- Reddit has banned misogynistic forum Incel in an effort to crack down on content promoting violence on the site.
- Incel has long been a problematic forum on the site, with members glorifying rape and violence against women.
On Tuesday, Reddit banned rap- advocacy group Incel from its site as a part of its promise to crack down on content promoting and glorifying violence against individuals and groups.
Incel has long constituted a problematic corner of the internet and a thriving platform for men who describe themselves as "involuntary celibates" to promote rape and violence against women. The forum, which was estimated to have as many as 40,000 members, was filled with misogynistic speech and celebrated violent figures like Santa Barbara shooter Eliot Rodger. Rodger, who killed six people in 2014 after writing a 140 page manifesto advocating violence against women, was often referred to on the site as "Saint Eliot."
Reddit's move to shut down the forum is a part of its larger efforts to maintain the site as a welcome and opening platform. In October, Reddit announced that it would start shutting down any groups or content on the site that encourage and incite violence and followed up by immediately banning alt-right subreddits like r/NationalSocialism, r/Nazi and r/Far_Right.