Reddit Moderators Under Pressure to Remove NSFW Labels or Face Consequences

Many communities on Reddit have utilized the NSFW (Not Safe For Work) designation in some capacity to express their discontent with Reddit’s new API pricing. This pricing structure has compelled applications like Apollo, and it is fun for Reddit to cease their operations. Furthermore, these communities have cited a recent trend of unsettling behavior towards unpaid volunteer moderators as an additional reason for their protest. Subreddits like r/PICS and r/military have adopted the NSFW label, using language derived from Reddit’s websites to support their decision.

The moderators of the r/military community explained their decision to switch to the NSFW label by stating that “military content has the potential to include violent content.” They further argued that “this subreddit should have already been designated as NSFW, but we had not considered making the change until now.” These statements were shared publicly in a post made on Thursday.

However, Reddit has communicated with the moderators of those subreddits, asserting that they must “promptly rectify” their NSFW labeling. Reddit claims these communities “have not traditionally been considered NSFW, nor would they be under our current policies.” Failure to correct the designation will result in removing any moderators involved in the decision, who may also face “additional consequences,” including losing their ability to join future moderator teams.

Removing NSFW Designation Raises Concerns and Sparks Discussions

Labeling a subreddit as NSFW creates an age barrier and renders it ineligible for advertising, inconveniencing users and potentially impacting Reddit’s ability to monetize the platform. As of Thursday evening, both r/PICS and r/military had removed the NSFW designation.

In an email to The Verge, a moderator from the military subreddit explained that the decision to revert the NSFW label was made because the community is a valuable resource for veterans facing mental health crises. The moderator expressed concerns that if Reddit were to remove the moderator team, it could potentially put the community at risk.

The moderators of r/PICS engaged in discussions regarding the NSFW (Not Safe for Work) designation and the subsequent removal of such content. However, they explored alternative approaches to adhere to Reddit’s ambiguous and contradictory guidelines and policies. In a private message to The Verge, a moderator stated, “To be clear, changing the NSFW setting technically violates the site-wide rules as they currently stand. Nevertheless, since Reddit has insisted, we find ourselves with no other viable option.”

Reddit’s Response to r/Askwomenadvice’s NSFW Designation

Similarly, the moderators of r/Askwomenadvice also received a warning but opted to retain the NSFW designation, even if it led to potential removal. One moderator said, “If anyone with basic reasoning skills takes a quick look at our top posts, whether by week, month, year, or all time, they would see that our subreddit frequently addresses NSFW topics. Our ethical principles prevent us from dishonestly complying with Reddit’s actions solely for their monetary gain. Hence, when the subreddit is handed over to any replacement, we sincerely hope that they have the decency to manage it in a manner that prioritizes user safety.”

As of now, Reddit has not responded to a request for comment. In a previous statement, spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt mentioned that “moderators incorrectly labeling a community as NSFW violates both our Content Policy and Moderator Code of Conduct.”

The message of Reddit shared by the r/PICS moderators:

“This is a final warning for inaccurately labeling your community NSFW which violates the Mod Code of Conduct rule 2. Your subreddit has not historically been considered NSFW, nor would they under our current policies.

Please immediately correct the NSFW labeling on your subreddit. Failure to do so will result in action being taken on your moderator team by the end of this week. This means moderators involved in this activity will be removed from this mod team. Moderators may also be subject to additional actions, e.g., losing the ability to join mod teams in the future.

Lastly, if you suddenly begin to post or approve content that features sexually explicit content to your community to justify the NSFW label, we will immediately remove and permanently suspend moderators who have participated in this action.”

Reddit’s recent moderation policies sparked controversy as communities faced pressure to switch from safe for work (SFW) to unsafe for work (NSFW) content. Conflicting messages from Reddit administrators, outdated wiki pages, and unclear NSFW definitions have confused users and moderators. Concerns are growing about the platform’s transparency and consistency in enforcing rules, prompting calls for improved communication between Reddit and its community.