Reddit banning users for sharing Julie Bindel article

[Cwenthryth]

twitter.com/bindelj/status/1374372934379204608?s=21
Julie Bindel has shared on Twitter that Reddit is banning any mention or sharing of her Spectator article & banning users for discussion Aimee Challenor/Knight as well.

Here’s the spec article
www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-green-party-s-growing-contempt-for-women-s-rights

AC isn't the first instance of this kind of thing. There seems to be a raft of individuals with what seem to be personality disorders who are trading on something like a diversity designation, in unexpectedly influential positions.

The way I am picturing this the people at Reddit just didn't know anything about the British political scene, and saw "ran for deputy leader of major party" on the CV, and thought, this must be a happening young person.

Update: AC has been fired

A couple of choice quotes:

"We did not adequately vet her background before formally hiring her."
Amazing, considering that AC used to mod a whole load of teen subreddits

"On March 9th, we added extra protections for this employee, including actioning content that mentioned the employee’s name or shared personal information on third-party sites, which we reserve for serious cases of harassment and doxxing."

So, despite the lack of vetting, Reddit clearly knew about the Challenor story for weeks and did nothing about it until it hit the mainstream press and dozens of subreddits began to protest.

"we did not adequately vet her background"

bit worrying that no one at Reddit seems to know how to use google....

I mean when Im going to work with anyone, the first thing I do is google them

First go: hold the line, talking about AC is transphobic harassment.

Second go: we have dealt with this, AC has a background which wasn't problematic but then became problematic over the past few days.

Will we get the third go? The one where the actual problem is addressed?

Third go: we have just become aware there's a systematic problem with abusive people behind the scenes at Reddit, who are closely networked, and will be vetting those who have influence and power.

There seems to be a raft of individuals with what seem to be personality disorders who are trading on something like a diversity designation, in unexpectedly influential positions.

This ^^

Did AC used to work for Twitter?

Good grief, fair lot to catch up on over lunch... 🧐

Ugh. How is it doxxing to mention mainstream media articles about a political figure?

Over on the Farms there's a lot of background info on other Reddit mods and admins. Apparently they have quite a large proportion of employees with similar interests to AK. I don't think the claim that they didn't know AK's history is very plausible.

Yes heathspeedwell, I'd say it's normalised in many Reddit sub-cultures for people having influence to have all kinds of "special interests" that would horrify the general public. As a result, someone turning up with AC's résumé wouldn't actually set off (many/any?) alarm bells.

Reddit is a good example of what anti-kink-shaming looks like in an actual culture.

I mentioned the Reddit problem to DD who is the only one in our family who uses Reddit. She said this is minor compared with other problems the Reddit co-founded Alexis Ohanian is facing. DD is interested in women's sport and so follows some American sports sub-Reddits. Ohanian, who is Serena Williams husband (and friend of Megan Markle and Prince Harry), apparently owns a women's basketball team and somehow someone quite unsuitable was appointed. (Lack of vetting?)

This, dated a couple of days back, gives a flavour, though all a bit techie for me:

www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-david-dobrik-dropped-seven-seven-six-amid-sexual-assault-scandal-alexis-ohanian-issues-statement?ref=homepage.

And its all happening whilst Reddit is apparently trying to raise funds.

Women's basketball apparently has a rapidly growing following, apparently helped by a player who has become a lesbian icon in the US. So in terms of general reach, larger than Aimee Challenor.

So in terms of general reach, larger than Aimee Challenor.

Perhaps, but reddit reaches millions of people, many of them confused teens. Aimee C is not the only admin or creepy mod who has access to them and their private messages.

@heathspeedwell the farms?

we did not adequately vet her background

If anyone believes that I've got a bridge to sell them. It would have taken a 5 second Google, which I'm sure reddit are capable of.

Also from the farms:

"Yet more info that I've been shown screenshots proving (out of respect for the person who showed me I cannot share them, unfortunately): as part of their duties as a reddit employee, the admin in question has been in charge of reviewing content for potential minor sexualization, and has explicitly refused to take down content containing sexualization of children. She then threatened to ban the user submitting the reports for "report abuse." Why does reddit allow this to happen? Is there literally zero oversight here?"

Edward Lord is also married to NB Meg John Barker who wrote the famously racist and roundly discredited guidance for BCAP about "gender".

Meg John gave a major diversity talk at the FCA, about 18 months ago. The Chair of Stonewall is a senior Director at the FCA. A few years ago the FCA had Mermaids as its chosen charity.

Oh, and the FCA is responsible for regulating banks and the financial sector. If I were a bank compliance officer I would be careful to ensure that diversity policies at my organisation were in kilter with the lead set by the industry regulator. (Actually I wouldn’t, but that on reason why I am not responsible for compliance. I don’t comply.)

That is one sector. I assume similar links exist in other sectors.

I assume that visible trans people are in short supply, which is why Aimee (and Lily, and Paris) have been so feted. What happens to trans men. Do they quietly get on with their lives. Or are they not interesting enough?

It seems that some people are just told and told that they are protected, untouchable... whatever and that they are always in the right.

Its almost like letting a toddler eat chocolate every meal because they want to. Its not right, its not good for them and you would only let them to avoid short term tantrums and them hating your guts. But in the long term...

Despite most of the MSM failing to cover this story, the Coventry Observer didn't shy away from it back in 2019.

"The recent allegations concern postings on a social media account of a man Ms Challenor says she is engaged to – who we have decided not to name.

The Coventry Observer has decided not to publish the tweets sent in formal complaints to the Lib Dems, or other internet postings among them and their social circle, which have been challenged publicly on internet forums.

One string of tweets on his account includes the poster admitting to having sexual fantasies involving children."

coventryobserver.co.uk/news/exclusive-transgender-activist-aimee-challenor-no-longer-in-coventry-lib-dem-post-amid-investigation-into-safeguarding-complaints/

we did not adequately vet her background

My response was also pull the other one.

This looks not at all like accidental oversight and mistakes made but quite intentional plans to host material and stifle protest or debate about it.

Increasingly I'm seeing the belief apparent that if you just don't let people talk about it, if you delete the words and try and intimidate and warn off anyone intent on saying the words, then the bits of reality that present a problem have been vanished. As effectively as in a Harry Potter spell. But this is an ideology based on the belief that reality is selectively created based on feelings, and it's not only acceptable but right that others be prevented from mentioning or forcing to your notice the facts, policies and realities that have been intentionally discarded. For them to insist on doing so is a punishable offense.

It is also based on a belief that there are those with the power to set reality and those who had better conform to and obey the reality they are told to or face deletion, banning or PC Gull. And again, that this is right, good and anyone with a problem with this is guilty of bigotry/ being a right wing religious fanatic/ supporting Arsenal/ owning a toilet brush/ loving Jeremy Hunt and kissing him behind the bike sheds/ smelling of elderberries etc etc

Policy in action. Policy hitting unpopular reality. Much back pedalling and oh whoops, look what happened by total accident instead of standing behind the actions. Which tells you a lot really.

By the way, it is possible that AC's advice to GG is all in AC's mind, as GG have denied it. The badge AC displays is one given to paying donors. It would have behoved GG to condemn AC's virtue signalling though.

Apparently the Reddit cover-up continues in a new form.

Graham Linehan writes:

Because I’ve been trying to warn people about Aimee Challenor for almost four years, Reddit has placed a sitewide ban on this blog.

That's a site-wide admin decision apparently. Coming from the top.

I feel for AC.
I feel that she is being used as a puppet for someone else who has an agenda to push.
Look at Mhari Black for example. Agree or not with her politics you can see a very motivated person who has strong political opinions.
AC seems to have one drum to bang and not a very convincing or loud drum at that.

As said before his is she failing upwards all the time. There are many other trans people who would tick a diversity box as well as being able to do the job and not being married to someone with very questionable ideals.

And Reddit didn’t know? My flabby white arse they didn’t.

Have any of the people that dogpiled @glinner when he called out issues with AC made any kind of statement yet?

Gosh, Kev: whilst I think your assessment of what constitutes transphobia is probably a bit off, maybe you could have a bit of a ponder about why left wing and woke circles don't discuss things like this.