Reddit is allegedly threatening to remove moderators who participate in the blackout this week. Reddit has long been a popular social media platform for users with various interests. Among its most popular forums are those dedicated to gaming, where fans gather to discuss new releases, share leaks and rumors about upcoming titles, and showcase their content creations in games such as Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
However, controversy arose when Reddit announced that it would charge users for access to its Application Programming Interface (API). Independent moderators often rely on this code to integrate Reddit with third-party applications or enhance the site's first-party app with useful accessibility features. This decision has been met with significant backlash, leading many communities to make their subreddits private in protest. Despite this, Reddit's CEO, Mike Huffman, remains unfazed and has assured employees that the blackout will eventually subside.
A recent screenshot shared by Twitter user and r/Apple moderator aaronp613 suggests that Reddit is intensifying its stance on the ongoing subreddit blackout, potentially resorting to punitive measures against participating moderators. Reddit's response, posted on r/ModSupport, outlines the violation of various website policies, including the Moderator Code of Conduct implemented in 2022, by mods who continue to be involved in the protest. Allegedly, Reddit is threatening to remove and replace these moderators and reorganize their modding teams if they do not resume their activities on the site.
While some Twitter users are defending Reddit's latest statement, others remain steadfast in their support for the protest and have even shared links on how to delete one's Reddit account if the situation worsens. This is not the first instance of Reddit moderators going dark in protest; for example, the r/Games subreddit briefly shut down on April Fool's Day a few years ago due to toxic and offensive comments from certain users. However, this current protest has become one of the largest in the history of the social media platform.
Following the resumption of regular operations in certain subreddits, it seems that Reddit's recent blackout shows no signs of ending anytime soon. Reddit has already faced significant criticism for its handling of the blackout, and this recent statement is anticipated to further exacerbate the situation.
