The / r / incels subreddit was banned on Tuesday
Social website Reddit has banned a controversial subreddit dedicated to "involuntarily celibate" men, known as incels.
The 41,000-strong community was ostensibly a support group for who wanted wanted to have sex, but found themselves unable to form romantic relationships.
Over time, the group became a repository of misogynistic abuse, rape threats and febrile discussion of "Chads" - men apparently not afflicted by incels' sexual insufficiency.
website banning many other subsections mostly affiliated with the extreme right, for hosting "violent content"
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The Incels subreddit sometimes went 'private', unavailable to the wider Reddit membership
From Tuesday, users attempting to access the subdivision - a self-contained community on the Reddit website
"This community has been banned, "the message states.
" This subreddit was banned due to a violation of our content policy, specifically, our site-wide rules regarding violent content. "
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In the past week, threads featuring on the subreddit have ranged from overtly misogynistic, to violent, to self-pitying.
"A reminder that no woman has ever looked at you and thought you were attractive, "proclaims one thread, a few lines above another declaring"
In October, one member of the incel group reportedly impersonated a woman to ask another subreddit dedicated to legal advice "how rapists get caught".
Some posts on the forum have glorified in a 2014 California rampage after publishing a "manifesto" detailing his hatred of women.
] discussed castrating another user's roommate .
Reddit updated its policy on violent content in October. Discussing the changes, existing rules governing violent content were too vague
"Going forward, we will take action against any content that encourages, glorifies, incites or calls for violence
A Reddit spokesperson told The Guardian : "Communities focused on this content As of November 7, r / Incels has been banned for violating this policy.
"Reddit is the home of some of the most authentic conversations online. We strive to be a welcoming, open platform for all by trusting our users to maintain an environment that cultivates genuine conversation. "
Free speech
Historically, Reddit has tolerated publication of content which is offensive (19459012]
In February 2017, the r / AltRight subreddit was closed.
In November 2016, a subreddit dedicated to discussion of the false Pizzagate conspiracy theory was also prohibited.
Earlier this year Reddit shut down r / Physical_Removal for inciting violence, such as promoting the use of physical violence against political opponents. 459024] far-right rally in Charlottesville which saw a counter-protester murdered by a white supremacist.
