Reddit bans all links to Russian state-run media including RT and Sputnik

Reddit is going one step further than every other social media platform as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.

In an announcement made on Thursday, Reddit shared that it will be prohibiting links from Russia Today (RT), Sputnik, and any other Russian state-run media outlet. This restriction will cover the entire site, meaning links to these outlets will be banned across all of the platform’s subreddit communities and across all geographies. 

This is the social sharing website’s latest action in response to the conflict in Ukraine, although Reddit points out that some subreddits already had a ban in place instated by community moderators. Previously, the company “quarantined” its r/Russia and r/RussiaPolitics subreddits due to the spread of misinformation within those communities. This means those subreddits will not appear in search results, recommendations, or feeds on the site and user who directly visit these communities will be welcomed with a warning in regards to the content being posted.

Reddit’s move for a universal restriction on Russian state-run media like RT and Sputnik goes well beyond what any other platform has done, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Some social media services have demonetized or stopped recommending this content. Others have restricted access only in the EU. Reddit’s is a site-wide ban, regardless of geographic location.

In addition to the link ban, Reddit shared that it is not accepting advertisements that “target Russia or originate from any Russia-based entity, government or private.”

For more information about what the major social media platforms are doing about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you can check out Mashable’s overview here.