Content warning: This article contains numerous examples of bigoted rhetoric. Users on Reddit’s “r/conspiracy” forum have repeatedly and openly posted anti-LGBTQ content for years without pushback, despite the platform’s rules prohibiting “hate based on identity or vulnerability” and anti-LGBTQ “groomer” rhetoric. Reddit has a history of taking action against other subreddits that have violated those rules. A Media Matters review of r/conspiracy since May 2020 found a widespread pattern of anti-LGBTQ hate, which includes accusing the LGBTQ community of grooming, having “mental illness,” and associating with pedophilia.
Conspiracy is just Conservative these days. Same people, same dumb content.
It’s the Russian agitprop playbook, the end goal is to have people distrusting their government and national institutions so they’re easier to manipulate. Conspiracy subs and other communities just happen to be low hanging fruit for these campaigns.