Reddit won't interfere with users revolting against X with subreddit bans

[pstokely]

Source: Ars Technica

Reddit is staying out of the current revolt against social media website X and, to a lesser degree, Meta, on its platform.

Since Tuesday, hundreds of subreddits have discussed and/or implemented bans against the site formerly called Twitter, as reported by 404 Media. Dozens of subreddits have already agreed to disallow the sharing of any links to X, with moderators (volunteer Reddit users) agreeing to enforce the bans.

The trend seemed to start among subreddits focused on sports-related topics, like the subreddits for the NFL, the Vancouver Canucks NHL team, and the Liverpool Football Club, as reported by Mashable. However, as of today, subreddits of various topics are discussing X bans. Reddit users in support of X bans like the one instituted by r/londonontario have pointed to various reasoning, including not being able to see tweet links without having an X account, Elon Musk appearing to make a Nazi salute at the presidential inauguration on Monday (as cited by r/Christianity’s and r/newjersey's bans, for example), and general dislike for Musk and/or how he runs X.

Yesterday, the mods of r/Seahawks, for example, enacted a rule that bans sharing links to X but allows X videos that aren't AI-generated, per a post from one of the subreddit’s moderators yesterday:

Read more: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/reddit-wont-interfere-with-users-revolting-against-x-with-subreddit-bans/

[wackadoo wabbit]

1. I wish DU would ban X, too . . . n/t

[AZLD4Candidate]

6. And Tik Tok too.

[jmbar2]

2. I think this is a well-planned and coordinated psyop

Those posts all appeared roughly at the same time, same verbiage, around the first day of the new regime.

My hunch is that someone wants to get all the progressives, skeptics, truth purveyors off X, and limited to BlueSKY, and to limit our ability to share important information.

I get very valuable information daily from X including epidemiology, health, environmental, breaking news, stock news, tsunami alerts, stock market news, and politic views from X.

I've been on it for years and get no ads, offensive posts, or nazi propaganda. My algorithm is pretty limited to what is interesting to me. I'm on BlueSKy as well. Most of the political posters are there, but I don't get the more localized breaking news, or stock market communities there.

I don't post a lot, but do respond frequently to folks I follow.

This whole "cancel X" movement is very suspicious to me.

[Galraedia]

5. Leaving a platform that is rigged against you and taking in ad revenue from your engagement isn't a psyop

It's just common sense.

[obamanut2012]

8. You forgot /s

[Pinback]

3. Great trend.

Reddit is a mixed bag, for sure, but the user base is pretty clever and much more progressive on the whole than Xitter’s.

[mucifer]

4. reddit definitely leans left. Check out their politics page:

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/

The articles posted are pretty similar to the ones posted here. Yes, there are many subreddits and some are right wing crazy stuff. But, there is more liberal people than conservative people posting in reddit.

[EllieBC]

7. GO CANUCKS GO!!!

Actually the first hockey sub was / r hockey but my fav / r Canucks followed. Along with a lot of writing and fandom subs.