Reddit’s automated moderation device is flagging the phrase “Luigi” as probably violent — even when the content material isn’t.
However Reddit does seem like flagging feedback that point out “Luigi” in some circumstances, even these unrelated to Mangione — simply not in the way in which that it first seemed to be. The Reddit spokesperson mentioned that as a result of r/popculture had lately fallen right down to a single moderator, automod features kicked in, together with a method to filter for “key phrases that would — however don’t essentially — point out violating content material.” The remaining moderator of r/popculture advised The Verge that the mod group didn’t add “Luigi” to the listing of key phrases, Reddit did.
The r/popculture moderator posted in regards to the Luigi concern to the r/FreeLuigi subreddit, a grassroots group the place folks focus on the Mangione case. The subreddit has strict guidelines in place to keep away from violating Reddit’s moderation guidelines, like referring to Mangione’s by his initials and a blanket ban on content material that requires or endorses violence. However the moderators nonetheless concern that Reddit will resolve to close it down — even when they don’t run afoul of the platform’s guidelines.
In the meantime, r/popculture — which has over 125,000 members — is closing down as a result of points that the remaining moderator pins on Reddit. The moderator who posted in regards to the “Luigi” concern announced final evening they have been shutting down the whole group “as a result of Reddit admins being full fucking morons.” Within the submit, the moderator says that one other member of the group was suspended and that Reddit has been unhelpful in making an attempt to resolve the suspension.
The Reddit spokesperson mentioned that the r/popculture moderator was suspended for approving content material containing direct requires violence, “together with photos celebrating [the Donald Trump rally shooter] and content material calling to assassinate the president.” An r/popculture moderator denied this occurred, and mentioned the content material in query was a photograph of the shooter that didn’t rejoice him. The Reddit spokesperson notes that the automod options are short-term for r/popculture and that moderators can nonetheless approve the content material for posting.
The “Luigi” concern comes the identical week as Reddit’s new crackdown on banned content material. Earlier this week, the corporate introduced it could warn customers who upvote content material that’s banned on the platform. The coverage applies to customers who upvote such content material a number of occasions in “a sure timeframe,” Reddit says in a submit, and the corporate will start with implementing the rule on violent content material. The spokesperson says that right now no person has been suspended below the brand new rule.