Reddit is rolling out new rules that limit how moderators manage their communities. Going forward, any decision to make a subreddit private or mark it as NSFW will require approval from Reddit admins. The decision marks a shift from the previous system where moderators could make these changes on their own, giving Reddit's administration greater oversight.
These new rules come in the aftermath of last year's protests, during which several communities temporarily turned private or switched to NSFW mode as a form of protest against Reddit's changes to API pricing.
Those actions not only made communities inaccessible to users but also caused broader disruptions, including hurting Reddit's visibility on search engines. By introducing this approval system, Reddit hopes to prevent a repeat of such incidents, while still allowing moderators to manage their communities effectively.
Reddit's New Approval System
From now on, if moderators want to change a subreddit's public/private status or adjust its NSFW settings, they'll have to submit a request. Reddit has committed to processing these requests within 24 hours for most communities. However, if a community is either under 30 days old or has fewer than 5,000 members, approval will be granted automatically.
Moderators still retain the ability to temporarily restrict content, such as disabling posts or comments for a short period of time, without needing Reddit's approval. The feature remains handy for handling situations like sudden spikes in traffic or when moderation teams require a brief pause. Permanent changes, though, will now fall under the new request system.
Response to Last Year's API Protests
The policy change is a direct response to the protests that erupted last year when many subreddit moderators shut down public access or reclassified their communities to disrupt Reddit's functionality.
The widespread move to turn subreddits private significantly impacted the overall platform experience for many users. Not only did it block access to discussions, but it also caused issues with search engines that rely on publicly available data.
Laura Nestler, Reddit's Vice President of Community, said in a post the company made these changes to ensure stability and accessibility across the platform. She also emphasized that protests are still allowed, but actions that disrupt the broader platform or negatively affect other users won't be tolerated.
Engaging Moderators Through the Mod Council
Before implementing the new policy, Reddit consulted its Mod Council, a group of over 100 moderators representing a diverse range of subreddits. According to Nestler, the feedback was generally measured, though some moderators expressed concerns that the changes might be perceived as a reaction to last year's protests.
Others worried about the potential impact on community management. Despite these reservations, Reddit is pushing ahead with the changes, citing the need to balance community autonomy with the platform's long-term health.
