Reddit CEO: "We stand for free speech... we are not going to ban distasteful subreddits." - Polidicks

[quote=BBC News]Social news site Reddit will not censor "distasteful" sections of its website, its chief executive has said. The site has recently been criticised over sections in which users shared images of, among other things, women photographed without their knowledge. Yishan Wong told the site's moderators legal content should not be removed, even if "we find it odious or if we personally condemn it". "We stand for free speech... we are not going to ban distasteful subreddits." An article on Gawker exposed the real-world identity of "Violentacrez", a Reddit user said to be posting large amounts of questionable content. Gawker said the man - whose real name is Michael Brutsch - had created, or was the moderator of, several sections known as "subreddits". His contributions included a section entitled "jailbait", a term given to sexualised images of under-age girls. Another subreddit, called Creepshots, featured images of women taken in public but without consent. Commenters would typically discuss the person's attractiveness. Both sections have since been shut down, but Mr Wong's statement made it clear other "distasteful" sections would remain. 'Bit of a pickle' The issue drew questions over Reddit's policy of not blocking content which, while not technically illegal, would be considered by many as unacceptable. In a posting made to a private area of the site for moderators and administrators, Mr Wong described the situation as "a bit of a pickle". We chose to recognise that opponents have the right to criticise us, to expose us, to tell a story about us” "There sure has been a lot of trouble lately for Reddit, and I'd like to talk about about that before I nip off for a spot of tea," he wrote. He went on to add: "We know that some will not agree with us. "We also think that if someday, in the far future, we do become a universal platform for human discourse, it would not do if in our youth, we decided to censor things simply because they were distasteful." However, Mr Wong - who used to be an engineer at Facebook - said the website would continue to enforce a policy to not allow "doxxing", a term given to the process of outing a member by posting personal details online. "We will ban the posting of personal information, because it incites violence and harassment against specific individuals," Mr Wong said. He blamed past instances of misguided "witch-hunts" for this rule. Gawker ban Following the exposure of Mr Brutsch, several Reddit moderators - who are volunteers - imposed a ban on users posting any links to the Gawker site. Reddit - whose mascot is this alien - is one of the internet's most popular websites In addition, Reddit administrators imposed a site-wide ban on posting the specific Gawker story about Mr Brutsch. Mr Wong described the decision as a mistake that was "not making Reddit look so good". The ban has now been lifted. "As admins, we chose to recognise that opponents have the right to criticise us, to expose us, to tell a story about us - even if we don't like that story or we feel it's wrong." However, individual subreddits can choose their own rules regarding what sites are blocked. One popular area, Politics, is continuing to block Gawker links. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, moderator "Rearth" said there would need to be a "major change in the way Gawker approach stories" before that situation changed. Mr Brutsch, who continues to use Reddit under a different username, recently told users that he had since lost his job at a financial services company in Texas.[/quote] [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19975375]Source: BBC News[/url]

quick everybody start labelling all of reddit fuck those gay cancerous pedophiles and all their families we should lynch every single member of reddit fp is so much better

[QUOTE=Webby2020;38075665]quick everybody start labelling all of reddit fuck those gay cancerous pedophiles and all their families we should lynch every single member of reddit fp is so much better[/QUOTE] Man that was such a subtle attempt at a self fulfilling prophecy.

There is a fine line between offensive and illegal. Anything related to underage nude photos or anything like that would be illegal else where needs to be removed. But having a subform that is simply offensive isn't grounds to remove it.

Didn't even last one post before the shitstorm started. Great job.

Never have been to reddit. An i never plan to.

didn't see that coming /sarcasm by "that" I mean pulling the free speech card

and in the massive reddit civil war the r/feminists shall rise up and crush the creepshots. hopefully :rolleyes:

Phew! My socially unacceptable and illegal fetishes are safe!

[QUOTE=Webby2020;38075665]quick everybody start labelling all of reddit fuck those gay cancerous pedophiles and all their families we should lynch every single member of reddit fp is so much better[/QUOTE] Except it actually is much better. FP does not and has never had a subforum dedicated to motherfucking pedophilia/stalking. If you honestly believe what you just shat out onto the internet, you're thicker than an asphalt-molasses milkshake in winter. In Alaska.

[QUOTE=MR-X;38075713]There is a fine line between offensive and illegal. Anything related to underage nude photos or anything like that would be illegal else where needs to be removed. But having a subform that is simply offensive isn't grounds to remove it.[/QUOTE] law is an arbitrary moral compass simply because pedophelia is illegal doesn't suddenly make shit like creepshots any less immoral

muh freedom

[QUOTE=Strongbad;38075742]Except it actually is much better. FP does not and has never had a subforum dedicated to motherfucking pedophilia/stalking. If you honestly believe what you just shat out onto the internet, you're thicker than an asphalt-molasses milkshake in winter. In Alaska.[/QUOTE] If I remember correctly back when we had custom forums there was one for loli or something. It was removed very quickly.

Something I still find kind of perplexing is that doxxing ViolentAcrez was apparently a terrible thing to do because you're aiming to cause them harm in their real lives and condemning him for his actions yet doxxing the girl in some random creepshot with the aim being to cause harm in her real life and condemn her for her actions was perfectly fine. But then again, this is the same website that prides itself on freedom of speech and how amazing it is while banning links to a certain website group and also having subreddits based around sexualizing minors so perhaps I shouldn't be so perplexed.

[QUOTE=Boxbot219;38075762]If I remember correctly back when we had custom forums there was one for loli or something. It was removed very quickly.[/QUOTE] did garry pull the muh freedom of speech card? 4chan has had one too

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;38075771]Something I still find kind of perplexing is that doxxing ViolentAcrez was apparently a terrible thing to do because you're aiming to cause them harm in their real lives and condemning him for his actions yet doxxing the girl in some random creepshot with the aim being to cause harm in her real life and condemn her for her actions was perfectly fine. But then again, this is the same website that prides itself on freedom of speech and how amazing it is while banning links to a certain website group and also having subreddits based around sexualizing minors so perhaps I shouldn't be so perplexed.[/QUOTE] the problem is people think creepshots is a victimless crime ergo it's not illegal and shouldn't be i don't know about you but taking photos of anonymous women for your personal sexual pleasue isn't harmless, but somehow because it's not illegal, keeping creepshots up is somehow defense of free speech

[QUOTE=Untouch;38075777]did garry pull the muh freedom of speech card? 4chan has had one too[/QUOTE] Nah, the moment the mods noticed it it was gone.

Except that's bullshit because you have and still do ban r/lolicon.

And the anti-Reddit circlejerk keeps on rolling...

[QUOTE=Madman_Andre;38075841]And the anti-Reddit circlejerk keeps on rolling...[/QUOTE] Of all the circlejerks on facepunch, you pick this one to complain about? At least this one has basis in fact.

[QUOTE=Strongbad;38075856]Of all the circlejerks on facepunch, you pick this one to complain about? At least this one has basis in fact.[/QUOTE] to be fair as it is with all circlejerks it's much of a kneejerk overreaction

[QUOTE=Madman_Andre;38075841]And the anti-Reddit circlejerk keeps on rolling...[/QUOTE] I don't know why people are treating it like it's shameful to hate a site who's administration would continue to allow r/jailbait to exist if they had their way. Oh and r/deadjailbait or whatever that one was called.

Tell that to the Gawker article that was ban.

It's funny because the same people who call this a circlejerk probably hate on 9gag for much less.

I feel sorry for the guy losing his job and all but he did fucked up stuff, who in their right mind thinks subreddits like that are 'ok'.

[QUOTE=Strongbad;38075856]Of all the circlejerks on facepunch, you pick this one to complain about? At least this one has basis in fact.[/QUOTE] Not really, it's bitching about reddit over a few subreddits is like bitching about facepunch because of OIFY.

[QUOTE=Rocksalt;38075903]Not really, it's bitching about reddit over a few subreddits is like bitching about facepunch because of OIFY.[/QUOTE] No it would be more on par with complaining about facepunch if our administration actively defended a jailbait subforum until they had to be legally strongarmed into removing it.

I don't think 'free-speech' counts for things that are perverse, disrespectful, stupid and just plain wrong.

[QUOTE=Madman_Andre;38075841]And the anti-Reddit circlejerk keeps on rolling...[/QUOTE] they DID have a subreddit for savagely beaten women and IIRC there was one for dead kids unless you happen to think domestic abuse is p. hot you should be totally understanding of why such a reaction has taken place here on FP.

[QUOTE=Webby2020;38075665]quick everybody start labelling all of reddit fuck those gay cancerous pedophiles and all their families we should lynch every single member of reddit fp is so much better[/QUOTE] Stop being a white knight, reddit is not making the right decisions here and the one thing FP atleast lacks is free display of sexually deviant material.