Content Guidelines

Last revised March 4, 2023.

We encourage thoughtful debate with respect for all points of view. However, we forbid some behavior in order to maintain a secure and friendly environment where a variety of people can engage in meaningful conversations.

Every profile and community is shaped by its owner and users. Some communities have their own rules, and moderators who are responsible for ensuring that everyone abides by the rules. It is important to work collaboratively with moderators and follow their guidance to ensure a positive experience for everyone in the community. Do not interfere with communities you are not a part of.

In addition to community specific rules, all users on the platform must also abide by these Content Guidelines. We ask that you comply with not only the literal interpretation of these rules but also their intended meaning. Community specific rules which conflict with these Content Guidelines should be ignored.

1. Behave

Everyone has a right to use the platform free of harassment, bullying, and threats of violence. Communities and users that incite violence or that promote hate based on identity or vulnerability will be banned.

Do not harass

We do not tolerate the harassment, threatening, or bullying of people on our platform; nor do we tolerate communities dedicated to this behavior.

Being annoying, downvoting, or disagreeing with someone, even strongly, is not harassment. However, menacing someone, directing abuse at a person or group, following them around the platform, encouraging others to do any of these actions, or otherwise behaving in a way that would discourage a reasonable person from participating on the platform crosses the line.

No violence

Do not post content that encourages, glorifies, incites, or calls for violence or physical harm against an individual (including oneself) or a group of people; likewise, do not post content that glorifies or encourages the abuse of animals. We understand there are sometimes reasons to post violent content (e.g., educational, newsworthy, artistic, satire, documentary, etc.) so if you’re going to post something violent in nature that does not violate these terms, ensure you provide context to the viewer so the reason for posting is clear.

Some examples of violent content that would violate this rule:

• Posts or comments with a credible threat of violence against an individual or group of people.
• Posts containing mass killer manifestos or imagery of their violence.
• Terrorist content, including propaganda.
• Posts containing imagery or text that incites, glorifies, or encourages self-harm or suicide.
• Posts that request, or give instructions on, ways to self-harm or commit suicide.
• Graphic violence, image, or video without appropriate context.

No hate

Avoid hateful activities, specially those targeting marginalized groups. Marginalized or vulnerable groups include, but are not limited to, groups based on their actual and perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or disability. These include victims of a major violent event and their families.

Some examples of hateful activities that would violate the rule:

• Communities dedicated to mocking people with physical disabilities.
• Posts describing a race or ethnicity as sub-human or inferior.
• Comments arguing that rape should be acceptable and not a crime.
• Memes declaring that it is sickening that a group of people has the right to vote.

2. Follow the rules

Abide by community rules. Post authentic content into communities where you have a personal interest, and do not cheat or engage in content manipulation (including spamming, vote manipulation, ban evasion, or subscriber fraud) or otherwise interfere with or disrupt our communities. Do not post or share misleading, disruptive, harmful or prohibited content.

No Spamming

Spam is defined as repeated, unwanted, and/or unsolicited actions, whether automated or manual. Spam is illegal and a violation of our User Agreement and Content Guidelines, punishable by content removal, account suspension or termination and possible legal action.

How do I avoid being labeled as a spammer?

• Post authentic content.
• If your contributions consist primarily of links to a business that you run, own, or otherwise benefit from, tread carefully and consider paid advertising opportunities.
• If you’re unsure if your content is considered spammy or unwelcome, contact the moderators of the community to which you’d like to submit. Communities may have specific rules in addition to these guidelines.

No vote manipulation

Vote manipulation is against the rules, whether it is manual, programmatic, or otherwise. Some common forms of vote cheating are:

• Using multiple accounts, voting services, or any other software to increase or decrease vote scores.
• Asking people to vote up or down certain posts, either on the platform itself or through social networks, messaging, etc. for personal gain.
• Forming or joining a group that votes together, either on a specific post, a user's posts, posts from a domain, etc.

Cheating or attempting to manipulate voting will result in your account being banned.

Prohibited and restricted content

We do not allow the following types of content:

• Pornographic pictures or videos.
• Promotion of extreme content.
• Facilitation of gambling or betting.
• Facilitation of buying or selling social media interactions, including off-platform.
• Facilitation of sexual services.
• Facilitation of copyright or other intellectual property violation.
• Facilitation of illegal hacking (e.g., stealing credentials, compromising personal data).
• Pseudoscience, disinformation, or other content that is contrary to public health or safety.

3. Respect the privacy of others

Instigating harassment, for example by revealing someone’s personal or confidential information, is not allowed. Never post or threaten to post intimate or sexually-explicit media of someone without their consent.

4. Do not post or encourage the posting of sexual or suggestive content involving minors.

We do not allow content promoting the sexual, violent, or other exploitation of minors, including the sexualization of fictional minors.

5. No impersonation

Don’t impersonate an individual or an entity in a misleading or deceptive manner. While we permit satire and parody, we will always take into account the context of any particular content.

6. Properly label content

Titles should not be misleading. Particularly content that is graphic, sexual, or offensive should be properly labeled.

7. Keep it legal

Avoid posting illegal content or soliciting or facilitating illegal or prohibited transactions.

You may not use the platform to solicit or facilitate any transaction or gift involving certain goods and services, including:

• Firearms, ammunition, explosives, legally controlled firearms parts or accessories (e.g., bump stock-type devices, silencers/suppressors, etc.), or 3D printing files to produce any of the aforementioned.
• Drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, or any controlled substances (except advertisements placed in accordance with our advertising policy).
• Paid services involving physical sexual contact.
• Stolen goods.
• Personal information.
• Falsified official documents or currency.
• Scams or other fraudulent services.

8. Don’t break the platform

Don’t do anything that interferes with normal use of the platform. No hacking, bots, malicious code, automated requests, etc. If you think it might be wrong, it probably is.

Enforcement

We have a variety of ways of enforcing our rules, including, but not limited to:

• Temporary or permanent suspension of accounts.
• Removal of privileges from, or adding restrictions to, accounts.
• Adding restrictions to communities.
• Removal of content.
• Banning of users and communities.