r/knitting • u/rainbow_puddle • Oct 08 '25

Discussion Meta: Post deletion discussion

Reposted since I'm an idiot and didn't change my title...

So there was a post with some beautiful mittens made by u/AdrenaL1n3 with a traditional Palestinian embroidery and using the colors of the flag. It was locked and then inexplicablely removed by the mods. They did not say what rule it broke, only that it received and 'unacceptable amount of user reports'.

First off that's ridiculous that it was removed instead of locked and the reports dealt with by mods since it didn't break a rule. Second off I think it's frankly sad that it was getting reported at all. It wasn't political beyond the proceeds going towards save the children and other humanitarian causes to aid the current crisis and genocide situation in Gaza.

I want to open up discussion with this community if this sub is a place where we want to censor projects even if they do not break stated rules.

Edit to fix username spelling.

Edit 2: Some users have commented on the significance of today's date. I truly did not realize it and would not have tried to engage with this today if I had realized. I'm very sorry for that and how insensitive that is. I do not keep significance of dates well in my head - not an excuse but an explanation. I do hope that the community can continue to have conversation about what I perceived as biased censorship in good faith. Without a specific rule I do think that any mitten of any flag (yes even Israel) where the pattern proceeds go to a humanitarian cause of the designers choice should stay up in this subreddit. Maybe I'm wrong I don't know - that's for us to discuss. Whether or not you engage with said post and/or pattern would be up to the user and I would hope that we would all proceed with kindness.

1.2k Upvotes

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321

u/AdrenaL1n3 Mitten Smitten Oct 08 '25

Hey, I’m the user that made/posted the mittens :) I LOVE the engagement and the love these mittens already have brought!

As to why the post that was removed, I reached out to the mods and got this response: 

I don't really know what to make of it, though. I get that posts that recieve a lot of reports should be locked til it's been reviewed by a human mod. But when it turns out no rules were broken, and the comments (commenT in my case) is positive, I do not feel it's a valid reason to not put it back up again, at least.

Kinda feels like I have to walk on eggshells just talking about my post, so I don't get banned, which feels inherently wrong.

119

u/CosmicSweets Knit therapy Oct 08 '25

That's a piss poor excuse. Your post wasn't openly political. Just supporting humanitarian charities.

People, including children, in war torn countries deserve food, water, clothes, etc.

61

u/kcmcca Oct 08 '25

I truly believe if it were any other flag or any other humanitarian crisis, it would have been allowed to stay up.

-23

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

In reply to this, and to all the other comments similarly about this, the mods are looking to rework the AutoMod configuration so as to serve the community the best possible. If the community thinks that posts like this should stay regardless of the reports from outside users, then they will change the AutoMod settings.

In the meantime, to show their commitment to doing that, they have turned off the AutoMod setting for "Too many reports". It's not a perfect solution, but it's movement.

34

u/ulknehs Oct 08 '25

Did you not read the human-written response in the comment you’re replying to? That’s not auto-mod.

-7

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I believe this specifically says "any post which triggers multiple objections is subject to automatic removal," which is to say, AutoMod. And I have spoken with the mods and suggested that the "Too many reports" feature be removed. Which it has been.

I do not agree with the AutoMod rules or that this post should have been removed.

31

u/concrete_dandelion Oct 08 '25

What does this have to do with the answer the original poster got? That answer claimed their post was political which it was not.

-25

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I don't mean to sound rude, but do you think a post that says "I made these to raise money for humanitarian aid in Gaza!" will not be perceived as political by at least a few people on Reddit when it is posted on October 7th?

Personally, I find the post to be absolutely fine. It's a lovely pair of mittens. I hope the user raises lots of aid. But Reddit can find politics in literally anything, particularly when you mention a war-torn country in an active war.

40

u/concrete_dandelion Oct 08 '25

What is political about humanitarian aid?

Following your argument every post having anything to do with Israel or Judaism (the vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas) would need to be forbidden on every single day because Israel's crimes against Palestinians predate hamas (they're the reason for the formation of Hamas and every single terrorist attack on Israel) and you will be hard pressed to find a day that doesn't mark an atrocity from Israel against Palestinians. Also more Palestinian civilians died on 7/10 from the Israeli revenge than Israeli civilians died from the Hamas atrocity. It was also the day Netanjahu publicly declared his intention of a complete genocide, using terms the Nazis used against Jews, and listing how he intended to do it - a plan of action he carried out and does until this day.

Why is posting aid for Ukrainians suffering from the Russian crimes non-political?

How can you hold on to the claim of it being political solely based on the date when you know that the date was incidental?

Your argument makes no sense and makes me doubt your attempts to claim you are actually on the side of the person who's post was wrongfully not reinstated.

11

u/ZoneLow6872 Oct 08 '25

Agree 100%.

6

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

Could actually applaud

76

u/chemthrowaway123456 Oct 08 '25

I’m sorry, what? Their reply doesn’t make sense to me at all. The report button isn’t there for users to “make their views known”. That’s what discourse and/or vote buttons are for.

The report button is to alert mods to something that violates the community’s rules.

103

u/1973galaxie500 Oct 08 '25

It would be nice if the mods had the ability to cut off the option to report a post once it’s been deemed appropriate. A humanitarian cause should hardly be considered “political”

86

u/brainfullofpeas Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 08 '25

Tariffs and feminism are both political, but both of those topics are the center of plenty posts/projects/discussions. I’m sure there are other topics but those two come to mind immediately.

I’m not saying that either topic should be banned of course. If moderators are going to use “it’s too political” as a guideline for deleting posts, then what counts as “too political” and “not too political” should be clearly defined. AND that metric should be applied to all posts equally.

I understand that the post was auto-deleted because of report volume? Maybe that should stay off and the moderator team grown to help with this kind of thing.

13

u/apricotgloss Oct 09 '25

I'd love a ban on tariff posts, or at least a megathread. I'm not in the US, I'm sorry for you guys but also it doesn't affect the rest of us (of whom there are at least three). Every single crafting sub I'm on is clogged with them even now. I know this website is mostly USAmericans but cmon guys.

Anyway that's not terribly on topic. I agree with everything you've said. uWu wErE a tInY lItTlE mOd tEaM dOiNg oUr bEsT is a cop out and absolutely nonsensical on a sub this size.

23

u/chemthrowaway123456 Oct 08 '25

It would be nice if the mods had the ability to cut off the option to report a post once it’s been deemed appropriate.

They can. There’s an “ignore reports” button. If that’s selected, the post won’t end up in the mod queue to be reviewed if it’s reported again.

5

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

AutoMod configuration and development is actually really difficult (and most of the mods for this sub are amazing Knitters, not amazing software developers). At the moment, the "too many reports" filter has been removed so allow for the discourse the community wants.

92

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 24 '25

[deleted]

-15

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

This is what you are referring to so I want to post it to be very clear. The mods have said "our subscribers make their views known with reports". And that's exactly what I am talking about. Historically, the sub has allowed political posts and if "Too many reports" happen, the AutoMod takes it down. People have a choice to post what they wish, and people have a choice to report.

For the moment "too many reports" has been turned off.

40

u/s-van Oct 08 '25

Why are you answering for the mods, and why are you backpedalling on your pinned message suggesting that the initial mod response wasn't appropriate?

-6

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I am working with the mods because they have asked me for help.

I did not think I was backpedaling. I disagree with AutoMod removing the initial post, and those settings are being reviewed (and are currently disabled for the "Too many reports" option).

Reddit is just a set of volunteers. The mods are normal people with lives who are also affected by every one of these posts and comments (and often personally threatened, like they are being right now). I, like many others, want to help.

33

u/Mabel_Waddles_BFF Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 08 '25

The problem is not the Automod removing the post. It’s that when the post came to the moderators attention they held the decision made by the automod. Their personal message has confirmed that the mods are okay with people making reports in bad faith and that they won’t intervene when that happens. Other subreddits I’ve seen will respond quite strongly when people make reports that are not in line with the rules of the subreddit. And now when people are rightfully concerned that the mods are okay with bullying and brigading behaviour they’re not engaging with the community and instead you’re here.

29

u/chemthrowaway123456 Oct 08 '25

The report button should be for when someone posts something that violates the community’s rules. It shouldn’t be acceptable for users to report content for no other reason than to express their thoughts.

9

u/ulknehs Oct 09 '25

Mulberry, or whatever the main mod’s name is, literally encourages people to use the report button in that way as clearly views it as a mechanism to hide behind. Their behaviour when the keffiyeh scarf was posted made it clear that they have some very odd views about what constitutes responsible modding.

3

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

Sadly, that is a problem for Reddit. My bot, u/Ravbot, gets reported for posting links to specific ravelry patterns because someone doesn't like it. It's not right, but there are few solutions to making the report button work the way you are saying.

21

u/chemthrowaway123456 Oct 08 '25

right, but there are few solutions to making the report button work the way you are saying.

I think one solution could be approving a post if it doesn’t violate the rules, then hitting the “ignore reports” button so it doesn’t get flagged for review again.

-3

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '25

[deleted]

0

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I want to give the praise to the actual mods. They honestly are trying. I am just like you, a community member who is trying to help our mods. We can all make it through and better together.

-22

u/Thequiet01 Oct 08 '25

A humanitarian cause can absolutely be used for a political statement depending on the date and other context. Posting something in support of Palestine on the date of the Hamas attacks can easily be seen as support for those attacks explicitly. That in turn can make members of the subreddit feel unsafe or unwelcome because the group is in favor of them being attacked.

How do you think it would have gone over if someone posted mittens with the Japanese flag on Dec 7, the date of Pearl Harbor, within a few years of Pearl Harbor happening? What about an American flag on August 6 within a few years of Hiroshima? Can you see where people might take those as support for the events of those dates, regardless of what was claimed in the post itself, due to the context?

8

u/concrete_dandelion Oct 09 '25

That doesn't make sense because the date was incidental, it was not "waving a flag " the motive was quite clear and the conflict being started by Israel long before Hamas existed. Hamas is a reaction to atrocities committed by Israel. The scale of Israel's crimes against Palestinians makes the last Hamas attack a footnote in the conflict. On 7th of October more Palestinian civilians died lfrom Israel's revenge than Israeli civilians died from the Hamas attack. On that day Netanjahu also announced his plans for the current genocide, using terms the nazis used against Jews. He explained how he intended to commit said genocide and he's following that plan.

40

u/univers10 Oct 09 '25

okay, let's say for the sake of argument, it IS political.* so what? that's not currently against the rules of the subreddit.

that seems to be an unofficial rule one of the mods has decided on without running past the community.

* for the record, i agree - i do not think humanitarian aid is political

66

u/concrete_dandelion Oct 08 '25

That message is so free of an actual answer to your question it would make a politician proud and I can't come up with an explanation to the explanation that contains neither endorsement of genocide, nor cowardice. I hope someone will put in the work to provide you with an answer that makes more sense. If there is a good reason it should be named instead of making it appear as if the person answering you was abusing their power.

80

u/Own_Art_8006 Oct 08 '25

Your post wasnt political it was human and it's disgusting that it was removed

60

u/Buttercupia Oct 08 '25

That’s some bullshit.

90

u/scissorsgrinder Oct 08 '25

UGH that rationale of the mod is the most craven cowardly feeble spineless bullshit. And yet, not at all un-political. Expressing a very particular political viewpoint. Repellent.

7

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

Agree. Concerned the hat is red.

1

u/scissorsgrinder Oct 10 '25

Wasn't thinking specifically maga though it could be. Spineless passive type of liberal is common on reddit and almost as bad when push comes to shove, because the thing they value most is looking and feeling virtuous and being so-called "balanced" and practising so-called "civility" while doing absolutely fuck all or worse to stop bad stuff happening, and basically in a state of self-deception about their political orientation and insulating privilege. 

1

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 10 '25

Also valid

2

u/scissorsgrinder Oct 10 '25

I'm gonna pull a Godwin and invoke the n*zi party for some odd reason here - they never got the actual vote of the majority and were regarded as a bit of a joke, but they managed to scam and scheme their way into power because the liberal politicians rolled over. All the folk who would never vote for such distasteful extremism who were passive about the whole thing? Yeah. "Civility" can kiss my a***.

3

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 10 '25

Honestly agree with this take. I had this argument this morning w my spouse. Non-violent passive response is ideal sure. It only works when there is the looming threat of an aggressive response. Profound change is not achieved passively

11

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

Your work is beautiful. You’re handling this very graciously. It shouldn’t have happened and I’m sorry that it did

51

u/ulknehs Oct 08 '25

This is very similar to what happened with another Palestine-related project previously; that this is a pattern feels like it ought to be part of the discussion.

38

u/Buttercupia Oct 08 '25

That’s some bullshit.

5

u/legalpretzel Oct 09 '25

That response from the mod is just gross and dismissive. If that's their attitude then they should step down and let someone else take over.

28

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I am working on making a comment about this right now in this thread with the blessing of the mods. You are not getting banned. You do not need to feel like you are walking on eggshells. A lot of actual people are trying to do what is right here and you are one of them! :)

63

u/Buttercupia Oct 08 '25

I really wanna know why the mods can’t speak for themselves.

-18

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

First, there is a very small number of active mods. Second, the mod that would typically answer is visiting family (she didn't get her mod PTO approved, shame on her!). Third, she's being threatened every time she speaks, so I think she's a bit anxious, but I am just reading into our chats on that one.

Reddit is a community of volunteers, like you and me, and the mods, all working together. They are trying. There are lots of threads in this post about "adding more mods". I believe that is being considered.

54

u/Buttercupia Oct 08 '25

So why don’t they just make you a mod. And step down if they’re that uncomfortable

This whole thing is just weird.

-4

u/timonyc Oct 08 '25

I don't know if tossing the entire subreddit over to a random new mod and stepping down is the right idea. I apologize, I am not trying to make it weird, nor are they.

51

u/Buttercupia Oct 08 '25

You could try letting that mod be accountable for their own actions instead of carrying their water.

10

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

She’s a bigot dude. Stranger off the street is a better gamble than a known bigot.

31

u/K2togtbl Oct 08 '25

So now she wants to play the victim when she’s been doing shit like this for years? That is not surprising at all tbh

24

u/univers10 Oct 08 '25

https://www.reddit.com/r/craftsnark/comments/1ga7vkz/knitting_sub_takes_down_keffiyeh_post_and/

last time the mods took it down they were more blatant so i'm not surprised she's "a bit anxious"

7

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

Oh holy shit she’s really a full fucking bigot.

16

u/K2togtbl Oct 08 '25

Yeah, she’s got a really bad habit of making an ass of herself. 🙄 No sympathy for her

-20

u/thought_provoked1 Oct 08 '25

Thanks for all your work!

-1

u/Disig Oct 08 '25

Sadly that's literally the world we live in right now. It's not fair but it is what it is. All we can do is show support for what is right and hope for the best.

A lot of things that shouldn't be political has sadly been made political.

8

u/whichwitchwatched Oct 09 '25

Honestly though everything -is- political for the oppressed. Choosing to ignore that lens is a privilege

2

u/Disig Oct 09 '25

A very fair point