Following site-wide user protests last year that featured moderators turning thousands of subreddits private or not-safe-for-work (NSFW), Reddit announced that mods now need its permission to make those changes.
Reddit’s VP of community, going by Go_JasonWaterfalls, made the announcement about what Reddit calls Community Types today. Reddit’s permission is also required to make subreddits restricted or to go from NSFW to safe-for-work (SFW). Reddit’s employee claimed that requests will be responded to “in under 24 hours.”
Källa: In fear of more user protests, Reddit announces controversial policy change