Can Reddit Posts Be Removed by Request?

Published October 30, 20264 min readBy the RedditPostRemove team

People often ask whether Reddit will take a post down if they ask. The truthful answer is that there is no single "removal by request" button for other people's posts. There are several people who can remove content, each for different reasons. Understanding who decides what saves a great deal of time.

Who can remove a Reddit post?

1. The author

The person who wrote the post can usually delete it. If the author is willing, a polite request is sometimes the simplest solution.

2. Community moderators

Each subreddit has volunteer moderators who set and enforce community rules. They can remove posts and comments that break those rules, such as rules about self-promotion, personal information, off-topic content or civility. Moderators do not need permission from Reddit to remove content in their own community.

3. Reddit administrators

Reddit's staff enforce sitewide rules. These cover areas such as harassment, threats, impersonation, spam, scams, sharing personal information and illegal content. Reports from users are the main way they find content to review.

4. Legal processes

Reddit has separate processes for copyright notices and for legal requests, such as court orders. These need accurate information and are not a way to remove content you dislike. Deliberately false statements in legal notices can have consequences.

What kinds of posts are most likely to be removed?

• Posts that expose private information such as home addresses, personal phone numbers or private email addresses.
• Targeted harassment and threats.
• Impersonation of a person or business.
• Scams, spam and fraudulent offers.
• Posts that copy copyrighted material without permission.
• Posts that break specific community rules.

What kinds of posts are unlikely to be removed?

• Honest reviews and complaints, even sharp ones.
• Opinions and criticism of public figures or businesses.
• Accurate reporting of facts that you would rather not see online.
• Threads where the only issue is that the post is old or embarrassing.

If your post falls into the second group, removal is not realistic and a response strategy will serve you better. See How to respond to false claims on Reddit.

The role of defamation

People often ask about defamation. A false statement of fact that harms reputation may be legally actionable, but whether a statement meets the legal test depends on jurisdiction and facts, and platforms are generally cautious about deciding truth. For that reason, a legal path normally involves a qualified attorney and sometimes a court order. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. We can help you gather the facts and present them clearly.

How to make a good request

1. Be specific. Link the exact post and name the rule it breaks.
2. Be accurate. Overstating the problem weakens your case.
3. Be brief and civil. Moderators and reviewers read many reports.
4. Provide evidence. Screenshots, dates and relevant context help.
5. Choose the right channel. Moderators for community rules, Reddit reports for sitewide rules, legal forms for copyright and court orders.
6. Follow up once. Repeated reports of the same item do not help.

What a removal service can and cannot do

A removal service can review your post, identify the rules it may break, prepare a clear report and message moderators. It can follow up and keep you informed. It cannot force Reddit or a moderator to remove anything, cannot guarantee a result and cannot promise a timeframe. Be cautious of any service that guarantees removal, claims inside access to Reddit or asks for your Reddit password. Neither is legitimate.

After removal

Once the post is gone from Reddit, check search results. Google provides tools to request updating outdated results and to remove certain personal information. Copies and screenshots made by other people are separate and may remain.

Quick decision guide

• Is it your own post? Delete it.
• Does it expose private information? Report it and message moderators urgently.
• Is it a scam or impersonation? Collect evidence and report, see How to report a scam post on Reddit.
• Is it copied work? Use the copyright process.
• Is it only critical? Respond, fix and monitor.

Getting help

Our Reddit post removal service starts with an honest review, so you know what to expect before committing. We are an independent service and are not affiliated with Reddit.

Frequently asked questions