LOS ANGELES – Social media platform Reddit banned the anti-natalist subreddit r/Efilism following the fatal May 17 explosion at a Palm Springs, California fertility clinic that killed one and injured several others.
A spokesperson for Reddit told USA TODAY Monday, May 19, that the subreddit violated Rule 1 on the platform, pointing to posts the moderators allowed that shared and described methods of self-harm. The spokesperson added that there were no calls to violence in the community.
“Our sitewide rules strictly prohibit any content that encourages, glorifies, incites, or calls for violence,” the platform said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. “In line with these rules, we are removing any instances of the suspect’s manifesto or recordings and hashing to prevent reupload. We’re also closely monitoring the communities on our platform to ensure compliance with our rules.”
The FBI confirmed May 19 in a social media post that Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, was killed in the blast.
He was previously identified as the focus of the investigation into the bombing deemed “an intentional act of terrorism,” according to The Palm Springs Desert Sun – a part of the USA TODAY Network.
“We are fairly confident that Mr. Bartkus is our primary person of interest,” Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI field office said.
An investigation by The Desert Sun and The Arizona Republic – also a part of the USA TODAY Network – found online postings that suggest Bartkus targeted the clinic, motivated by both “pro-mortalist” ideologies, which argue that life should be ended as soon as possible because it only results in suffering and death, and “anti-natalism,” the belief that having children is unethical because it only exposes more people to future suffering and death.
Fertility clinic bombing latest: FBI confirms DNA at site of bombing matches suspect Guy Edward Barkus
Other anti-natalist subreddits condemn Palm Springs bombing
Other anti-natalist subreddits remained active May 19 following the r/Efilism ban.
Reddit’s spokesperson said that its investigation has not found rule violating content or calls to violence in other anti-natalist subreddits.
Nume MacAroon, head moderator of two antinatalism subreddits and president of the anti-natalist Apon Society, noted in a statement posted Saturday, May 17 that the subreddits were referenced in a potential suicide note and condemned what he called an “unjustifiable, incoherent, immoral, and disgusting” act of terrorism.
Davis said authorities are tracking a “possible manifesto out there.”
“The philosophy we represent is explicitly one of non-violence. We believe it is up to each individual tomake their own reproductive decisions,” MacAroon said in the statement. “We hope that the Palm Springs American Reproductive Center can rebuild and resume operations.”
MacAroon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Palm Springs bombing suspect had ‘nihilistic’ ideology
A website found by the USA TODAY Network investigation purporting to be made by Bartkus explains his views by saying in part, “…your death is already a guarantee, and you can thank your parents for that one. All a promortalist is saying is let’s make it happen sooner rather than later.”
“The subject had nihilistic ideations, and this was a targeted attack against the IVF facility,” Davis said.
What is nihilism? FBI says fertility clinic bomb suspect had ‘nihilistic ideations’
On the “pro-mortalist” website, Bartkus wrote how the death of a woman named Sophie was the catalyst for his decision to bomb the fertility clinic.
“Recently my best friend Sophie killed herself (she got the guy she was living with to shoot her while she was sleeping, her preferred method),” Bartkus apparently wrote.
They had agreed that if one of them died, the other would soon follow, the website said.
Davis would not confirm whether the website was linked to Bartkus, only that the website was part of the investigation.
The website contained a link urging people to download “the recorded stream of my suicide & bombing of an IVF clinic,” but the file contained only 30 minutes of audio of a man talking about the reasons for his pro-mortalist beliefs.
Davis said based on evidence at the scene, Bartkus was attempting to livestream the detonation. But it was not clear whether he succeeded.
Contributing: Paris Barraza
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reddit bans anti-natalist subreddit following Palm Springs bombing
