Reddit’s Refusal to Ban COVID Misinformation Communities Sparks Protests Amongst Subreddits

(Photograph : Screenshot taken from the PokemonGo subreddit)

Reddit’s refusal to ban communities spreading COVID misinformation has sparked protests amongst completely different subreddits. 
Greater than 100 subreddits have gone personal as an act of protest to Reddit’s choice to not ban COVID misinformation communities on the platform. 
These subreddits embody PokemonGo and Futurology. 
Reddit Refuses to Ban COVID Misinformation Communities
Reddit has refused to take away COVID misinformation communities after moderators of no less than 450 subreddits wrote an open letter asking the platform to take motion in opposition to the unfold of misinformation. 
In line with Ars Technica, Reddit has stated that it appreciates that “not everybody agrees with the present strategy to getting us all by means of the pandemic, and a few are nonetheless cautious of vaccinations. Dissent is part of Reddit and the muse of democracy.” 
Reddit, nonetheless, assured that it’ll take motion in opposition to communities who participate in COVID-related fraud, which incorporates pretend vaccine playing cards, and encourage hurt. 
The platform has additionally quarantined a subreddit known as r/NoNewNormal. In line with the Ars Technica report, “customers can nonetheless go to that subreddit after viewing a message that advises “seek the advice of[ing] your doctor” for medical recommendation and factors to data on vaccines from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.”
Associated Article: US COVID-19 Misinformation Might Be A MAJOR Menace As One-Third Of Residents are Nonetheless Unvaccinated, Says Surgeon Basic
Open Letter of Subreddit Moderators
Moderators of over 450 subreddits beforehand revealed an open letter in a subreddit known as r/vaxxhappened. The open letter requested for Reddit to take motion in opposition to the rampant unfold of COVID misinformation on the platform. 
Relating to Reddit’s transfer to quarantine the r/NoNewNormal subreddit, the moderators stated that “it’s clear that even after promising to deal with the issue of misinformation on this website, nothing of substance has been finished other than quarantining a medium-sized subreddit, which barely reduces visitors and does little to cease misinformation.”
The moderators who took half within the open letter have identified that Reddit must take accountability as a world platform. The moderators have additionally straight addressed the admins of the platform to ask that they take away misinformation that may endanger lives. 
“Subreddits which exist solely to unfold medical disinformation and undermine efforts to fight the worldwide pandemic ought to be banned,” the open letter reads. 
Subreddits Go Darkish in Protest

(Photograph : Screenshot taken from the PokemonGo subreddit)

Reddit’s steady refusal to ban communities that unfold COVID misinformation has sparked protests amongst subreddits. In line with the Ars Technica report, no less than 135 subreddits have gone personal as an indication of protest. 
Amongst these subreddits are two which have 10 million or extra subscribers. These subreddits are r/TIFU and r/Futurology. 
“Futurology has gone personal to protest Reddit’s inaction on COVID-19 misinformation,” reads an announcement posted on the r/Futurology subreddit. 
“Misinformation subreddits resembling NoNewNormal and r/conspiracy have to be shut down. Persons are dying from misinformation,” the assertion asserts.
r/PokemonGo has additionally joined the checklist of subreddits with no less than a million subscribers which have gone darkish. 
This isn’t the primary time that subreddits have gone darkish in protest of one thing that Reddit has finished or refused to do. In 2015, subreddits went darkish in protest after Reddit fired a key worker, who was influential within the Q&A bit of the platform. 
Additionally Learn: [STUDY] Researchers Declare Younger Adults Have Increased Probability of Believing Coronavirus Misinformation, Together with Severity and Origin
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Written by Isabella James

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