June 21, 2023
Numerous subreddits have classified themselves as “not safe for work” (NSFW) to express dissatisfaction with Reddit’s recent treatment of volunteer moderators. This has resulted in a surge of explicit content infiltrating communities that were originally unrelated to adult material.
The protests against Reddit’s new API pricing changes led to over 8,000 subreddits going dark. Afterwards, thousands of subreddits reopened, with only around 3,300 remaining private or restricted. However, the decision to switch to an NSFW classification poses new challenges for these reopened communities.
Access to NSFW subreddits now requires users to confirm that they are at least 18 years old, and on mobile, these subreddits can only be accessed through the official app. Additionally, Reddit’s changes to its data API will restrict third-party developers from displaying “mature content” in their applications. Moreover, NSFW subreddits become ineligible for advertising, potentially impacting Reddit’s revenue.
Among the subreddits that have transitioned to NSFW are r/interestingasfuck, r/TIHI (Thanks I Hate It), r/formula1, r/videos, r/HomeKit, and r/HomePod. Each community has its own unique reasons for adopting the NSFW classification, ranging from wanting to protect underage users from potentially harmful content to redefining the scope of their subreddit.
Furthermore, some subreddits like r/iOS, r/simpsonsshitposting, and r/Wellthatsucks, which are not explicitly categorized as NSFW, have experienced an influx of pornographic and inappropriate content due to relaxed rules.
The sources for this piece include an article in TheVerge.
