I lurked Reddit for a long time before creating an account which is now over 6 years old. I was a ‘Top Contributor’ and in the rewards program. 89k karma, never promoted violence or targeted any group, but I got a 7-day ban which was followed up hours later with a permanent ban. This is because of a comment criticizing Senator Radcliffe, trump, and Musk. The comment included profanity, (I called them hypocrites and cunts), but it wasn’t directed at any user or marginalized group. Just harsh political commentary.

Reddit initially issued a 7-day ban, which I appealed. That appeal was approved, the comment was restored, and they admitted it didn’t violate the rules. But the permanent ban still stands, and my follow-up appeals on that have been ignored. No explanation. No transparency. Just gone.

It’s made me realize how fragile “free speech” is on platforms like Reddit. You can insult regular users and get away with it, say horrendously racist, misogynistic, and homophobic things, but speak too plainly about powerful people and suddenly you’re promoting “hate.”

I combed through the Reddit rules, and nothing I have ever commented or posted violates them.

That’s the reason I’m here on Lemmy now. I’m trying to read more, scroll less, and engage with platforms that aren’t actively censoring political dissent. Who else is in the same boat? Is there anything that can be done to hold Reddit accountable or make people aware of they way they are censoring speech? This is my first Lemmy post. I marked it NSFW because of the profanity.

  • LustyArgonian@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    First permaban was for asking: “Any updates on Mitch McConnell? I could use some good news.” Mod appeal denied

    Then on another account a year later (bc I got so many death threats from Nazis on Reddit), I forgot I had a ban on that sub and said, “We should spend money feeding our kids instead of spending it to blow up someone else’s kids.” And that was an IP ban.

    Crazy, I’ve seen literal Nazis on there not even get comments removed. We live in dark times.

    • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      3 months ago

      the first reason was ridiculous, jyust for asking that question? you know it turning right wing, when you cant even IMPLY things. i used accounts like you did, dint get ban that aggressively, maybe because i was also using multiple locations, confused reddit for a while.

  • vvilld@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 months ago

    I got banned for calling a guy a “fascist sanewasher” and refusing to post an apology when a mod messaged me to tell me to apologize.

  • Ilixtze@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    I got banned about a year ago for… checks notes repeatedly calling a genocidal army “bastards” =,D

    Edit… ok maybe I called them sons of bitches and nazis.

  • shaquilleoatmeal@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    I got my 10+ year old account permabanned for saying “trans women are women”, which somehow went against their rules about promoting violence. No warning given or anything. Appeal went ignored.

  • modernangel@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    I was already iffy about Reddit since the r/place #fuckspez whitewashing. I was never suspended - but when I learned Luigi was suddenly an “unperson” topic there, I realized that commercialized social media is inherently compromised.

    I’m not swearing off FB/Insta entirely just yet, but every time I visit them I’m more and more vividly aware how tedious Meta channels are.

  • Geetnerd@lemmy.world
    0·
    3 months ago

    Same, happened to me hours ago, with no message stating why, or no recourse.

    Elon whined to Spez to do something about Redditors being mean to him.

    I guess it worked. Fuck both of them.

  • zymagoras777@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    Closed account myself because got tired asking to remove shadow ban for two months. I have no clue why I got shadow banned, only realized when I stopped getting replies that something is not right. Oh well, I guess it’s more useful to bookmark useful reddit links in any browser instead of being able to post and comment on a platform where nobody can even see your efforts because of shitty AI and incompetent admins. I was with them for over six years.

    • phoenixarise@lemmy.world
      0·
      3 months ago

      I was able to migrate a lot of my favorite subreddits to Lemmy using the Voyager app. Maybe that could help. ☺️

      • zymagoras777@lemm.eeEnglish
        0·
        3 months ago

        Yeah, I’m using Voyager as well. Too bad i realized I can migrate my subs after closing the account.

        • phoenixarise@lemmy.world
          0·
          3 months ago

          Oh, I’m sorry. At least a lot of the most popular subreddits have communities here, so you still may find what you’re looking for. ☺️

    • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      3 months ago

      you can hazard a guess, but its probably indiscriminate banning, linking your account with strangers, if that stranger is banned the filters automatically assume your part of that group too and this seperate from ban evasions. im not surprised other users are not reporting this on reddit, reddit has a rule against discussing bans funny enough. one of my fragile accounts was just shadowbanned, because a mod removed a comment, because the op of that thread was joking, and thought i was trying to make a snarky-smartass comment.(your on ptgcl live, for real a game that is barely functioning.

      from what weve noticed: comment removals, low karma , cqs score removal, botting,etc is an instant ban now, with no recourse.

  • Wanpieserino@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Welp, said Elon needs to be assassinated for involving himself in European politics as a non European plutocrat

  • Dasus@lemmy.world
    0·
    3 months ago

    Got banned for antisemitism around the time the genocide ramped up in Gaza.

    And I was just criticising Israel. Things got a bit heated for the other guy apparently, and then I got brigaded and reported. I didn’t defend Hamas or advocate violence, just criticised Israel.

    • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      3 months ago

      i was banned from worldnews in '23 for seven days, i partially abandoned that account and went with an OLD one, which usually is more trusted. up until this year, where they decided a temp ban= we will check all the other accounts you made that participated in banned subs, and ban you for that, you this is pretty ridiculous. i think someone also mentioned your account is easily linked with a strangers if any of them get banned you get a indiscriminate ban too.

      this time they said i reported too many times tech sub, something about trump so i recieved a 7day ban, then all my accounts were instantly banned, depesite the accts never going into those subs(until like 1-1years later). so they were routing out old accounts you havnt used in years. but thier bannings always increase when a GOP is in power, it was like severe version in 2017-19, now that trump is in power spez is somewhat afraid he will ge the wrath of MUSK.