Redditis already removing protesting moderators following a leaked warning from a few days ago. The once-popular social media forum caught intense backlash last week after a policy change related to API, or Application Programming Interface. This helpful software is used to link Reddit to third-party applications or add accessibility features to its first-party app, and was originally available for moderators free of charge. Reddit’s new policy now charges users for API, making things more difficult for said mods. As a result, many ofReddit’s popular gaming communitiesset their subreddits to private in protest of the change.
Initially, Reddit took no action in response to this wave of protests, with CEO Steve Huffman assuring the company that things would blow over in time. They haven’t, and while some of the previously shut-down subreddits have since resumed operations, others are standing by the protest and remaining dark. Over the weekend, Reddit’s higher management has suggested that it couldstart removing protesting modsdue to a supposed violation of the site’s Moderator Code of Conduct policies if they don’t return soon.
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This warning has been about as controversial as the policy change that first sparked the ongoing Reddit protests, and now it appears that the site is now making good on its threat to remove participating moderators. As reported by The Verge, the entire moderating team for r/MildlyInterestingwas briefly locked out of the site after they set their subreddit to NSFW (Not Safe For Work), which limitsReddit’s ability to monetize the sub. However, the mods have since been reinstated, not too long after a Reddit spokesman was asked about the removal.
Switching subreddits to the NSFW setting – which is usually reserved for mature and suggestive content – isn’t the only way that moderators have continued to protest Reddit’s divisive API policy decision. A few days ago, users ofthe designatedPokemon Gosubreddithave replaced all discussions of the popular mobile game with drawings of Pikachu and photos of talk show host John Oliver. Meanwhile, the Steam subreddit has taken a more literal approach, with users posting about actual steam, as in the vapor that forms when water is heated.
Not all these protest methods have gone unnoticed by thehigher management at Reddit, as some of the moderators who switched their subreddits over to the more private NSFW settings in solitary have been temporarily removed from their posts. While these mods have since been reinstated, the fact remains thatRedditis apparently following through on its previous statement as the protest carries over into its second week.
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