discuss Elon Musk makes request to Reddit CEO to take down posts he didn't like

[Cpvr]

Elon Musk is no fan of content moderation. When Musk acquired Twitter back in 2022, one of the driving forces behind his decision to buy the social media platform was content moderation, especially involving bans on right-wing accounts that he liked.

Now, Musk appears to be trying to exert control over content moderation on social media platforms he doesn't even own.

According to a new report in The Verge, Musk privately contacted Reddit CEO Steve Huffman regarding content on the social sharing platform.

Shortly after the correspondence between Musk and Huffman, a thread about DOGE employees was deleted. The subreddit where the thread was started, r/WhitePeopleTwitter, was also banned for 72 hours.

Before Musk reached out to the Reddit CEO, the owner of X went on a public tirade against Reddit. Among his complaints, Musk claimedthat certain Reddit users had "broken the law" for posting unsavory comments about DOGE employees. The Reddit comments referenced Musk's post appear to belong to the Reddit thread that the company deleted after Musk reached out.

While Reddit previously made it known that it took action against "violent content," it wasn't known until now that Musk had personally filed a complaint with the company's CEO.

Musk has also called it "insane" that some subreddits had banned the ability to post links to X. It's unclear if Musk brought that complaint up in his messages with Huffman. As of publishing, no action has been taken against subreddits that don't allow X links.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886501169154957587

While some of the comments in the thread could be perceived as threatening and taken down regardless, it's concerning that Musk can make private requests to CEOs of third-party companies regarding content decisions.

“We take any report of Reddit policy violations seriously, whether on Reddit directly or through other public or private means," Reddit said in a statement provided to The Verge. "We will evaluate content reported to us and take action if it violates.”

Source: https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-messaged-reddit-ceo-over-content

 

[Harsh World]

While some of the comments in the thread could be perceived as threatening and taken down regardless, it's concerning that Musk can make private requests to CEOs of third-party companies regarding content decisions.

Why is it concerning?

He's in the same "club" as Reddit's CEO.

This is nothing more than, on the lowest level example, being a Home Owner's Association. Someone may be on the board with another member, with them asking the other member to take immediate action. While the HOA might have a process for members to go through, and the board member-to-board member kind of circumvents that, it might warrant immediate action to be taken in the neighborhood and the formal process to be skipped.

In the instance of Reddit, users were doxxing DOGE members and promoting domestic terrorism. Should Musk have reported the posts as a regular user to go through the content moderation team, which might overlook the issue, or go straight to the CEO to hammer it out and to change the culture of the content moderation team (or moderators) to immediately take these posts down as it's a systemic problem and not a one-off post?

Nothing is concerning about the route he took, in my opinion, as this happens daily in all walks of organizations.

 

[Pete Griffin]

Musk should just buy Reddit too. Then he can do whatever he pleases like what he did with Twitter.

People would abandon the platform in droves.

 

[Harsh World]

Musk should just buy Reddit too.

I love this idea because the Reddit moderators would quit and the platform would be somewhat useable again.

 

[Pete Griffin]

It would be more useable without mods?

 

[Harsh World]

It would be more useable without mods?

Without mods that delete on their own terms, yes.

A mod that will follow internal policy is always willing to take that role.

 

[Dead2009]

I mean, if theyre literally wanting people to be killed, then yes, theyre breaking the law, lol. Reddit is a cesspool anyway.

 

[Zani]

Without mods that delete on their own terms, yes.

A mod that will follow internal policy is always willing to take that role.

I was in Reddit and have seen some mods assume the role of demigods acting like they wish. I am sure that does not come in the way of any agreement that is reached.

Personally, I avoid some reddit.com sections because of harsh mods.