Last year, in opposition to Reddit’s API changes, numerous subreddits either switched from public to private or changed their status to NSFW (Not Safe for Work) in an effort to impact advertising on the platform. To curb such actions in the future, Reddit is introducing new rules that require moderators to submit a formal request when altering a community’s status—whether changing from public to private or adjusting maturity ratings from SFW (Safe for Work) to NSFW.
As of today, these updates are in effect, primarily targeting larger communities. Reddit clarified that if a community is less than 30 days old or has fewer than 5,000 members, their request for status change will be instantly approved.
For all other communities, an admin will address the request within 24 hours. Reddit assures that it has sufficient human resources to manage these requests continuously throughout the year.
Furthermore, moderators can impose temporary restrictions on posts and comments for up to seven days without needing approval, allowing them to manage events or prevent abuse with greater flexibility. However, any permanent changes in this regard will require formal approval.
On the r/modnews subreddit, Reddit highlighted that the primary goal of this update is to prevent platform disruptions and ensure compliance with its rules, rather than to quell user protests.
Additionally, Reddit shared this update in advance with the Mod Council, which includes over 100 moderators from various subreddits, to gather their feedback and insights.
