Blackout megathread

Once I read /u/spez's weak-ass reply essentially endorsing the spread of misinformation as long as it's not too loud, I figured there'd be further action. This is more abrupt than I expected, but it's very welcome.

I hope the participating subreddit list continues to grow, as I expect it'll take a decent amount of weight before the admins give a shit. After all, we're only talking about a global pandemic that's already killed millions.

Comment by KittenKoder at 30/08/2021 at 21:26 UTC

616 upvotes, 8 direct replies

We should take the opportunity here to thank the moderators of this subreddit. They have been so overworked removing actual antivaxxer content and they've done a wonderful job.

It's sad that it has come to this, having to isolate our own communities from the flood of misinformation so we can get back on topic.

Comment by Evoraist at 31/08/2021 at 01:48 UTC

51 upvotes, 1 direct replies

At least now I know what's going on. Fuck the antivax, anti mask dumb fucks.

Comment by [deleted] at 31/08/2021 at 00:26 UTC

42 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Anti vaxxers are brigading the subs claiming it's for the "removal of powermods" but every user that says that part-takes in the misinformation campaign... makes you wonder.

Especially with r/technology and now with r/SubredditDrama

Comment by maybesaydie at 30/08/2021 at 21:23 UTC*

612 upvotes, 0 direct replies

As you likely noticed, a lot of subreddits have gone private to protest the amount of covid disinformation on reddit and the disappointing admin response to calls to address this. You can use this thread to discuss what is happening on reddit.

We're restricted to new submissions and have decided to keep the discussion to this post.

user reports:

3: This is misinformation

1: It's vote manipulation

It's neither.

Comment by [deleted] at 30/08/2021 at 21:52 UTC

147 upvotes, 3 direct replies

[deleted]

Comment by YesItIsMaybeMe at 30/08/2021 at 23:59 UTC

79 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Dear mods:

Thank you for caring and trying to prevent the spread. I'm glad you guys actually followed through and decided to private. You guys are awesome.

Comment by Bluefuzzyfood at 31/08/2021 at 01:24 UTC

70 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Yes black out! I am so sick, and tired of all of this COVID crap. These antivaxers and their "rEsEaRcH" and "cOnSpIrAcY tHeOrY!!" are only prolonging this COVID disease, and hurting others with their disinformation/misinformation BS.

Comment by Vaenyr at 31/08/2021 at 01:34 UTC

30 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I just want to say thank you to all the mods and the participants. The admin post the other day was simply pathetic, hopefully a lot of news sites will pick the blackout up and bring attention to it. Time to scare the advertisers.

Comment by Deadpool2715 at 30/08/2021 at 22:00 UTC

62 upvotes, 4 direct replies

So did the misinformation spreading subs go private to avoid people complaining about their content.

Or did the subs (IMO rightfully) complaining about the misinformation go private to protest Reddit’s admins not taking action?

Comment by LawsOfPudding at 30/08/2021 at 22:03 UTC

84 upvotes, 4 direct replies

Obligatory fuck Ron DeSantis

Comment by BelleAriel at 31/08/2021 at 01:05 UTC

21 upvotes, 2 direct replies

So should we report every Instance to the admins? Because, on a subreddit like LeopardsAteMyFace it takes literally hours just to remove, ban and usernote each case. That’s even with NNN being autobanned.

Comment by ThisGuy-AreSick at 31/08/2021 at 18:00 UTC

19 upvotes, 4 direct replies

r/teachers (~250k) is participating in a couple hours. I want to post our announcement here so our reasoning can be known. Hopefully this will influence other professional subreddits to also participate. Copied post below.

In about 3 hours (1 PM Pacific), this sub will close and you will see this message:

r/teachers has gone private to protest Reddit's inaction on COVID-19 misinformation. Practically everyone in this sub has felt the effects of the pandemic lengthening due to the effectiveness of misinformation. Reddit admins must shut down COVID misinformation subreddits which endanger students, educators, and our local communities. Participating subreddits: https://redd.it/pelle1[1][2] Discuss here: https://redd.it/perfsu[3][4] Tell mods in your other communities to join

1: https://redd.it/pelle1

2: https://redd.it/pelle1

3: https://redd.it/perfsu

4: https://redd.it/perfsu

The mod team has been discussing the rampant COVID misinformation over the past few months. We have been silently deleting such misinformation for many months, and announced our actions a few weeks ago[5]. We also have joined other subreddits[6] in calling on reddit admins to follow through on their promise to combat COVID misinformation[7]. Reddit admins, unsurprisingly, refused[8].

5: https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/p52y1c/announcing_rule_5/

6: https://www.reddit.com/r/vaxxhappened/comments/pbe8nj/we_call_upon_reddit_to_take_action_against_the/

7: https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/g21ub7/misinformation_and_covid19_what_reddit_is_doing/

8: https://www.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/pbmy5y/debate_dissent_and_protest_on_reddit/

This pandemic has deeply affected pretty much all of us in this sub. Our schools have shut down. And reopened. And shut down again. And reopened. Our families, friends, colleagues, and students have died or will suffer lasting effects of COVID. Many of us, our families, our friends, our colleagues, and students have been impacted by an insufficient healthcare infrastructure due explicitly to the effects of misinformation convincing people to not take reasonable precautions against COVID, such as masking and vaccinating. Many people have struggled with their social circles fracturing due to the nefarious efforts of disinformation peddlers who seek to weaken our confidence in our institutions and in science. Misinformation is an affront to public education, and COVID misinformation in particular is deeply damaging to society.

Because of this, we are joining notable subs such as r/tifu and r/futurology in taking a stand against reddit admins and their choice to profit off misinformation rather than curtail it. We have no set date when the sub will reopen again, but we hope more subs will join us in solidarity and that reddit admins will be swiftly pressured to act responsibly.

Comment by [deleted] at 30/08/2021 at 22:31 UTC

30 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Fight back misinformation with some credible hardcore verifiable ones:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/covid-misinformation-is-a-threat-to-public-health-surgeon-general-says-what-can-be-done/ar-AAMXRt8

https://www.kxan.com/news/coronavirus/do-face-masks-work-here-are-49-scientific-studies-that-explain-why-they-do/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-delta-variant/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html

https://www.wtva.com/content/news/At-least-two-hospitalized-with-potential-ivermectin-toxicity-the-MSDH-updates-575156741.html

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.0c05025

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/36/eabd3083

https://globalnews.ca/news/8050563/pfizer-astrazeneca-vaccine-delta-variant/

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00608?utm%5C_campaign=covid19fasttrack&utm%5C_medium=press&utm%5C_content=courtemanche&utm%5C_source=mediaadvisory

Comment by AnnzPatz18 at 31/08/2021 at 00:18 UTC

14 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Keep it going, mods! Doing a great job in stopping this madness. Thank you so much for enduring a lot throughout this crazy shit.

Blackout so reddit understands the danger this misinformation brings.

Comment by Eggsegret at 31/08/2021 at 06:14 UTC

14 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Noticed some of my favourite subs went private today. Glad to see a large number of subs taking action. The amount of vaccine misinformation isn't even a joke anymore. Alot of people in my family are vulnerable to covid yet won't get the vaccine all because of misinformation they've read about online.

Comment by Ophelia550 at 31/08/2021 at 00:44 UTC

14 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I've been doing my part on Facebook and Twitter. Pretty much all I do is report stuff.

I never hear anything back, though. So I'm probably reporting into the black bot void, but I feel less helpless.

Comment by [deleted] at 31/08/2021 at 02:01 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

We need to stay locked down until action is taken. No one cross the picket line, folks.

Comment by ParanoidFactoid at 31/08/2021 at 02:43 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Thanks to all the mods who made this happen. I don't know if this action will change spez's awful decision, but I do know it may well get media coverage. And as we all know, bad press does more to affect Reddit policy than just about anything.

Comment by [deleted] at 31/08/2021 at 08:58 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Honestly I don't think enough subs are going to restricted mode.

Comment by Torifyme12 at 31/08/2021 at 18:26 UTC

13 upvotes, 1 direct replies

The Reddit admins just modified the ToS'

While not every community may be for you (and you may find some unrelatable or even offensive), no community should be used as a weapon. Communities should create a sense of belonging for their members, not try to diminish it for others. Likewise, everyone on Reddit should have an expectation of privacy and safety, so please respect the privacy and safety of others.

This can be read two ways, either they're upset about brigading, or they don't want to allow for blackouts to happen again.