Nude Images, if Posted Without the Subject's Consent, Now Banned at Reddit

Reddit in an announcement today said: "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. We also recognize that violent personalized images are a form of harassment that we do not tolerate and we will remove them when notified."

A few months back, reddit was under fire for being one of the hotspots for sharing leaked celebrity nude photos. Initially, the social networking service reacted by just taking down the offending posts. Now, beginning March 10, reddit effectively bans the sharing of stolen pornographic material and compromising images at its site. Said the company: "Reddit is committed to your privacy. If you believe that someone has submitted, without your permission, to reddit a link to a photograph, video, or digital image of you in a state of nudity or engaged in any act of sexual conduct, please contact us (contact@reddit.com), and we will expedite its removal as quickly as possible. reddit prohibits the posting of such content without consent.

Previously, reddit left it up to the moderators to control what could or couldn't be on the site, making it one of those places in the world wide web where almost anything goes. In fact, when the celebrity photo hacking scandal broke last year, reddit notoriously became a go-to spot for those seeking to locate and share the photos. Apparently, it hasfinally accepted that this is not the way it should be. Said the company: "Last year, we 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."