Summary
Reddit is removing posts linking to Luigi Mangione’s manifesto, citing its longstanding policy against content related to violent acts.
The manifesto, tied to the suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has sparked online fascination and debate.
While Reddit allows discussion of the manifesto within its rules, posts linking to its full text—shared on Substack by journalist Ken Klippenstein—are being removed, angering users.
Critics accuse Reddit of selective moderation, as some sympathize with Mangione’s frustrations over the U.S. healthcare system, which has come under renewed scrutiny after the incident.
“Longstanding”
Which longstanding? Reddit for the longest time had links to all kinds of gore and violence, and still did when I last happened across some before I left. “Longstanding” must mean “since we decided to enforce an interpretation of it when we wanted to go public.”
Reddit has become a place where you have to fear saying anything. Bots are permabanning people from subs for dark humor and obvious hyperbole. The internet used to be a place you could go where people understood that mode of speech and didn’t suspect everybody of being a homicidal maniac.
Reddit is performing propaganda for the US government (who represents the owner/wealthy class), just like most other social media or news sites.
Longstanding means since Reddit went public (or since Reddit started gearing up to go public)