and abusive people run reddit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901122520/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/gh29dn/permanently_banned_from_ratheism_for_advocating/ - https://archive.ph/ob7Z3

/r/antinatalism - Yet more megalomaniacs controlling reddit it seems. https://web.archive.org/web/20210726041254/https://old.reddit.com/r/DeclineIntoCensorship/comments/orchjz/rantinatalism_yet_more_megalomaniacs_controlling/ - https://archive.ph/hmzWp

/r/banned and /r/subredditcancer are compromised. Ultimate power corrupts ultimately. https://web.archive.org/web/20210804124246/https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/ox4m73/rbanned_and_rsubredditcancer_are_compromised/ - https://archive.ph/TIuVH

/r/GlobalOffensive & leagueoflegends: https://archive.li/QlbyN - https://web.archive.org/web/20180331172712/https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/88irm4/sirscoots_raises_an_interesting_on_the_state_of/

/r/teslamotors "link farm run by a guy called Fred Lambert" http://www.thedrive.com/tech/21838/the-truth-behind-electreks-dark-alliance-with-tesla “The Truth Behind Electrek's Shady Alliance with Tesla. How the most popular electric car news site quietly wages a proxy war on behalf of Elon Musk.”

/r/truereddit silently censoring heavily cited comments against lockdowns during COVID: https://archive.vn/62q9F#selection-259.23-259.24

/r/ReportTheBadModerator https://archive.vn/2hH5K#selection-2979.24-2979.26 - /u/jaykresge - A perfect example of another incompetent fool running reddit. Trying to rectify other mod's behavior while his own behavior is so problematic. Makes up rules on the fly. Even has a "we will make up whatever rules we want" rule: https://archive.vn/iaPoj, which seems totally ironic/satirical yet he seems completely serious. Removes comments he doesn't like, without any justification. Just another kid in his own little playground.

Moved to /r/ModerationMediation.

Political:

/r/progressive + /r/liberal are compromised subs. Hard proof that /r/progressive has been captured by Clinton propagandists: https://archive.fo/VqfTK - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901125649/https://old.reddit.com/r/Kossacks_for_Sanders/comments/55v5ah/hard_proof_that_rprogressive_has_been_captured_by/

Same thing happened to another guy: https://archive.fo/JlwDp - https://web.archive.org/web/20200727113940/https://old.reddit.com/r/Kossacks_for_Sanders/comments/5sudq3/democrats_lose_by_appealing_to_the_party_instead/ddhwbls/

/r/democrats is compromised: https://web.archive.org/web/20210901125914/https://old.reddit.com/r/Oppression/comments/69ibjx/shadowbanned_from_rdemocrats_for_being_too/ - https://archive.ph/wip/5rWcN

/r/Tulsi may be compromised. https://archive.fo/8UhN1 - removing 2/3rds of submissions, removing lots of content critical of the DNC. More discussion, including /r/Tulsi removing mention of Tulsi AMA in /r/wayofthebern: https://archive.fo/KiF8P

/r/the_donald scale of censorship: https://i.imgur.com/2iBGWmF.png - https://archive.ph/eqTkq/71b668db5752d7ef5ba6697f1c4e30fbc2c8eaa4.png

/r/libertarian was taken over by fascists: https://archive.fo/hqDjX - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901130211/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/aglcrw/my_post_was_removed_from_rlibertarian_for_asking/

/r/OurPresident accused of being a sock puppet/propaganda sub: https://archive.vn/GBYqy#selection-2277.8-2281.0 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901130304/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/hn4vs7/disinformation_on_reddit_and_how_we_can_beat_it/fx9yfpv/ (my own observations agree with their analysis)

/r/climatechange is actively letting climate denialist trolls spread their beliefs https://archive.vn/zRgyd - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901130404/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/hn4vs7/disinformation_on_reddit_and_how_we_can_beat_it/fx9l2n0/

/r/SandersForPresident:

Permanently banned and muted from r/SandersForPresident for complaining about having a comment removed that did not break the rules. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901130450/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditCensors/comments/jym2hr/permanently_banned_and_muted_from/ - https://archive.ph/zU8it

Permanently banned from /r/Ontario https://old.reddit.com/message/messages/15k6ke4 for questioning a "proof of /r/NoNewNormal brigading" https://archive.ph/KLHuY

/r/modcoord:

This is supposed to be a sub where moderators organize to protest against Reddit during the 2023 sitewide mod protests.

Reddit is so untrustworthy. r/modcoord thread purges all pro-fediverse comments, then r/redditalternatives removes the thread exposing it. https://web.archive.org/web/20240225011242/https://lemmy.world/post/10779347 - https://archive.fo/bzG9K

You all are learning how abusive u/ModeratorCodeofConduct is. Here's the interaction they had with the mods of r/banned before that sub was removed. That account pretending to be helpful only to be abusive is nothing new. Banning mods for no reason was happening long before the current protest. https://web.archive.org/web/20230624192619/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14hxiy3/you_all_are_learning_how_abusive_u/ - https://archive.ph/cthqK | /r/ModCoord mods removed the thread and banned the OP: https://archive.is/7W6cX

Astroturfing:

Astroturfing on reddit is extremely easy and cheap: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831121912/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/5ihyvu/reddit_for_sale_how_we_bought_the_top_spot_for_200/ - https://archive.ph/mQnsP - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxNvUWN3vYk - https://thenextweb.com/evergreen/2017/07/11/astroturfing-reddit-is-the-future-of-political-campaigning/ - https://web.archive.org/web/20170711150218/http://www.hack-pr.com/library/how-we-hacked-reddit-to-generate-5-million-media-impressions-in-3-days

https://web.archive.org/web/20190428040941/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/bb7t71/reddit_for_sale_how_we_bought_the_top_spot_for/ - https://archive.ph/3Xzkl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SAkUs3urrg

Disinformation on Reddit and How we Can Beat It Together - Smarter Every Day 232 (Mar 2020) https://web.archive.org/web/20210212054739/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/hn4vs7/disinformation_on_reddit_and_how_we_can_beat_it/ - https://archive.ph/TCEm3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soYkEqDp760

Vote botting is easy: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831122139/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/6ko7wl/reddit_admins_delete_subredditpost_after/ - https://archive.ph/wip/kbRlP - https://www.soar.sh/service/buy-reddit-upvotes/

Reddit is Being Manipulated By Big Financial Services Companies: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2017/02/20/reddit-is-being-manipulated-by-big-financial-services-companies - https://archive.fo/muNt5

Reddit has removed their blog post identifying Eglin Air Force Base as the most reddit-addicted "city" - Eglin is often cited as the source of some government social-media propaganda/astroturfing programs (2016) https://web.archive.org/web/20210103192111/https://old.reddit.com/r/Blackout2015/comments/4ylml3/reddit_has_removed_their_blog_post_identifying/

Was Joe Rogan targeted by a disinformation campaign on reddit because he has people on to criticize it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr6WA2sMT7A?t=483. He regularly has people on that criticize the rampant group-think, and other related problematic behaviors of reddit. Like their mindless pro-lockdown circle jerk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP97gfzijgc. Example of the disinformation campaign: https://archive.ph/z7HRC#selection-55227.10-55227.11

Disinformation comment where the links don't support the claims, and most of them bizarrely lead back to the original comment. This is a perfect example of "people will believe anything that looks authoritative, especially if it's what they want to hear": https://archive.ph/wip/Q2YCO - https://web.archive.org/web/20210912170253/https://old.reddit.com/r/ToiletPaperUSA/comments/ln1sif/turning_point_usa_and_young_americas_foundation/h21ph7s/ - https://archive.ph/QL01y

/r/OurPresident accused of being a sock puppet/propaganda sub: https://archive.vn/GBYqy#selection-2277.8-2281.0 - https://web.archive.org/web/20210901130304/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/hn4vs7/disinformation_on_reddit_and_how_we_can_beat_it/fx9yfpv/ (my own observations agree with their analysis)

"FYI, lrlourpresident, mod of subreddits like MurderedByAOC and OurPresident, has been offline since the US put in serious sanctions against Russia for Ukraine." https://web.archive.org/web/20220323093010/https://old.reddit.com/r/ActiveMeasures/comments/titwwg/fyi_lrlourpresident_mod_of_subreddits_like/ /u/lrlourpresident - https://web.archive.org/web/20220323030718/https://old.reddit.com/user/lrlourpresident

/r/political_tweets sudden growth https://i.imgur.com/z3nh1zT.jpg - https://archive.ph/wip/TguXS

/r/TheseFuckingAccounts - suspicious user activity

/r/ActiveMeasures/ - space to discuss Russia-style propaganda and censorship in both the United States and around the world, with a particular emphasis on examples found within the reddit community.

Former fracking "PR worker" explains how astroturfing is done: https://archive.fo/n3hKf

Another example: https://archive.is/PoUMo

Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign admits to paid astroturfing; CTR, correct the record: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/21/hillary-pac-spends-1-million-to-correct-commenters-on-reddit-and-facebook.html - http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-clinton-digital-trolling-20160506-snap-htmlstory.html - https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00578997 || Another Hillary astroturfing PAC: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/16/us/politics/hillary-clinton-presidential-race.html || Reddit users point it out as well: https://archive.fo/3Dgom - https://archive.fo/Iaz1M

Confession from shill: https://archive.fo/sxn2L

Examples: https://archive.fo/2hSjj - https://archive.fo/HRQXq - https://archive.fo/8qy16#selection-21943.12-21949.0

Someone claiming to be CTR offers pro-Sanders mod 28k to shill for Hillary: https://archive.fo/Yyq8w

New evidence of CTR's reddit infiltration: https://archive.fo/0ONRo

Shareblue banned from /r/politics (25 Jan 2018) https://web.archive.org/web/20210916200717/https://old.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/7szc5h/announcement_shareblue_has_been_removed_from_the/ - https://archive.md/ko4Hu

CTR takeover of /r/progressive & /r/liberal: https://archive.fo/VqfTK

6/30/2018: many small (city/country) subs are being taken over: https://archive.li/hN4aD

Viral “Manspreading” Video is Staged Kremlin Propaganda designed to increase extreme views and "taking sides" (2018): https://archive.fo/QiAZP

At least 89 subs have been targeted by Russian propaganda. (2019): https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/04/russia-spam-account-problem-reddit-propaganda/

/r/politics still being astroturfed/brigaded by pro-DNC groups 2/5/2019: https://archive.fo/gizvZ

Stormfront raiding reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20210831122621/https://old.reddit.com/r/news/comments/4nw1ah/facebook_and_reddit_accused_of_censorship_after/d47fl85/?context=3 – https://archive.ph/wip/BbaBh - http://imgur.com/a/VQUgh

Not really astroturfing, but tactics used to control the narrative and shift blame: https://archive.vn/EnucL

2023 mod protests:

/u/NotMyFirstTimeDude and /u/Fluffy-Dimension9010 are 2-day old accounts that commented in /r/modsupport in favor of the admins. They're a mod of no subs https://archive.ph/mIHJf - https://archive.is/zD5gs which means their comments automatically get removed from /r/modsupport. So it's either an admin account or the admin manually approved their comments. https://archive.ph/e0fXP#selection-20505.10-20509.0

Another user comments on more widespread astroturfing in favor of the admins, from new accounts: https://archive.ph/hgPtH#selection-6797.264-6797.265 - r/RedditAlternatives/comments/14ab2ku

"We're seeing massive astroturfing going on everywhere" https://web.archive.org/web/20230619005238/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/14chd8q/rmodcoord_is_now_restrictedsubreddits_are_still/

This is an astroturf account, new user low comment posting the same comment over and over and over and over again. This is part of a deliberate site-wide effort to paint this as a "user vs mod" issue rather than the issue of "admins vs users" which is what it really is. https://web.archive.org/web/20230621234904/https://old.reddit.com/r/undelete/comments/14eraf7/reddit_has_started_to_remove_mods_wholesale_from/ - /u/Straight_Pudding_632 page not found https://archive.ph/mVqIl | Their comments: https://archive.ph/X12fk - https://archive.ph/BwGR3

This is why I don't trust anything on reddit. A r/modcoord thread full of anti-fediverse comments, and all of my pro-fediverse comments are removed and the mods won't answer why. https://web.archive.org/web/20240111205116/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/193iuf1/this_is_why_i_dont_trust_anything_on_reddit_a/ - https://archive.ph/peErm - https://archive.ph/wvv27
Deleted content of post https://archive.ph/cV8X6
Removed comments https://web.archive.org/web/20240111211111/https://www.reveddit.com/y/briangutaccess/
https://web.archive.org/web/20240111205609/https://old.reddit.com/user/briangutaccess - https://archive.ph/AeXdU

Reddit CEO seeks to end site protest by allowing users to vote out moderators (and of course Reddit will just use bots to sway the votes):

Massive bot network activated during the protests:

"ChatGPT bots are running rampant and almost always spreading pro-admin statements about this protest that are clearly written by ChatGPT." https://web.archive.org/web/20230626231507/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14jm3ut/several_communities_have_surfaced_an_open_letter/ - https://archive.fo/W2tve#selection-5421.7-5423.1

This sub seems like it’s getting brigaded by Reddit employee alt accounts. https://web.archive.org/web/20230702050239/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/14o376e/this_sub_seems_like_its_getting_brigaded_by/ - https://archive.ph/9bcYC

Reddit makes r/programming private after top post exposed chatgpt astroturfing:

More bots:

Worldnews:

Friends, we are far beyond drowning in bots. Please help. I do not care about any reply unless it comes from an admin. https://web.archive.org/web/20230720185227/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/154bp7n/friends_we_are_far_beyond_drowning_in_bots_please/ - https://archive.ph/wzPTG

BotDefense is wrapping up operations https://web.archive.org/web/20230706103022/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14rkdpl/botdefense_is_wrapping_up_operations/ - https://archive.ph/uVomW

A whole host of bots have appeared after the demise of BotDefense and others https://web.archive.org/web/20230722225433/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/156sig4/some_of_the_new_bots/

2023 API changes and protests

I left out many links covering the protests to try to keep this section short.

Reddit’s API updates: all the news about changes that have infuriated Redditors https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/8/23754780/reddit-api-updates-changes-news-announcements
2023 Reddit API Pricing Blackout https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/2023-reddit-api-pricing-blackout
CEO doubles down on Apollo attack https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/09/reddit-ceo-doubles-down-on-attack-on-apollo-developer-in-drama-filled-ama/
Major Reddit communities will go dark https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/5/23749188/reddit-subreddit-private-protest-api-changes-apollo-charges
The Reddit App War Is Getting Messy https://www.wired.com/story/the-reddit-app-war-is-getting-messy/

AskHistorians on why the blackout due to lack of API access https://web.archive.org/web/20230612044608/https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/142w159/askhistorians_and_uncertainty_surrounding_the/ - https://archive.fo/Byr9H

AskHistorians will go private https://web.archive.org/web/20230612032844/https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/146xzgk/meta_tomorrow_askhistorians_will_go_private/ - https://archive.fo/ky8Uf

Several communities have surfaced an open letter to Reddit. + list of problems with reddit - "itemized list of things I'm specifically upset about" https://web.archive.org/web/20230626231507/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14jm3ut/several_communities_have_surfaced_an_open_letter/ - https://archive.fo/W2tve#selection-5421.7-5423.1

Reddit responds: Addressing the community about changes to our API https://web.archive.org/web/20230609212035/https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/ - https://archive.ph/NxV6x

"We’ll continue to be profit-driven until profits arrive" https://web.archive.org/web/20230609221913/https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/jnkd09c/

Apollo app dev:

Reddit blatantly publicly lying about Apollo app dev threatening them: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608190548/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/ - https://archive.ph/kFCWl

Apollo app dev: "I want to address Reddit's continued, provably false statements" https://web.archive.org/web/20230619212136/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/14dkqrw/i_want_to_debunk_reddits_claims_and_talk_about/

Lots of dishonesty in their AMA comments: https://web.archive.org/web/20240108184054/https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/ - https://archive.fo/b9LsX

Reddit CEO doubles down on attack on Apollo developer in drama-filled AMA https://web.archive.org/web/20230610010443/https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/145hyey/reddit_ceo_doubles_down_on_attack_on_apollo/ "All the replies were copy-pasted legal/PR speak. Nothing was genuine. He got caught copy-pasting answers from a pre-written Q/A script by accidentally including the "A:" in his reply. As soon as he was called out on it, he attempted to destroy the evidence." https://archive.fo/aSzi5#selection-2959.1-2965.1

Reaction:

/r/videos: "it has become clear that Reddit doesn’t intend to act in good faith" https://web.archive.org/web/20230610233702/https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/145vns0/the_future_of_rvideos/

"There is not one reason why we should seriously listen to a single word from this chronic liar" https://archive.ph/6f3Iq#selection-8963.12-8967.0

"They have also outright lied and failed to deliver on many things regarding the health of the site, such as custom CSS for “New reddit” or allowing the very protest we are discussing but then threatening subreddits to re-open anyway" https://web.archive.org/web/20230619224547/https://old.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/14dirg6/welcome_back/

Louis Rossmann:

A word on reddit, blackouts, & effective protesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06rCBIKM5M
Reddit is killing their brand in the worst possible way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqL-G3GFqRU
Reddit forcibly breaks strike; this is an UNINVESTABLE company! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPLbnNDjo5Y
Reddit CEO calls unpaid moderators' concerns "noise" - time to send a message he won't forget. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOm_UKGyrZg
Reddit CEO learns going to war with the internet is a LOSING battle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb458PRJ43s
What pisses me off about the failed Reddit protest... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYij7Ic5p8k
Redditor's reaction demonstrates a LOSING, selfish mentality - this is not how you win in life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqUiVkDeGk8

Reddit removes protesting mods:

Reddit Threatens to Remove Moderators From Subreddits Continuing Apollo-Related Blackouts https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/15/reddit-threatens-to-remove-subreddit-moderators/

Reddit will remove mods of private communities unless they reopen https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/29/23778997/reddit-remove-mods-private-communities-unless-reopen

"Mods will be removed one way or another: Spez responds. For the longest time, moderators on reddit have been assured that they are free to manage and run their communities as they see fit" https://web.archive.org/web/20230617181550/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14ahqjo/mods_will_be_removed_one_way_or_another_spez/

Here’s the note Reddit sent to moderators threatening them if they don’t reopen https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/16/23763538/reddit-blackout-api-protest-mod-replacement-threat

We are getting vague threats https://web.archive.org/web/20230621010705/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/14esjby/we_are_getting_vague_threats/

"Many subreddits won’t even allow mention of the blackout, or reddits actions, presumably due to fear of having their community stolen from them" https://web.archive.org/web/20230619001039/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/14crmzu/huffmans_threat_to_remove_mod_teams_that_dont/ - https://archive.ph/A4JIQ

Reddit goes nuclear https://www.pcmag.com/news/reddit-goes-nuclear-removes-moderators-of-subreddits-that-continued-to

Entire subs are being deplatformed of their mods. The sub was open, moderated, and active. The things you b*stards asked from us. https://web.archive.org/web/20230621040914/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/14eqom8/entire_subs_are_being_deplatformed_of_their_mods/

Admins have taken over r/AdviceAnimals, re-opened the sub to the public, bans any mention of it. https://knowyourmeme.com/news/reddit-admins-accused-of-taking-over-reopening-radviceanimals-amidst-subreddit-protest-blackouts

/r/malefashionadvice: Reddit takes over one of the biggest protesting subreddits https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/20/23802370/reddit-over-reopens-subreddit-protest-male-fashion-advice

/r/bestof:

Held out for a long time with daily scheduled posts. Then the admins suspended /u/GodOfAtheism and forced the sub back to normal: https://web.archive.org/web/20231106174356/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/ - https://archive.ph/yydY3
https://web.archive.org/web/20231107072437/https://old.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/17p3qc2/child_psychiatrist_udigitlnoize_breaks_down_adhd/ - https://archive.ph/9dCD3
Suspended /u/GodOfAtheism: https://archive.ph/V7ZP7 - for bogus reason https://imgur.com/a/Q3DRoyO

[Incomplete] lists of whole mod teams removed by reddit for protesting:

Other admin actions:

Admins have started removing posts insulting Spez and all comments containing "F--- Spez" are now being filtered https://web.archive.org/web/20230621233502/https://old.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/14fi8d4/admins_have_started_removing_posts_insulting_spez/

The admins in charge of demodded subreddits are mass-removing images of Huffman previously shared on them https://web.archive.org/web/20230622002712/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14fafpp/the_admins_in_charge_of_demodded_subreddits_are/ - https://archive.ph/Z0DWb

Forbid making subs NSFW: https://web.archive.org/web/20230622002915/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14fdn2l/public_statement_from_modcodeofconduct_that/ - https://archive.ph/TDgrM

Excerpt from a post from r/doctorwho's mod team. The admins shouldn't be allowed to do this kind of shit https://archive.ph/7Ki9X - https://web.archive.org/web/20230624193713/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14he9k5/excerpt_from_a_post_from_rdoctorwhos_mod_team_the/ - mod team receiving threats & harassment from trolls.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230624193755/https://old.reddit.com/r/doctorwho/comments/14hdd0i/the_past_week_and_a_request_for_all_of_you_to/ - https://archive.ph/Nl6KO

Why did you approve rape and death threats? https://archive.li/8S5FP - removed https://web.archive.org/web/20230717163812/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/151obxs/why_did_you_approve_rape_and_death_threats/ but comments list many other instances of reddit allowing abuse towards mods.

Reddit permanently bans account of user advocating Lemmy migration, and bans r/LemmyMigration:

Banned /r/KbinMigration: https://web.archive.org/web/20230610072804/https://old.reddit.com/r/KbinMigration - https://web.archive.org/web/20230612051407/https://old.reddit.com/r/KbinMigration/comments/146unlm/the_sub_is_finally_back_up/

My Reddit account was banned after adding my subs to the protest https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36192312

User permanently banned https://archive.ph/ST01Q shortly after posting popular thread encouraging people to move to a reddit alternative: https://web.archive.org/web/20230609152615/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/13yaytk/people_need_to_start_taking_rredditalternatives/ - https://archive.ph/y3Glz

Banned for 7 days for "harassment" for commenting "Stop forcefully removing mods without their consent" https://archive.ph/9oeMG - https://web.archive.org/web/20230805020121/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/15i91xz/criticise_reddit_and_get_banned/

Reddit is suspending accounts that edit all their comments in protest. Eg https://archive.ph/G9dtE - https://archive.fo/MtARc - https://archive.is/VZ1K4 - https://archive.fo/2fZPe - https://archive.fo/FKErX - https://archive.fo/osB79

Reddit Alternatives:

https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/ - get it while you can. Reddit will shut it down as soon as they feel it becomes a threat to their profits.

This is why I need a reddit alternative https://web.archive.org/web/20210224164835/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/aphbov/this_is_why_i_need_a_reddit_alternative_this_is/ - https://archive.ph/06gdd

My list of requirements https://web.archive.org/web/20230612080035/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/ay0bc3/what_is_one_feature_you_expect_every_reddit/ehy9aka/ - https://archive.fo/VleIc#selection-799.0-799.1

Forums: https://web.archive.org/web/20230612080021/https://old.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/141fys3/just_remember_forums_exist/jn1dq32/