On July 2, 2021, Reddit faced a 48-hour blackout, with several of its biggest subreddits going private in protest against the platform’s lack of response to hate speech, racism, and harassment. The response from these communities and their moderators was swift, as hundreds of thousands of users were left without access to their favorite subreddits.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest subreddits affected by the blackout:
r/funny: With over 35 million members, r/funny is one of the most popular subreddits on the platform. It’s a place for sharing and discussing humorous content, and its moderators decided to go private in response to Reddit’s inaction towards hate speech and racism.
r/pics: Boasting more than 28 million members, r/pics is a subreddit for sharing and discussing photos. It went private in protest, with its moderators citing the need for Reddit to take stronger action against hate speech and harassment.
r/gaming: With over 27 million members, r/gaming is a community for gaming enthusiasts to discuss and share news, updates, and memes related to video games. Its moderators decided to go private in support of the blackout and to call on Reddit to do more to address hate speech and bigotry in the gaming community.
r/memes: As one of the fastest-growing subreddits, r/memes has over 21 million members and is a popular spot for sharing memes across a wide range of genres. The moderators of r/memes went private in response to the lack of action from Reddit towards hate speech, particularly around issues of racism and sexism.
r/aww: Rounding out our list, r/aww is a subreddit for sharing cute and adorable animal photos and videos. With over 28 million members, it’s one of the most beloved subreddits on the platform. R/aww’s decision to go private in support of the blackout underscores the seriousness of the issues at stake and the growing frustration of many communities.
Overall, the 48-hour blackout had a significant impact on some of the biggest and most popular subreddits on the platform. The action taken by these communities and their moderators has put the spotlight on Reddit’s ongoing struggles with hate speech and harassment, and the need for more effective policies and tactics to protect the safety and wellbeing of users. As the platform continues to grapple with these issues, it remains to be seen what steps will be taken to address them in the months and years to come.
