The Great Ban: Efficacy and Unintended Consequences of a Massive Deplatforming Operation on Reddit

TL;DR

This study evaluates the impact of a large-scale Reddit deplatforming, revealing mixed effects including user departure, reduced toxicity among remaining users, and increased toxicity in a minority, informing future moderation strategies.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of a massive deplatforming operation on user behavior and toxicity levels, offering nuanced insights into its efficacy and unintended consequences.

Findings

15.6% of affected users left Reddit

Remaining users reduced toxicity by 6.6% on average

5% of users increased toxicity by over 70%

Abstract

In the current landscape of online abuses and harms, effective content moderation is necessary to cultivate safe and inclusive online spaces. Yet, the effectiveness of many moderation interventions is still unclear. Here, we assess the effectiveness of The Great Ban, a massive deplatforming operation that affected nearly 2,000 communities on Reddit. By analyzing 16M comments posted by 17K users during 14 months, we provide nuanced results on the effects, both desired and otherwise, of the ban. Among our main findings is that 15.6% of the affected users left Reddit and that those who remained reduced their toxicity by 6.6% on average. The ban also caused 5% users to increase their toxicity by more than 70% of their pre-ban level. Overall, our multifaceted results provide new insights into the efficacy of deplatforming. As such, our findings can inform the development of future moderation interventions and the policing of online platforms.