Reddit’s AutoModerator Flags “Luigi” as Violent Content, Sparks Controversy

Reddit’s AutoModerator Flags “Luigi” as Violent Content, Sparks Controversy

Reddit’s automatic moderation tool is flagging the word “Luigi” as potentially violent — even when the content isn’t. Image : Google Earlier this week, a moderator from r/popculture saw Reddit’s AutoModerator system flag a post about the video game Luigi’s Mansion 3 because it included the word “Luigi,” giving them instructions to “check for violence.” A Reddit spokesperson, who requested that The Verge not use their name due to the sensitive subject matter, said there is no “sitewide filter for the word ‘Luigi’ or expectation that users stop talking about Luigi Mangione,” the person who prosecutors accuse of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. But Reddit does appear to be flagging comments that mention “Luigi” in some cases, even those unrelated to Mangione — just not in the way that it first appeared to be. The Reddit spokesperson said that because r/popculture had recently fallen down to a single moderator, automod features kicked in, including a way to filter for …