A growing number of Reddit communities have proposed or enacted bans on links to X, formerly Twitter, following controversy over a gesture made by the platform’s majority shareholder, Elon Musk, at an inaugural event on Monday.
Subreddits, including the Formula 1 community with nearly 5 million members, are urging moderators to block links to X.com to reduce traffic directed to the platform. Reddit users can establish and enforce their own forum rules, a Reddit spokesperson confirmed.
The Formula 1 subreddit announced a trial ban on X content, potentially permanent, a day after Musk appeared at President Donald Trump’s second-term inauguration rally. During the event, Musk made a gesture by placing his hand on his chest and raising it with his palm facing downward, which some critics likened to a Nazi salute. Others, including the Anti-Defamation League, dismissed the claim, describing it as “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”
Musk has not explained the gesture but responded on X to a supporter who dismissed the criticism as part of a “dirty tricks campaign.” Musk replied, “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”
Moderators of the Formula 1 subreddit stated that Twitter, now X, has declined as a reliable information source, citing login requirements, bot activity, and prioritization of paid and sensationalist content. They explained that the community has long maintained content restrictions and are now trialing an X ban to assess its impact on forum quality.
Reddit clarified in a statement that the platform has no ban on X links, and many subreddits still allow them. “Notably, many Reddit communities also prohibit Reddit links,” the company noted, emphasizing its commitment to freedom of speech and association.
Subreddits like r/LiverpoolFC and r/CHIBears have seen users advocating for X bans due to perceived misalignments in values. A post in r/LiverpoolFC supporting the ban garnered nearly 40,000 upvotes, and a similar discussion occurred in r/CHIBears.
Additional communities, including r/Chess and r/DnD, are also debating bans on X links, reflecting a broader push to re-evaluate the platform’s role in their forums.
These subreddits represent some of the most popular communities on Reddit. While r/Formula1 boasts over 5 million members, r/LiverpoolFC and r/CHIBears have approximately 582,000 and 378,000 members, respectively.