CMV: The /r/fatpeoplehate backlash is only making the admins look more reasonable in the ban

I think your post draws a somewhat alarmist conclusion. Yes, tobacco, military arms, prisons, etc. are profitable industries that do not worry about maintaining a positive image. However, believe it or not, many investors do care about public perception when looking at tech/media companies, which rely more heavily on the trends and opinions of users and niche groups. In general, people don't like to be associated with immoral views, groups, or activities. Racist, bigoted, hateful forums can only attract so much support (including financial), but that does not make their existence innocuous to the larger website. Unfortunately, Reddit is harmed by association to bigotry regardless of any well-intentioned desire to uphold pure, uncensored free expression. I believe Reddit is trying to balance the views and expectations of current and potential users. When specific aspects of content stunt the growth of new users, it is time to take action. In this case, FPH etc. became too popular for their own good and were bringing down the reputation of Reddit among potential new users. That's bad for a business like Reddit. Besides, people who would otherwise be happy and active community participants already avoided the site on moral grounds directly related to such subreddits.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "safe." Reddit has always exercised final authority over its content and always had a code of conduct for which both users and subreddits are held accountabe. The banning of these subreddits occurred not because of their inherent offensiveness, but because they (i.e. its subscribers) overstepped TOS boundaries, abusing the freedoms Reddit allows and paying the price. Only subreddits fostering deliberate acts that go against the bounds of Reddit's zoned free expression need be concerned.

And finally, in no way was this decision pure politics. While Ellen Pao's subreddit bans may eventually spurn trolls and bigots alike (yay!), publicity of the banning will no doubt ease perceptions about what kind of site Reddit really is, not just for new and current users, but also for those who avoided Reddit as a result of its well-known darker elements. The community of people who detest hate speech is far larger and more valuable to advertisers and investors than maintaining spaces for active harassment and bullying. Pao's methods for shaping a certain image may appear to be petty politics, but it's all about growing business. In my opinion, Reddit is doing it right.

/r/changemyview Thread Parent