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Reddit to Ban the Posting of Nude Pics Without Consent

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Reddit today said that it will ban sexually explicit photographs that have been posted without the permission of the person in the pic.

"No matter who you are, if a photograph, video, or digital image of you in a state of nudity, sexual excitement, or engaged in any act of sexual conduct, is posted or linked to on Reddit without your permission, it is prohibited on Reddit," the company said today.

Reddit will also remove "violent personalized images" when notified of their existence.

The changes are part of a revised privacy policy that will go into effect on March 10, Reddit said. Going forward, if you find an inappropriate photo of yourself on Reddit, notify Reddit via contact@reddit.com, "and we will expedite its removal as quickly as possible," the updated policy says.

Reddit will "share how often these takedowns occur in our yearly privacy report."

The move comes in response to the September hack of celebrities' phones, which resulted in naked photos of several A-listers showing up on Reddit, Twitter, Imgur, and other corners of the Web. Some of the photos were fake, but others - like those from Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence - were genuine.

Sites like Reddit were criticized for not doing enough to remove the offending images in a timely manner. Today, Reddit said it "missed a chance to be a leader in social media when it comes to protecting your privacy -- something we've cared deeply about since Reddit's inception. At our recent all hands company meeting, this was something that we all, as a company, decided we needed to address."

But the celeb hack is not the only incident of its kind of Reddit. Remember Violentacrez, the self-proclaimed "creepy uncle of Reddit"?

Reddit is also planning tutorials for moderators that "will help anyone from experienced moderators to total neophytes learn how to most effectively use our tools." The first of those tutorials, which covers "the basics," is now live on YouTube (embedded below).

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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