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.

    • Geetnerd@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      3 months ago

      Yep, got that a few hours ago, but there was no message in my inbox explaining why, and no option to appeal a global permaban.

      No worries, I’m done with that Spez bitch.

  • Dasus@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    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.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      edit-2
      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.

  • zymagoras777@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    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.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      edit-2
      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.

    • phoenixarise@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      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.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        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
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          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. ☺️

  • modernangel@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    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.

  • SeeMarkFly@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    I have said all kinds of nasty things there about GropenFührer…I mean inmate #P01135809 and other than a few downvotes, nothing. Maybe it’s a “no warning” kind of thing?

  • Lucky_777@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    I told Nazis to go kill themselves. Then made multiple Krasnov accounts. All banned and now perm banned unless I use VPN. It was time to go, fuck that place. Welcome home.

  • magnetosphere@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    All I can do is extend my sympathies, and tell you that you’re better off in the long run. Most people here don’t like corporate social media because of situations like yours.

    Don’t worry about profanity. People swear all the time and don’t mark their posts.

    • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      3 months ago

      I find it kind of psychologically interesting how many reddifugees self censor, either directly or through obscuring names and events. That site’s moderation is seriously screwing people up.

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        i had to self-cesor race before and after covid. apparently calling someone black, or Demographic was justification for a ban, they think calling african americans a different name what it suppose to be is racist. its so sensitive now, other sites are doing this(forums)

  • berno@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    Reddit bans for all kind of political commentary across the spectrum. Fuck spez. Fuck reddit.

    • Jivebunny@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      3 months ago

      Imo that was API-gate. But yeah this one seems to accelerate the death of it. Good thing to be gone now. It’s all about stocks now and shareholder concerns and they don’t want any critical thinking or free speech.

  • Scranulum@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    Also here after a reddit ban. Mine was also politically motivated.

    I watched admins remove a comment that was not violent, no profanity, nothing like that. The offense: the commenter described what “black-bagging” was, in reference to the immigrants being abducted around the country. Someone asked what “black-bagging” meant, he replied with one sentence just explaining the meaning of the term, comment nuked within five minutes.

    I then told this story in another comment in another thread. Didn’t say shit about Musk or Trump. Just told the story of how reddit admins wouldn’t let this guy explain what black-bagging meant.

    Permanent ban within one hour for “ban evasion.” Never been banned prior. It was my first and last reddit ban.

    Fuck spez, fuck reddit, fuck the rest of em all.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      edit-2
      3 months ago

      looks like a they are quashing any anti-musk and trump sentiment on reddit, any attempts to report them can also result in a ban too. they definitely dont want what musk and trump are doing being discussed in reddit in serious manny, we can see a proportional response from reddit when trump and musk did something, and Musk also recently complained to reddit they need to censor people more.

  • FelixCress@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    2 months ago

    If you are banned permanently, are you still able to edit or at least delete your existing comments or is it too late for that?

  • arotrios@lemmy.world
    cake
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    edit-2
    3 months ago

    Welcome weary traveler!

    As lemmy’s self-designated High Corvid of Progressivity, I extend to you the traditional Fediversal blessing of:

    remember kids:

    A place in heaven is reserved for those who speak truth to power