Reddit is Now Banning Multiple Piracy Subreddits Permanently

• A number of piracy subreddits are being banned for linking to copyright infringement.
• The latest ban wave includes subreddits that offer links to pirated movies and TV shows.
• Repeat infringers are being targeted and the piracy rules are now being redefined.

Reddit is shaking up how it handles piracy on the website with a number of bans being handed to repeat offenders. Multiple subreddits have been taken down for posting links to pirated movies, TV shows, and software. The DMCA takedown notices contain a ‘repeat infringer’ clause which suggests that only the subreddits which have been deliberately posting piracy links are being taken down.

The updated removal clause on the platform means that takedowns of persistent pirate subreddits will be much faster on the platform. Reddit has been issuing stern warnings to multiple subreddits due to complaints received from copyright holders. The ‘banhammer’ is now being used more actively on the platform which has led to popular subreddits FullMoviesOnAnything and TVShowsOnAnything being taken down.

Image Courtesy of Reddit

FullMoviesOnAnything was used as an index for copyright infringing content and trying to access the subreddit will take you to a ‘banned’ screen notifying you that the community has been shut down for good. TVShowsOnAnything suffered a similar fate along with a number of subreddits in the recent past.

Reddit is known to not be precise about why certain communities are banned on the landing pages. However, incase of the recent bans, it has become clear that the banned subreddits were guilty of posting links to pirated content. There are multiple subreddits that offer news on piracy and have posts detailing whenever any form of media has been cracked or released online without posting any download links. Such subreddits are still allowed on the platform, and they face no bans whatsoever as they do not violate the rules of the community. With tight moderation on Reddit, pirates may have to move elsewhere if the trend of actively banning piracy subreddits continues.

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