League of Legends subreddit moderators sign nondisclosure agreements with Riot Games
A significant number of moderators from the League of Legends subreddit have signed nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with Riot Games, the game’s developer. The NDAs require the signatories to adhere to its terms for three years after the termination of their moderation roles.
A recent member of the subreddit moderation team revealed that they were asked to sign the NDA upon joining. While it was voluntary, most moderators had chosen to sign, creating a peer pressure situation.
The NDA gave moderators access to a private Skype “room” with Riot employees, allowing them to receive updates on server issues and help keep the community informed. Riot employee Jordon Triggs was responsible for approving the NDAs and overseeing the Skype room.
Riot Games confirmed the existence of the Skype room and the NDAs, stating that they are designed to protect player privacy and facilitate secure conversations about security issues.
Reddit’s rules and other esports subreddits
Reddit prohibits its moderators from entering into agreements with external parties without written approval. However, signing NDAs with game developers does not violate this rule.
Moderators of other esports-related subreddits confirm that they have not signed similar agreements with developers. There have been no such requests from Blizzard for moderators of StarCraft 2 or Valve for moderators of Dota 2.
Update: Reddit has stated that signing NDAs does not violate its rules, as long as there is no monetary compensation involved and the moderators are not acting on behalf of Reddit.
Disclaimer: The author of this story was banned from the League of Legends subreddit prior to publication.