The ban is not due to Reddit's recent controversial decision to allow "hate forums" back onto the site, but over a thread which details how to cultivate magic mushrooms, the BBC reports.
Earlier in the week Russia’s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor said it had attempted to contact Reddit to delete the thread but had received no response.
In an online post, the agency derided the site, claiming its admins were “too relaxed” during the August holidays.
It also mocked up a “Wanted” poster featuring the Reddit alien.
Meduza reports that the offending content was a page entitled “Minimal and Reliable Methods of Growing Psilocybe (Mushrooms)".
SEE ALSO:
- Reddit Revolts With AMAgeddon Over Sacking Of Staff Member Victoria Taylor
- The 'Button' On Reddit Has FINALLY Hit Zero
- Weirdest Tinder Dates Revealed On Reddit: 'I Watched A Guy's Cat Die'
- Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales Slams Reddit's Free Speech Policy
- Reddit Bans Offensive Fat-Shaming Forums And Immediately Faces Backlash
The site adds: “Because Reddit uses http protocol for secure communication, many Russian Internet providers (perhaps 30 percent, according to the government) will block the website in its entirety.”
The news had been dismissed on Reddit as a "false alarm", though user Sethboy66 points out: "The article [Meduza] clearly states that yes, this ban was incurred, or at least justified, from one single post but some ISPs may ban the entire website due to SSL encryption which may disallow proper banning of that article."
Sieltris explains: "Random people complain to the body governing communications in Russia, they must respond to valid complaints by first asking the website owners to remove the content, then if that fails by blocking the offending resource/URL (putting it in the black list, which ISP must respect). If youre an ISP and do not block, youll be fined, repeated offence puts you in danger of your license getting revoked."