Does Reddit Censor Bongs and Glass Art?
Reddit is a massive platform that is considered one of the most popular forum social media sites, which would make it ripe for promoting your own custom bongs and glass art. While Reddit does not ban the posting of bongs, pipes, or other functional glass art, you can still run into content restrictions if a post is considered in violation of Reddit’s policy framework.
Reddit’s Official Rules on Drug-Related Content
Official rules on drug-related content is mostly focused on the restricted action of exchanging prohibited goods and services, with a key violation in this policy being: “Alcohol, tobacco, or vaping products, pharmaceutical drugs … or other controlled substances.” Notice that there is nothing explicitly stated about bongs and glass art. Despite that, if moderators deem your content with glass art in it to be promoting the sale of substances, it could still be at risk for removal. This all is depending on which subreddit you are posting to, and how your content is presented.
How subreddit rules differ from site-wide policy
While there are basic rules that Reddit enforces across the platform, subreddits play by their own rules. Each subreddit acts as it’s own digital community – with unique rules in each and every one. A basic rule is that if a post is deemed unrelated to the subreddit, it will be removed, so don’t post your glass art on r/trucks. Even if you’re posting to a related subreddit, some art-focused communities might have rules against posting functional glass art, that’s why it’s important to know the rules of each subreddit you post on to avoid potential post removal.
Why Glass Artists and Head Shops Get Flagged on Reddit
Like almost every other social media platform, Reddit uses a mix of algorithmic detection and moderator meddling to enforce its policies both in a broad platform sense and in a niche subreddit space. Any deliberate showcasing of functional glass art being used in action may be automatically flagged as promoting drug use, and some subreddit auto moderators might remove posts with keywords like: smoke, weed, rig. The combination of content, context, and community determines the likely hood of an artist or head shop getting flagged on Reddit.
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How Artists Share Bong and Glass Art on Reddit Without Getting Penalized
Glass artists can share their bongs and art to build engagement, brand awareness, and even a loyal following by utilizing Reddit. However, their content must be set up in a way that does not violate Reddit’s general rules and the rules of whatever subreddit being posted to. An easy general guide to abide by is to make sure whenever you post your glass art, it’s represented as an artistic craft, not a promotion for smoking any substances. Most importantly, it’s key that you handpick the best related subreddits to post your art on.
Choosing the right subreddits
The best general subreddits to aim for as a glass artist would be those related to glassblowing, lampworking, and art like r/Glassblowing or r/ArtGlass. These kinds of subs are more than welcoming for the aspiring or professional glass artist to showcase their art.
Post titles and descriptions that stay compliant
The kinds of titles you want to employ to stay compliant should be contextually artistic, especially if posting in artistic inspired subreddits like r/ArtGlass. Using captions and titles that highlight the artistic crafting process of your posted functional glass without mentioning anything transactional that would induce a promotional that Reddit looks down upon will help promote your unique glass on Reddit.
Image, video, and link posting best practices
The best practices you can take when posting any images, videos, or links, is to avoid at all costs the implication, reference to, or appearance of any type of substance use. Make sure bongs are residue free and shot in clean, holistic shots that avoid any focus on the “functional” parts of the piece such as the bowl or carb cap.
What Happens If Your Reddit Post Is Removed
If your post is removed either via subreddit moderator or through an automated system, the first step is to examine why the removal took place in the first place. A Reddit moderator will typically site specific subreddit rules, while a automated removal will be much more general.
Moderator removal vs site-wide action
Moderator removal indicates the violation of a specific subreddit rule. If it’s possible, you can adjust whatever is in violation of your post like the caption or tags and try to get it back up. A site-wide removal will typically be harder to set right, with repeated violations potentially leading to a temporary ban.
Appealing or reposting content the right way
If a moderator removes your post, you can usually appeal using mod mail to have a conversation about what details of your post were in violation, how to correct this violation, and how to avoid a violation in the future. Of course, these moderators are human, and some are notoriously difficult to work with in content reinstatement. It’s really a case by case basis depending on the subreddit and the moderator. If you face an account restriction, then an official appeal can be made on Reddit to lift it. If it’s related to your glass art being flagged as promoting drug use, then appealing to the artistic context of your pieces to Reddit will help lift any penalties.
How Glass Retailers Can Use Reddit While Staying Compliant
Reddit is an invaluable tool for glass retailers looking to expand their brand awareness and visibility. It can also be incredibly useful for retailers to promote interest in the art of glass by submitting detailed videos on the process of glassblowing and some behind the scenes look at the goings on of a glass studio or retailer. This is a great way to promote glass without directly violating the policy of no direct advertising on Reddit.
Final Thoughts: Using Reddit Effectively as a Glass Brand
One you’ve caught the attention of interested Redditors, you’d want to direct them somewhere specific to sell your wares. Reddit can be so effective in promoting your glass but since direct selling on Reddit is frowned upon by many subreddits and by official Reddit rules, then using an industry friendly platform in conjunction with Reddit will make your glass sales unstoppable! A great platform is one that encourages glass artists of all types and styles to promote their work, and a platform like GiggleGlass is perfect just for this!
