This week in tech: Reddit CEO Gets Backlash For Removing Subreddits

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Appointed CEO of Reddit in January, 2015, Ellen Pao, steered controversy this week that has the “Front Page of the Internet” going wild.
In an effort to tidy up Reddit Pao removed five subreddits “categories” on the website. These subreddits were: r/fatpeoplehate, r/hamplanethatred, r/transf*gs, r/neof*g and  r/sh*t(blackpeople)say. As you can see the subreddits are quite provocative, but despite that redditors are outraged and are accusing Pao of silencing freedom of speech.

#RedditRevolt has been trending over the past two days on Twitter and Facebook.

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“We will ban subreddits that allow their communities to use the subreddit as a platform to harass individuals when moderators don’t take action,” Pao said in a statement to the media.

What’s my opinion? Stay tuned for the full story coming to “This Week In Tech” on Monday 15, 2015.

Full Story Continued:

The passing days have calmed down the tidal wave of hate Pao was getting last week when she removed subreddits from Reddit.com. Despite removing the subreddits with good (debatable) intentions (which was to stop harassment on certain areas of the website) Pao managed to turn a huge portion of Reddit against her in just seven days.

From Reddit we can conclude that subreddits aren’t the only things being censored though. Many people across Reddit have made complaints about their posts being banned for condemning the CEO.

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My opinion is very jumbled. On one hand I believe that however harsh it may sound freedom of speech is freedom to insult. Harassment exists in all forms on the Internet. Targeting certain subreddits because they are more prone to harassment than others won’t stop it or even slow it down.

The most innocent subreddits can become playgrounds for harassment. Pao’s actions were in vain if her target was to stop or slow down harassment. If she truly wanted to eliminate harassment what about these subreddits: r/trashy, r/imgoingtohellforthis, r/candidfashionpolice. All of these subreddits (though some may not be specifically harassment) are just as vulgar, if not more so, than the subreddits Pao banned and can just as easily promote harassment. I think Pao was biased in banning these particular subreddits.

One thing I do have to say in Pao’s defense is this – as the CEO of Reddit it is entirely within her abilities to ban whatever subreddits she wants and I think that is where the Internet made a mistake. People assumed that Reddit was their website, but it’s not. And Pao’s actions prove it.

It wasn’t the first time Reddit has banned certain subreddits because of controversy. In 2014, r/beatingwomen was removed. Other subreddits that have been removed in the past are r/jailbait and r/thefapping. These subreddits have definitely been removed for the better, but there should be a line drawn. Reddit should make it clear what they will tolerate and what they wont. Because Reddit didn’t set certain standards ambiguity existed. It was because of that sort of ambiguity that sprouted these controversial subreddits in the first place. So, if Reddit is going to starting banning now they better be consistent. Because if Pao was trying to clean up the website she missed a few spots.

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