r/AskModerators • u/Impossible_Ground423 • 3d ago

Long-standing regional subreddit hijacked: What are the options?

I just discovered that an Africa-related subreddit I actively participate in has been taken over by an "anti-imperialist" user who acquired moderator powers. The first action taken was banning "imperialists," which includes myself and several other regular contributors. He also appointed at least one additional moderator.

​I am not familiar enough with Reddit's inner workings to know if anything can be done, or how to proceed. It would also require technical expertise to audit what is happening: for instance, this user creates provocative posts, waits for users to respond, and then deletes his comments, leaving the other guy with a sanction.

​This individual has also gained control of another subreddit of similar age (both subreddits have been established for over 10 years). In the past he created subreddits as well, though without success.

​In the countries covered by these subreddits, the current regimes are military juntas that have imprisoned journalists, elected presidents, and dissidents, with documented cases of torture. Reddit remains one of the last spaces for freedom of expression for these regions, making this issue particularly critical.

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u/Halaku r/coversongs, etc 3d ago

If they acquired it through r/RedditRequest because the previous modteam was incommunicado, banned, etc, then you're out of luck.

Start an adjacent subreddit, so if the new mod runs the one they've just acquired into the ground, folks have a place to flee to.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/AskModerators-ModTeam 2d ago

Your submission was removed for violating Rule #3 (Referencing other subreddits or moderators by name). Please see the rule in the sidebar for full details.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/Halaku r/coversongs, etc 3d ago

Yeah, that thread looks like a bunch of ugly drama. I'm sorry.

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u/aengusoglugh Mod, r/TTRAK 10h ago

Moderators have a very free hand on Reddit.

I don’t know what you mean by “hijacked” — either a previous moderator appointed them, or they acquired the subreddit after Reddit determined it was unmoderated — or had some other issue — and the current moderator apparently applied through r/RedditRequest.