The great Reddit blackout may have passed, but everything’s not okay at Reddit just yet. Some subreddits are still protesting the company’s API updates and have switched on the NSFW (not safe for work) label to block ads. The firm is demanding the moderators of these subreddits reverse the decision, threatening to blacklist those who don’t oblige.
In a message sent to moderators, Reddit warned that they must “immediately correct” their NSFW labeling. The company asserted that these subreddits have not “historically been considered NSFW nor would they under our current policies” (via The Verge). It threatened to remove moderators involved in the decision if they didn’t correct the NSFW label. The social network added that it was a final warning to them.
Reddit is claiming a violation of the Mod Code of Conduct Rule 2, which states that moderators should “set appropriate and reasonable expectations.” It warned that violation of the rule may result in “additional actions.” This includes blocking them from participating in moderation roles in the future. The company also warned moderators against suddenly starting to accept adult content to justify their NSFW label. “We will immediately remove and permanently suspend moderators who have participated in this action,” it said.
Reddit has asked all moderators to reverse the “inaccurate” NSFW labels for their subreddits by the end of this week. It isn’t the first time the company has issued such a warning. It began pressurizing moderators as soon as some subreddits turned NSFW. Since these communities are not eligible for advertising, it affects Reddit’s revenue. Some moderators have given in under pressure as they don’t want to lose their moderation roles. But a few are still holding on and protesting against the company. Sadly, the clock is ticking for them as well.
Reddit has also warned moderators of subreddits that have turned private
It’s not just the NSFW communities that have received a final warning from Reddit. The company also recently warned subreddits that turned private in protest to open to the public. It similarly threatened to remove moderators who don’t comply with its community guidelines. It appears Reddit is determined to end the protest by hook or crook this week.
The protest began on June 12 after the company’s API updates forced a few third-party apps to shut down and broke some moderation tools. Apollo, RIF, ReddPlanet, Sync, and a few other Reddit apps have already pulled the plug, citing exorbitant API prices. The likes of Narwhal, MultiTab, Infinity, and Relay, meanwhile, will live on.