Community Rules

Rules that all participants must follow. These may be used as reasons to report content or ban users.

  • Passionate views are welcome, however discussion must not be abusive, vitriolic, or use derogatory language.
  • Avoid personal attacks and accusations without clear evidence.
  • Content that incites violence or promotes hate based on identity or vulnerability will result in a ban.
  • Moderators may use discretion in enforcing rules to ensure discussion remains constructive.

  • Share original, truthful, and genuine content.
  • Avoid clickbait, misleading information, and unverified advice, particularly regarding medical, legal, or financial topics.
  • Only share information you believe to be accurate. Stick to facts that can be verified.
  • Do not impersonate others or misrepresent your identity.
  • When creating content that involves other people, respect their privacy and consider their feelings.

  • Astroturfing (creating fake grassroots support for an idea, product, or cause) is strictly prohibited.
  • The use of automated bots or scripts to post, comment, vote, or otherwise interact with content is forbidden.
  • Coordinated inauthentic behavior, including using multiple accounts to artificially amplify content or manipulate discussions, will result in permanent bans.
  • Tactics such as smearing opponents, disrupting discussions through distraction, or flooding threads with irrelevant content to bury legitimate discourse are not tolerated.
  • Spreading disinformation (false information deliberately created to mislead) will be treated severely.
  • Violators may face immediate permanent bans and potential reporting to relevant authorities where applicable.

  • Sponsored, paid, or promotional content is not permitted. This includes posts made in exchange for products, compensation, or any other incentive.
  • Otto is a community-driven platform and all content should be genuine and organic.
  • Sponsored content will be removed and repeat offenders may be banned.

  • Do not add your own heading or summary in the title when sharing links.
  • Express your personal opinion in the comments, not the submission title.
  • For simplicity, use the original headline from the source article.

  • Posts should be substantial, demonstrate effort, and encourage or facilitate discussion.
  • Links to articles with minimal text may be removed.
  • Links to videos without context or transcripts may be removed unless substantial public interest can be demonstrated.
  • Opinion posts that are toxic, insulting, fact-free, or exist only for cheerleading or soapboxing will be removed.
  • This is judged at moderator discretion.

  • Comments should be substantial and represent good-faith participation in discussion.
  • Demonstrate genuine effort at quality communication of ideas.
  • Participation means more than merely contributing.
  • Comments that contain little or no effort, are toxic, exist only to insult, cheerleading, or soapboxing will be removed.
  • This is judged at moderator discretion.

  • The report function is for alerting moderators to spam and inappropriate content which breaks the rules.
  • Do not use reports as a "super-downvote" for content you simply disagree with.
  • Please give moderators time to assess reports.
  • Reporting does not guarantee action will be taken - moderators may decide no action is required after review.

  • Posts and comments should be relevant to the community and the discussion at hand.
  • Off-topic content may be removed at moderator discretion.
  • When commenting, stick to the topic of the original post. Do not derail discussions.

  • Memes, image macros, and low-effort satirical content may be removed unless specifically permitted by community rules.
  • Check individual community guidelines for specific policies on this type of content.

  • When sharing articles from paywalled sites, the full article text should be provided in the comments.
  • Full credit to the author and publication must be given.
  • This ensures all community members can participate in the discussion.

  • Pornographic, sexually explicit, and NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content is not permitted on Otto.
  • This includes images, videos, text posts, comments, and links to external adult material.
  • Content is scanned by automated moderation systems. Attempts to circumvent these systems may result in an immediate ban.
  • This policy may change in the future. Check the Terms of Service for the latest information.

  • When commenting, engage with the substance of posts and other comments.
  • Avoid shifting discussions to character attacks or unrelated grievances.
  • Low-effort complaints about sources you disagree with, or attempts to shame users for posting sources you dislike, are not acceptable.
  • Either address the content in question, or move on.
Reporting Content

If you see content that violates these rules, please use the report button to alert the moderators. Include a brief explanation of which rule is being violated.

Moderators review all reports and take action as appropriate. Please be patient as this process takes time.

Appeals

If you believe a moderation action was taken in error, you may contact the moderators to appeal. Please be respectful and provide context for why you believe the action was incorrect.

For Moderators

Are you a moderator? See the Moderator Guidelines for standards of conduct that apply to all community moderators.