Home Is Reddit Dropping The Ban Hammer On BuzzFeed?

Is Reddit Dropping The Ban Hammer On BuzzFeed?

Reddit rolled out some rules on Tuesday targeting “viral” websites like BuzzFeed that traffic in listicles and other material plundered from Reddit users’ posts.  

Want to cut and paste that amusing post about the dude who trolled a crying kid by buying all the McDonald’s apple pies and guarantee some quick clicks on your website? Need more examples illustrate your goat parkour photo essay? That’s cool, according to Reddit. Just ask first. 

The new Reddit guidelines, pointed out by the New York Times’ Mike Isaac, are directed at journalists who use the “front page of the Internet” as a source for trending news, information and photos.

The guidelines, called “pressiquette,” short for “press etiquette,” request that reporters ask the original poster—the “redditor,” or Reddit user,” in the site’s distinctive language—for permission to use anything posted on Reddit. 

Journalists are also advised to search the Internet to make sure it’s an original photo. “Reposts,” or posts of someone else’s work that’s been uploaded by another individual are quite common on Reddit, and it can be difficult to determine who owns the actual photo. One more complication: Reddit doesn’t host photos, just links to them, so the company suggests asking people directly through the image-hosting sites they use, such as Imgur.

If you see an interesting story or photo on Reddit, message the redditor who shared the piece to ask for their permission prior to using it in an article or list, ask how they would like it to be attributed, and provide them a deadline before you move on to another story. Please respect redditors who may wish to stay anonymous, or to not be featured in an article.

Notably, these rules arrived shortly after BuzzFeed—which built its media empire on cute animal content cut and pasted from online communities such as Reddit—received a $50 million investment on its future.

It’s unclear how Reddit will enforce these new guidelines, but if reporters do abide by the new rules, it will be quite time consuming to write blogs like “21 Questionable Back To School Shopping Items.

Image via Flickr user Eva Blue

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.