Reddit's Popular Community r/DankMemes Went Private Today
Jun. 2 2020, Updated 10:04 p.m. ET
One of the most popular communities on Reddit, r/dankmemes, went private today, meaning you have to be approved by the site's moderators before you can view the page. The move was surprising to many, who wondered what happened since it's typically filled with super-shareable memes, and it's gone quiet – but for good reason.
What happened to r/dankmemes?
If you're trying to visit the dankmemes community on Reddit June 2, visitors will be met with a message on a plain gray screen. A yellow key on a blue circle marks the top of the screen and a message from the moderators is visible with a headline that reads, "You must be invited to visit this community."
One of the most popular communities on Reddit, it's a surprising move, however, it's been marked private on purpose and for good reason. The page is supporting the Black community by going silent, and providing resources for donations.
The page now reads:
In showing solidarity with the black community, we are private for the next 24 hours. Please consider donating to relevant charities and listening to what black folks have to say about the current situation. Thank you, and be back soon.
The message then contains five links to charities and places accepting donations in response to the civil unrest in the United States, fueled by the murder of George Floyd. The site links to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund on GoFundMe and Campaign Zero, a charity that looks further into the practices of policing across the country and strives to find research and effective solutions to end police violence.
Reddit's DankMemes also links to the Black Lives Matter donation page on ActBlue, Reclaim the Block, and Bail Bonds Network to assist in the bail of those who have been placed under arrest.
The silence comes on the day when many other social platforms are going silent.
June 2, 2020 has been marked as Blackout Tuesday, where people are encouraged to blackout their social media profiles, instead sharing a black box and the hashtag BlackoutTuesday.
The movement is in response to the police brutality and the idea behind the blackout is to help the voices of the Black community be amplified, with resources to be directed to understanding the struggles of the Black community and to speak out about the anti-racism work that needs to be done.
r/dankmemes will be back.
As the community shared on the message to their community, they are only going private for 24 hours, and we can assume the page will be visible to all again by June 3.
On Twitter, the Reddit page reiterated their decision to go private for 24 hours and encouraged people to spend their newly found time wisely.
"Please consider using the time you would look at our memes to listen to black voices, educate yourself on the situation, and donate to relevant charities," the community said on Twitter.
Hopefully their visitors being met with the links of places that are accepting donations will help increase donations and visibility of all the work that needs to be done.
If you are looking for ways to donate your time or money to Black Lives Matter and other antiracist organizations, we have created a list of resources to get you started.
