When mods froze popular subreddits to protest Reddit's new API fees, the company threatened to depose and replace them unless they re-opened their communities. Undeterred, some devilishly sly mods took a new tactic: designate their subreddits NSFW, which keeps them open, but limits access and prevents Reddit from showing ads on them due to Reddit's own policy.
Reddit isn't having that, either. As reported by The Verge, the company has now demanded that moderators remove the NSFW tag from previously untagged subreddits or be overthrown. And here's where the mods turn to the camera with roguish smirks, because they weren't necessarily bluffing. The fan-run r/cyberpunkgame subreddit, for instance, is now mainly images of nude Cyberpunk 2077 characters.
In a message to the community earlier this week, r/cyberpunkgame moderator Tabnam said they'd received a demand from Reddit to remove r/cyberpunkgame's new NSFW designation, and weren't able to reply to argue their case: That Cyberpunk 2077's 18+ PEGI rating means it's a game for adults, and so the subreddit should be for adults, too.
"This subreddit should have been NSFW already, but we'd never thought to change it until recently," wrote Tabnam. "Until we change it back we're in violation of Reddit’s sitewide rules. We're not going to change it back, because this is a sexually explicit game, and also fuck them."
Other subreddits, such as r/military, posted messages using the same template, also arguing that they had always been NSFW, and just hadn't considered it yet.
On r/cyberpunkgame, Tabnam's first post might have been more effective than they anticipated, because they quickly readdressed the community. "Guys, come on, please don't post outright porn," Tabnam wrote. "NSFW content within the context of the game is fine. Want to show us your V's tits? Go right ahead! Want to go to town on some Borgs with a katana and your dick precariously swinging all over the place? I insist you tag me so I can see it too."
The Cyberpunk 2077 community has obliged, and many posts on the front page of r/cyberpunkgame right now are screenshots of nude Cyberpunk 2077 characters, but as requested, not "outright porn," for which there is another subreddit called r/CyberpunkNSFW.
While the main Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit's NSFW designation is obviously an act of protest, it can't be denied that a regular playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 contains NSFW imagery. Case in point: When discussing the situation in our morning meeting, I opted not to share my screen with my coworkers while I browsed the subreddit to see what was going on. I'd say the duck test applies here.
Reddit's actions are on par with the most dystopian of companies seen in Night City.
r/cyberpunkgame moderator
After also going NSFW, 30 million-subscriber subreddit r/pics received a "final warning" declaring that, because the subreddit "has not historically been considered NSFW" and wouldn't be under Reddit's current policies, the mods must remove the NSFW tag before the end of this week.
"Please immediately correct the NSFW labeling on your subreddit," reads Reddit's message, as relayed by r/pics. "Failure to do so will result in action being taken on your moderator team by the end of this week. This means moderators involved in this activity will be removed from this mod team. Moderators may also be subject to additional actions, e.g., losing the ability to join mod teams in the future."
At least for the time being, r/pics has complied, as has r/military. "We are now stuck in a difficult position as we do not want the community to die," wrote a mod for the latter. "While all of us [are] not in agreement we're doing what is best for the community."
The Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit, however, has held onto its NSFW tag for now. Its moderators told The Verge today that r/cyberpunkgame hasn't yet received the "final warning" message, but that they stand with the subreddits that have.
"This is a worrying development, and something that hits close to home for Cyberpunk fans," the mods said. "Reddit's actions are on par with the most dystopian of companies seen in Night City."
I've contacted Reddit to ask for its take on these NSFW designations, and whether or not it now considers r/cyberpunkgame's NSFW status legitimate.
