Reddit temporarily banned a community and removed another following Elon Musk's claim that comments by users about his employees were illegal. The r/WhitePeopleTwitter subreddit, known for sharing humorous content, was banned for 72 hours after users posted violent comments aimed at the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) led by Musk.
Musk, a proponent of free speech, posted the comments and asserted they were unlawful, leading to the subreddit's ban. Reddit did not comment directly to the BBC but referred to a public post stating an increase in rule-breaking content and emphasizing Reddit's stance on threats and doxing.
Past criticisms from Musk about legal actions for online comments were referenced, including a comparison to the Soviet Union in 2024. Imran Ahmed from the Centre for Countering Digital Hate criticized Musk's stance on freedom of speech, citing disparities in treatment.
Legal disputes involving Musk and the CCDH over hate speech claims and a dismissed US court case were mentioned. Musk's gestures at an event were likened to a Nazi salute by some critics, which he refuted.
Efforts to remove offending comments by the subreddit's moderators were insufficient to prevent the ban due to the prevalence of violent content. Reddit also permanently banned a subreddit titled r/IsElonDeadYet for inappropriate content.
Reports of the Trump administration granting the Doge team access to federal payment systems stirred controversy, with public criticism and FBI investigations into alleged targeting of Doge staff. The US Attorney for the District of Columbia issued a warning against threats towards Doge workers, promising legal action.
The removal of the subreddits extended beyond policy enforcement on Reddit, possibly linked to external scrutiny and legal investigations.