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.

  • Submissions or comments complaining about the community, user biases, moderation decisions, or individual users may be removed.
  • If you have issues about moderation or the community, please message the moderators directly.

  • 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.

  • Promotional material, petitions, surveys, and questionnaires should generally be posted in designated threads if available.
  • Contact the moderators if you believe your content deserves an exception.
  • Repeated self-promotion without community participation may result in removal or bans.

  • 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.