Reddit Mods Push Back Against Ethan Klein Subpoenas

Moderators of a subreddit critical of YouTuber Ethan Klein are pushing back against subpoenas that would reveal their identities.

Klein, who runs the H3 Podcast and has over 2 million YouTube subscribers, filed legal motions to compel Reddit and Discord to disclose the moderators of ‘r/h3snark,’ which shared links to reaction videos of his content.

The moderators’ lawyers argue that revealing their identities would put them at serious risk. “These worries extend to all family and friends connected to Does. Does fear their professional lives being ruined, potential sexual violence, extortion, fans showing up to their home, and endless years of harassment due to Ethan’s prolific lies surrounding them,” the filing said, as reported by 404Media.

Klein has publicly warned the moderators, saying on a podcast, “Listen, guys, at this point you [r/h3snark mods] are totally fucked… We’re going to get your IP address and find your information,” reported 404Media.

He also said, “If there’s any justice in the world [the h3snark mods] will lose everything that they care about and I will be the one who makes them lose those things […] through legal means. Through any legal means.”

The creators of the video claim that their use of the song falls under fair use provisions because they are using it for educational purposes and that their use does not harm the market value of the song.

They also contend that sharing reaction videos and hosting discussion threads about the song constitutes fair use, and does not violate copyright law. The filing added that unmasking the moderators could set a dangerous precedent for anonymous online speech, saying “Very few would-be commentators are prepared to bear costs of this magnitude […] That speech will disappear. But that is precisely what Ethan Klein wants.”

A judge has allowed the subpoenas to be filed, but the moderators’ motion to quash them is currently under review, raising questions about the balance between copyright enforcement and protecting anonymous online voices.

The court issued acceptance of the subpoenas yet the moderators’ request to prevent them from being enforced continues to be assessed which raises questions about the balance between copyright enforcement and protecting anonymous online voices.