Reddit Bans Nazi Groups In Online Crackdown

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By Sam Kestenbaum October 27, 2017

Reddit has begun implementing new rules banning forums for Nazis and white supremacist groups.

The company outlined the update to its policy on Wednesday with a statement on the site.

“Going forward, we will take action against any content that encourages, glorifies, incites, or calls for violence or physical harm against an individual or a group of people,” the statement reads. “We understand that enforcing this policy may often require subjective judgment, so all of the usual caveats apply with regard to content that is newsworthy, artistic, educational, satirical, etc, as mentioned in the policy. Context is key.”

Among the first to be banned were the subreddits r/NationalSocialism, r/Naziand r/Far_Right. Others which were shuttered include r/whitesarecriminals and r/DylannRoofInnocent.

The white nationalist “alt-right” movement took shape on online forums, including Reddit. The site has grappled with how to police content that violates its rules. In February, the site shuttered forumsassociated with the “alt-right.”

Email Sam Kestenbaum at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

Sam Kestenbaum is a contributing editor and former staff writer for the Forward. Before this, he worked for The New York Times and newsrooms in Sana, Ramallah and Beijing. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.

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