Following in the footsteps of Facebook and Twitter, social news site Reddit is also taking a stand against user harassment with the launch of an anti-harassment policy.
Under the new policy, a user can email Reddit and report abuse and the site will ban users who bully others.
The website is known for its freedom of speech, but under the new rule, it will forbid systematic abuse of other Reddit users.
Reddit said: "Systematic and/or continued actions to torment or demean someone in a way that would make a reasonable person (1) conclude that reddit is not a safe platform to express their ideas or participate in the conversation, or (2) fear for their safety or the safety of those around them."
The company added that it is struggling to strike a balance between free expression of ideas with privacy and safety.
However, the news was not welcomed by all users, as some of them vented their anger on the site.
Reditt user heyitsfred said: "I worry about this as well. Downvotes are what make Reddit work. Without downvotes, you end up with Facebook, a fluffy container of inoffensive, surface-level garbage, where nobody is allowed to point out or demote low-quality content.
"But it’s really advertiser friendly, and has a lot more mainstream appeal, two things that Reddit does not have but likely really wants."
