Reddit bans QAnon subreddit that featured pro-Trump conspiracy theories
It was taken down for content policy violations, Reddit said.
- Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
Reddit banned the subreddit r/greatawakening on Wednesday for content policy violations.
A subreddit devoted to QAnon, a conspiracy theory that's captivated far-right social media, has been banned by Reddit .
On Wednesday, the company banned r/greatawakening for "repeated violations of the terms of our content policy," a Reddit representative said.
"We are very clear in our site terms of service that posting content that incites violence, disseminates personal information, or harasses will get users and communities banned from Reddit," the representative said.
The QAnon conspiracy theory has become popular among a group of supporters of President Donald Trump. Allegations include that a multibillion-dollar cement company and Tom Hanks are involved in child sex trafficking and pedophilia, and that Trump and special counsel Robert Mueller are working to take down the Deep State.
QAnon began in October 2017, after a user going by the name "Q" starting posting to 4chan's far-right /pol/ message board. Q claimed to possess insight into the inner workings of the American government, particularly agencies tied to the so-called Deep State. He or she warned of the "Calm Before the Storm." The "anon" in the name QAnon is a reference to 4chan and 8chan users who refer to anonymous users as "anon."
r/greatawakening had over 70,000 subscribers as of yesterday, Digg reported.