(Photo : Getty Images, ANGELA WEISS, AFP / Screenshot taken from official website)
Many popular gaming subreddits are now banning content pulled from social media platform X as a form of protest against owner Elon Musk's recent inappropriate gesture.
Some of the subreddits that are issuing the bans on this type of content include r/SteamDeck, r/MonsterHunter, r/WOW, r/PCGaming, and r/Nintendo. There have already been a number of posts made across different subreddits that questioned if they should follow suit.
Subreddits Ban X Content
The ones that are currently talking about the potential bans on their own parts are r/Halo, r/RPG, r/Valorant, r/AnimalCrossing, and many others. However, the majority of the subscribers are currently leaning towards the bans of content pulled from X.
So far, the extent of the bans vary from subreddit to subreddit and r/Nintendo and r/SteamDeck are still allowing screenshots. On the other hand, r/WOW is also prohibiting any images from being posted, according to Game Spot.
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There are many reasons being given out as to why the bans started in the first place. Some are citing Musk's recent actions as the primary motivation for the protests. The billionaire entrepreneur was seen attending President Donald Trump's inauguration and doing what looked to be a Nazi-like salute.
On the other hand, other forums also noted that X has a lack of moderation right now and features increasingly hateful content. A moderator for r/PCGaming, Shock4ndAwe, said that the bans are something that they have been discussing for quite some time now.
Elon Musk's Supposed Nazi Salute
Another notable subreddit that has joined the recent movement is r/Formula1, which is a community that has 4.8 million subscribers. The moderators have announced a trial period where they will ban all X content with only limited exceptions, Forbes said.
The moderators noted that it was time to try and see how the subreddit would work without content coming from X. They cited concerns about login requirements, bot activity, and the platforming of paying users as factors in their decision for the trial period.
In the Destiny 2 subreddit, the moderators said that Musk performed a full Sieg Heil Nazi salute twice during Trump's presidential inauguration. They noted that they do not tolerate Nazis, adding that anyone who supports their ideology or hateful speech is banned on sight without change for appeal.
Musk said during his speech at the inauguration that the 2024 election "really mattered" and then expressed his gratitude to the crowd "for making it happen." He then placed his right hand on his chest and extended his arm at an upward angle with his palm facing the ground, according to NBC News.
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