Arch Warhammer reddit ban and community polarization

[Battlegrinder]

Some of you might have heard about this already, but for those that haven't, r/40klore recently banned a 40k lore YouTuber named arch warhammer. Actually, they did more than that, and banned not only him but any and all mention of him (as far as I can tell, this was actually the bigger part, he's not an active poster on the subreddit).

Thread in question:


He has a couple videos up discussing/mocking the subject as well:




However, this thread is not about arch specifically or to try and really support for him (I think he's fine, because his videos usually get more views than that reddit has active posters). It's more about the kind of online culture that leads to this. Arch's "ban" was allegedly put in place to stop arguements between his supporters and enemies everytime he came up, with the main arguments against him being bullshit claims people repeated over and over until they were taken as true (the most credible one that he's a nazi because he's friends with an ethnonationalist. The reality is that he interviewed an ethnonationalist one time). This pattern likely sounds familiar by now.

So the question that this poses to me is how should online communities handle issues like this? On a world that's increasingly polarized and intolerant of dissent, how should you go about building communities that are supposedly to be free of divisive politics, or handle cases like arch where someone's political views are visable in their work (even if not explicitly raised or focused on)? Should they be banned? Should you try and ban the people who don't like them and can't restrain themselves, even if that is a large part of the community you want to build?




Edit:
Oh, seems imperial herald has a post on it as well:

 

[Captain X]

Ah, the Stalin treatment. Classic.

 

[PsihoKekec]

Not surprising, they seek to remove the wrongthink from all aspects of life, including the ultimately life itself.

 

[Erwin_Pommel]

Given the fact the mod who pushed it was also a mod in the Sigmarxism Reddit, it was unsurprising, they just didn't wanna hear anything coming from a right-wing person while they browsed their lore. In fact, most people who seem to dismiss or put down Arch's content do it for political reasons rather than information quality reasons, the SB Astartes thread for example.

But yeah, only thing I see coming from this is that Reddit area losing users as people don't really like being told you can't have anything but a "state" approved on a certain topic, in this case, you have to hate Arch because they say so in spite of the fact all they had were claims of affiliation which mean jack and links to second-hand sources of people claiming X happened but not actually showing Arch doing it, just claiming he did.

 

[Arch Dornan]

I remember him when CA apologised for one of their staff calling him a dickhead in a total war video. That was random.

 

[Deleted member]

Anyone want to invite him here...?

 

[Guardian Box]

Anyone want to invite him here...?

As much as I'd love to have his babby face here, he seems a bit too big and busy to bother with a small forum.

 

[Francis Urquhart]

As much as I'd love to have his babby face here, he seems a bit too big and busy to bother with a small forum.

Wouldn't hurt to invite him though. The worst thing he can do is say "no, thanks" or words to that effect.

 

[Battlegrinder]

I remember him when CA apologised for one of their staff calling him a dickhead in a total war video. That was random.

I vaguely recall that. Honestly, I'm not sure apologizing was the right move, unless it was one of those "we're sorry we said that out loud" things, because they were kind of right.

Anyone want to invite him here...?

I looked into doing that, but his main contact platfrom seems to be twitter, and I don't have a twitter account and never will.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Given the fact the mod who pushed it was also a mod in the Sigmarxism Reddit, it was unsurprising, they just didn't wanna hear anything coming from a right-wing person while they browsed their lore. In fact, most people who seem to dismiss or put down Arch's content do it for political reasons rather than information quality reasons, the SB Astartes thread for example.

Sigmarxism?

 

[Navarro]

Sigmarxism?

Far-left Warhammer fans.

 

[Erwin_Pommel]

Sigmarxism?

A "meme" Reddit area which is dedicated to making as many communism related topics from AoS, WHFB and 40k as possible. Sometimes not even Warhammer, just communism apologetics and water muddying.

Here be link: r/Sigmarxism

 

[Husky_Khan]

He does have a gmail account for Business inquiries. Maybe he'd want a tiny subforum on our small forum for his fellow co-travelers/reddit emigres.

 

[Erwin_Pommel]

Wouldn't hurt to invite him though. The worst thing he can do is say "no, thanks" or words to that effect.

I'll send him a PM and see what he says on it.

 

[PsihoKekec]

Reddit in future

 

[Navarro]

Given the fact the mod who pushed it was also a mod in the Sigmarxism Reddit, it was unsurprising, they just didn't wanna hear anything coming from a right-wing person while they browsed their lore. In fact, most people who seem to dismiss or put down Arch's content do it for political reasons rather than information quality reasons, the SB Astartes thread for example.

What I have to find telling given that information is the reference to "sinophobia" (otherwise known as "criticism of the PRC") in the list at the bottom of that Reddit post.

 

[Deleted member]

He could have his own subforum with his own rules as the moderator, only the board TOS would apply, if someone wants to reach out.

 

[Erwin_Pommel]

He could have his own subforum with his own rules as the moderator, only the board TOS would apply, if someone wants to reach out.

You on about Arch?

 

[PsihoKekec]

I don't think he would need that, his youtube channel is enough to him, the only reason he is dealing with them is free attention this is generating and the sheer hilarity.

 

[Navarro]

What I have to find telling given that information is the reference to "sinophobia" (otherwise known as "criticism of the PRC") in the list at the bottom of that.

Ironically China is the closest equivalent today to the old-style fascist regimes of the 30s. Also, its lulzworthy how they're openly taking a stand in favour of a real tyrannical oppressive regime when they probably consider people liking the Imperium to be proof that they're fascist.