Rules
Community Rules
These are Topicle's rules. Ten of them apply in every community on the site. The other five apply depending on the community's rule set, which its moderators choose: Relaxed, Standard or Strict. A community's page tells you which set it is on and what that means there. Rules keep the same number everywhere, so rule 12 is rule 12 even in a community where it does not apply. Communities may also add their own rules on top, and those can only be stricter.
Relaxed
10 of 15 rules
For memes, humour and casual communities.
Standard
13 of 15 rules
For most communities. Comments can be casual.
Strict
15 of 15 rules
For news and serious discussion.
- 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 may 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.
- Topicle is a community-driven platform and all content should be genuine and organic.
- Sponsored content will be removed and repeat offenders may be banned.
- This rule is about posts and comments. Placements sold by Topicle are labelled Sponsored and are not posts.
- Sharing your own work (projects, articles, products, communities you run) is welcome, but only as part of genuine participation in Topicle.
- Accounts that exist primarily to broadcast their own content, with little or no engagement on other people's posts, are not permitted.
- Release announcements and news from established projects are welcome; the rule targets accounts that exist only to advertise.
- The test is intent: are you here to discuss and contribute, or just to advertise? Posts from accounts whose visible history is overwhelmingly self-promotion may be removed regardless of any single post's quality.
- Comment on others' submissions, vote, ask questions, share things you didn't make. Be a community member, not a marketing channel.
- This is judged at moderator discretion. Repeat offenders may be banned.
- Do not add your own opinion, spin or summary to a link's title; save your take for the comments.
- Use the source's headline. Neutral fixes and additions are fine: correcting a typo, removing the site's name, naming the original source when you link an archive copy, identifying a person the headline leaves unnamed, or adding context in brackets, like a video's length, a content warning, or a note that the link is paywalled.
- This rule applies in communities on the Standard and Strict rule sets. What is a rule set?
- 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.
- Links to sites on the unreliable sources list show a warning and are held for moderator review. Other unreliable or biased sources may be removed at moderator discretion.
- This is judged at moderator discretion.
- This rule applies in communities on the Strict rule set. What is a rule set?
- 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.
- This rule applies in communities on the Strict rule set. What is a rule set?
- 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.
- Check individual community guidelines for specific policies on this type of content.
- This rule applies in communities on the Standard and Strict rule sets. What is a rule set?
- Links to paywalled articles are welcome; a lot of the best journalism lives behind a paywall.
- Since not everyone can open every source, include an archive link or a short summary of the key points in the comments.
- Always give full credit to the author and publication.
- This rule applies in communities on the Standard and Strict rule sets. What is a rule set?
- Pornographic and sexually explicit content is allowed only in communities that are marked NSFW, where it is hidden from everyone who has not chosen to see it.
- Everywhere else, adult content is not permitted in any form: images, videos, text posts, comments, or links to external adult material.
- Moderators must mark a community NSFW if it hosts adult content. Topicle may mark a community NSFW itself where its content calls for it.
- Some content is never allowed anywhere on Topicle: any sexual content involving minors, intimate or sexual images of a person shared without their consent (including images made or altered with AI), and content that offers or seeks sexual services for payment. Posting it results in a permanent ban, and it may be reported to the authorities where the law requires.
- Content is scanned by automated moderation systems. Attempts to circumvent these systems may result in an immediate ban.
- NSFW content is hidden until you opt in through your account settings. Depending on where you are, you may need to verify your age first. See the Terms of Service for details.
- It does not apply in communities marked NSFW.
- 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.
- Topicle is a place for people to talk to people. What you post should represent your own thinking, in your own words.
- Using AI tools to help edit, translate, or polish something you wrote yourself is fine.
- Wholly AI-generated content may be removed, particularly when it is posted repeatedly or used to promote something.
- Accounts that repeatedly post wholly AI-generated content, or use it for promotion or spam, may be suspended.
Unreliable sources
Links to the sites below show a warning before you post. If you post anyway, the post is held until a moderator reviews it. This applies in every community, whatever its rule set.
Most of the list follows the sources deprecated on Wikipedia's Perennial Sources.
Tabloids with a record of fabrication
- dailymail.co.uk
- dailystar.co.uk
- nypost.com
- the-sun.com
- thescottishsun.co.uk
- thesun.co.uk
- thesun.ie
State-affiliated media
- globaltimes.cn
- presstv.ir
- rt.com
- sputnikglobe.com
- sputniknews.com
- tass.com
- tass.ru
Conspiracy and fabrication
- globalresearch.ca
- infowars.com
- lifesitenews.com
- mintpressnews.com
- naturalnews.com
- newspunch.com
- ntd.com
- theepochtimes.com
- thegatewaypundit.com
- thegrayzone.com
- thepeoplesvoice.tv
- wnd.com
- zerohedge.com
Hyper-partisan, with a record of fabrication
- breitbart.com
- frontpagemag.com
- jihadwatch.org
- newsmax.com
- oann.com
- occupydemocrats.com
- pjmedia.com
- takimag.com
- vdare.com
Added by Topicle
Topicle's own decision, not a Wikipedia classification.
- adelaidenow.com.au
- couriermail.com.au
- dailytelegraph.com.au
- foxnews.com
- heraldsun.com.au
- news24.com.au
- ntnews.com.au
- pagesix.com
- skynews.com.au
- talk.tv
- themercury.com.au
Think a site is listed wrongly, or missing? Let us know through the contact page.
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.