Forum rules: Who can post in which threads?

Hey, I have a question for the admins regarding the forum rules...

Since I couldn't find anything about this in the guidelines, I figured I'd ask here. I haven't noticed anyone being told they can't post in certain threads before... like, women post in the men's sections and guys post in the women's sections. It seems like that goes for all the other subforums and threads I've read or participated in.
Is there actually a rule that bans specific groups of people or individuals from posting on certain topics?
It’s about the US tourism subforum, specifically the thread: "Where to advertise private rentals online?"
That whole thread is basically just anything and everything*, with like 80% of the posts being more or less off-topic. My post—where I mentioned things like Booking.com, deposits, and answered a question from this post—was deleted. It wasn't deleted for being off-topic, because if it were, the original question would have been wiped too (but it's still there)... it was removed with Kajperinja, ako imas pitanja, imas temu Offtopic teme American turizam. Ova je tema prvenstveno namijenjena iznajmljivacima i reklamiranju na netu, kako bi si oni uzajamno savjetovali i pomagali. Cak i ja, kao moderator tu upadam iznimno rijetko.']this explanation:

Sandra Brown18 said:Rachel Jones8, if you have questions, use the offtopic topic US tourism thread.
This thread is primarily meant for rental hosts and online advertising, so they can help each other out and share advice.
Even I, as a moderator, only step in extremely rarely.

The post was deleted even though it wasn't off-topic (I was just trying to help a host answer their own question).... it happened solely because I was posting on a thread for hosts when I am not one myself. Apparently, hosts are only allowed to help and talk to other hosts. Is that really okay? Is that an actual forum rule or just someone being arbitrary?
In the follow-up, I was told I can only discuss, ask, or answer things on the "Offtopic topic US tourism" thread, which, according to the first post, is intended for off-topic chatter—you know, stuff like politics or history. So, if someone asks a question in the advertising thread, I'm not allowed to answer them there? I have to go to the off-topic section instead because I'm not a rental host? That feels incredibly complicated, impractical, and honestly, unfair and discriminatory.

Even another user was surprised by this and wrote:

rokoo said:It isn't really off-topic since it's about online advertising. There's been talk here about pricing, furniture, cancellations, guests, nationalities, and definitely portals used for ads.
I don't get when something counts as off-topic and when it doesn't.

That was the response she got
:

Sandra Brown18 said:Kajperinja isn't a rental host—everyone else in this thread is. Except me, obviously😁. Don't sweat it, she still gets great answers to her questions over in the offtopic topic US tourism.

...so once again, it’s confirmed: my post was wiped just because I’m not a host, and that's why I'm getting kicked out of the thread. Honestly, there wasn't even a warning or a strike, just a random post written in black font. I'm not even complaining, really; I'm just asking—are the rules actually set up so that on some threads anyone can talk about anything, total offtopic stuff, alongside the moderator... while someone else isn't allowed to say even what the topic is about just because they don't fit into a specific category? 😕
Are people actually allowed to post in the "Where to advertise private rentals online" thread (and other US tourism threads) or is it restricted to certain people, like just hosts, or can anyone chime in? 🤷

__________________________________________________ __

everything under the sun*
To keep the main thread clean, I'm dumping all the "everything under the sun" stuff here.
The thread is packed with countless posts that might have a loose connection to US tourism, but have nothing to do with the actual title—you know, where to advertise... There are tons of them, mostly, and a good chunk of them were written by the moderator themselves.
People have talked about:
Google issues, sales tax, guest personalities, which types of guests are trending, occupancy rates, earnings, invoicing, the age of landlords, registering guests, towels, linens, mattress protectors, bank accounts, meeting up for coffee... then back to how much everyone earned and how many units they have, pricing tactics, picking dinner spots, forum drama, spreading wrong info about sales tax, bragging about bookings, inquiry numbers, drafting software, arguments and insults from people who think they got scammed because they didn't read the fine print in the terms... worrying about potential audits via the IRS, how much money you can actually live on, if you can survive on US tourism alone... real estate prices and apartment swaps, taxes, legalizing properties, inspections, photographing rentals, income streams, renting boats, haggling, local mayors, logging every single booking... and again and again... then discussions on time-sharing, whining about low inquiries, more long-winded sagas about sales tax, unrest in Canada, bicycles, how to dodge commission fees, reviewing the quality of advertising sites from a guest's perspective, rental insurance, dog-friendly beaches, Russian visas, travel agency laws, those big-shot charter companies making bank, dogs, paying tourism fees, traffic jams, bus lines, the situation in Ukraine, massive payouts, occupancy days in cities like Budapest or Rome, housing costs, foreigners buying beachfront property, management software, the number of rental units in Los Angeles, pricing, non-all-inclusive options, dropping rates, whether renting is worth it, scams involving fake inquiries, weird emails, how to extend the season, PayPal, social status based on what you can afford, travel stories, minimum stay requirements, flights to LAX, and comparing booking numbers from last season to this one... every single month, registering stays for friends and family, and then once again, a whole lot about sales tax, and then...It’s pretty wild how this thread keeps drifting away from the actual topic (check page 159), between random guest comments that clearly weren't deleted or kicked, more talk about sales tax, then jumping to utility bills in NYC versus London, people snooping through other rentals just to share feedback, debating the number of vacation units in Miami, where everyone is traveling and what they're spending, which part of Miami is the best, which neighborhood tourists love, what kind of water heater to buy, and all the whining about a bad upcoming season because bookings are down... then there's the price hikes for Ultra, reports on new hosts in Miami, the bus station in New Orleans, where guests come from and what they do here, dental tourism, more sales tax, visa issues for travelers from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, or Mexico, back to tax IDs, swimming pools and subsidies, more sales tax, map placements for advertisers, guest reviews, comparing US tourism to Greece, prices in Crete versus Tisno... flight costs to Greece, accounting fees, why Miami is so expensive, hunting for rentals, the lack of things to do... obviously... in Miami, where foreigners go, and picking summer deals in Greece, Spain, Turkey, etc.

And after all that... we only get a couple of warnings, two visible penalties... and one person getting kicked off the thread.

Rachel Jones8, props to you for taking the time to read through this whole thread and summarizing everything we've been chatting about... It's true, things get a bit scattered here, but it all ties back to the rental business—either directly or indirectly.
The whole point of this specific thread is that it's for hosts themselves, which is why we actually launched a dedicated "US tourism" subforum (since they have so many topics and so many regulars hanging out there)
. Looking at everyone who posts or has ever posted here—and I always keep an eye on that—you and I are the only ones who aren't actual hosts—even though I am a moderator—and you aren't in the industry either. Of course, non-hosts are totally welcome to chime in, just like you did. But the thing was, you were asking questions, the hosts would answer, and then you’d keep pushing them on topics that they have zero control over—like, say, why certain tax brackets exist or how the IRS sets limits for small businesses... You kept digging for answers and debating the fairness of those laws and stuff like that. You've gotta realize, hosts can't change those rules. To make sure you still got your answers and could debate those policies, I suggested moving over to the "offtopic topic US tourism" thread where you can really dive into anything and everything—including history or politics (which I know bugs you), since all of that impacts the industry anyway. You were still getting answers from the hosts over there, so you weren't being left out at all...

Sandra Brown18 said:Rachel Jones8, major props to you for digging through this entire thread and actually summarizing everything we talked about. It’s true that things get a little wild in here sometimes, but honestly, it all ties back to the rental business eventually, right?

This is a bit off-topic, isn't it? I know we're supposed to be talking about where to run ads, and while it definitely touches on US tourism, it doesn't really hit the nail on the head regarding the actual advertising part.
There are plenty of other threads where we could dive into all this stuff too. Why stop here?
There are topics available.
Everything you need to know if you're hosting rentals.
Short-term rentals and private stays (dealing with hosts, payments, licensing, etc.)
US tourism - discussion
Guest tracking software?
Which ones would actually work best, given everything that’s been said in the "where to advertise" thread?

Just so you know, this thread is mostly just rental hosts hanging out.That’s exactly why we launched this specific "US tourism" subforum in the first place—there's just too much to talk about and way too many people joining the conversation.
Out of everyone posting here or ever having posted on this thread—and trust me, I keep tabs on everything—you’re the only one besides me who isn't actually in the rental business. Even if I am a moderator, I'm still just an outsider like you, right?

So what's the deal with that? Does that mean anyone who isn't a rental host is banned from posting? Is that actually written down in the rules somewhere? Just wondering if that's an official forum rule.
Actually, what you wrote isn't quite right... Check this out. Link? So, someone posted this, and it hasn't been deleted yet. Nobody even bothered to call them out or drop a post making it clear that this kind of stuff isn't allowed here. Really?

Look, hosts are totally allowed to chime in on this thread, just like you did before. But let’s be real—you weren't really asking questions; you were cornering them. You'd ask something, they'd answer, and then you'd just keep digging into stuff they have zero control over, like why certain tax brackets exist or how IRS thresholds work. Why push them to debate federal laws they can't change? You were being pretty relentless about questioning the whole system.

That’s not really what I said. In that thread about hosts, I was asking about last-minute cancellations—you know, how much they actually like being stuck with a late cancellation? I also touched on reservations... and threw in an answer about sales tax while I was at it. And then... Answers. I moved this over to the offtopic section since my last post got wiped because I'm not a rental host. Isn't that just how it goes?
Still got that question about sales tax hanging around? Still standing. So my reply got nuked. Even the one where I was just wishing everyone a killer season with tons of bookings and great guests... even though people are allowed to post well wishes on this thread? What gives?
If I had any other questions about renting out my place, I probably would’ve just dropped them in the "US tourism - discussion" thread. Why complicate things?I figured that was fine, since this "Offtopic topic US tourism" thread is meant for random chatter anyway. Plus, asking about taxes or payroll stuff—things that actually impact the industry—didn't feel like we were getting off track to me. Right?

Look, you’ve gotta realize that hosts can't control stuff like that. How else were you supposed to get answers? I suggested checking out the offtopic topic US tourism because that's where we actually dive deep into everything—even history and politics, which I know bugs you, but let's face it, it all impacts US tourism anyway. You were getting responses from hosts over on that offtopic thread, so you aren't being left out at all.

Yeah, I am. Since everyone else on Booking was already deep in that debate about where to list properties—along with you, too.Check this out.So, my post about that exact thing just got nuked—along with my bit about sales tax. They told me to move the conversation over to the other thread, specifically to stick to what people are actually talking about there. And get this: they did it just because I’m not a rental host myself, not even because it was offtopic. Since when does that matter?

Is it actually a rule here that posts get nuked just because someone isn't a rental host? Or am I missing something?
All this off-topic stuff is being tolerated... even though wob warned us a few times to stop drifting away from the main thread and talking about sales tax. You even wrote a good chunk of that stuff yourself, so I have to wonder—do the rules actually allow hosts and moderators to post off-topic content while everyone else has to stick to the script?
Not trying to start anything, just asking a question.
Look, I wasn't even talking to you. I was asking an admin if it’s actually okay to delete posts just because someone isn't a rental host, even when they're posting in a thread specifically about hosting? Makes sense, right?So, what’s the deal with the Booking.com rules? Anyone actually read them?.

We needed a dedicated space on the PDF forum specifically for rental hosts to hash things out. That’s why this thread exists, and that’s how it’s staying.

Honestly, I think deleting your post was a mistake. It should have just been moved to a more relevant thread, or if nothing fit, tossed into the offtopic section.

I'll let the moderators know to start moving posts like yours instead of just hitting delete.

Thanks for getting back to me.

Nathan Turner3 said:We needed a dedicated space on the forum for rental hosts to actually talk shop, so we set this thread up. It’s staying right here for that purpose.

So, here's the topic. Where's the best place to list a private rental online? This space is strictly for rental hosts. If you aren't one, please don't post here. Simple as that, right?
Even though the title doesn't actually mention hosts at all, just that— Where should I look for rentals?Based on the thread title, I figured this would be an open floor for anyone wanting to chat about where to list... plus, it might actually be pretty useful for hosts to hear how guests really feel about certain booking sites and platforms.

Honestly, I think it was a mistake to delete your post. It should’ve just been moved to a better thread, or if nothing fit, just tossed into the offtopic section. Right?

Even if it's offtopic? 😕
So, what’s the deal then? What happened to all the other threads on this subforum?
For example, let's say the topic is— Everything you need to know if you're hosting rentals. Who? I'm here. What's up? Is it okay to post this? If we're talking about apartment kitchens, shouldn't guests be allowed to share which setups they've run into and what bothered them? I mean, wouldn't you want to suggest how a host could build a kitchen that actually keeps guests happy? And if the thread is specifically about finding cheap modular kitchens for rentals, isn't answering that question totally fair?Check this out.Shouldn't this be moved to the offtopic section instead? 🤷 And should it even be deleted from the thread?
Who's actually allowed to post here? Experienced tour guides—a look at the job and where we're headed.So, what, we're only allowed to talk about travel guides now? Like you can't say anything or ask a single question unless you're a professional tour guide yourself?
Guest stories? Wait, so only hosts are allowed to post here? Are we really not supposed to chime in with our own thoughts on their experiences?
Vacation rentals and private stays (hosts, payments, certifications, etc.) What about this part? Same thing? It’s honestly hard to wrap my head around who's actually allowed to post here if they aren't a rental host...
Anyone know a good guest tracking program? We’re only here to help each other out... right?
Rental hosts with pools (experiences & stuff) So, is that strictly for rental hosts?
...etc.
Maybe there's a few more topics where non-hosts probably shouldn't be weighing in either?
Look, if that’s actually the rule, shouldn't it be pinned at the top of the subforum? People need to know who's allowed to post what, right?
What topics can people write about if they aren't rental hosts? How are they supposed to know? Or are they just restricted to the offtopic stuff? Where's the best place to list a vacation rental online? I don't really get it... what's the deal?😕
Everything you need to know. Does it even matter? With the thread title being... Not off-topic.So, hosts have to post in the offtopic section just because they aren't renting anything out right now? Seriously?
What happened to this thread? Anyone else have any crazy stories about renting from hosts?Is this space reserved just for guests, or are hosts allowed to jump in here too? 🤷

I'll tell the mods to just move posts like that instead of deleting them next time.

Even if the post isn't off-topic—since it actually answers the question being asked—the rule says they get deleted because that person hasn't stated that they are a rental host?
Honestly, it feels like a weird rule, but hey, it is what it is... I just think we should probably add stuff like that to the subforum rules so we aren't left guessing.

If the thread Offtopic topic US tourism is meant for:

Since people drift off-topic on the US tourism thread so much, this space is dedicated to offtopic chatter

Maybe we should clarify that it's not just for random stuff, but also for things that technically fit a specific topic but shouldn't be posted there based on how members earn their living.
It never even crossed my mind—and honestly, why should it?—that on a thread like "Where to advertise private rentals online" I can't mention Booking.com... and instead have to go find the thread meant for off-topic rambling.

So I just noticed my post got nuked from the offtopic topic US tourism thread. It was basically just a suggestion for a new thread where people could ask for help with technical stuff—like setting up profiles or navigating specific listing sites once they've already picked one...
I wrote it to show how it would actually look. The idea was to keep the title focused on a specific platform and then ask the actual question in the post.
(Doing that within the current thread just wouldn't work because the title would be totally off-topic.)
My whole point with providing an example was to make things easier for everyone to find answers. Right now, if you're looking for help on the "where to list" thread, it's a mess, and honestly, those questions don't even belong there since the person has already chosen their site—they just need a hand with it.

Does anyone actually have a decent reason for deleting it?
This
is the post right before the one that got deleted.

Rachel Jones8 said:It’s a mixed bag here, just like most places, kind of like a preschool. 😁
Every group has those friendly types who want to play nice and share, but then you’ve got the ones waiting to trip someone up, push people around, refuse to share, or just act like jerks...
Obviously, a new thread isn't going to pop into existence just because I suggested it, but hey, maybe we can at least talk about it? 🤔 Maybe.
Come on, seriously though, why would a thread dedicated solely to troubleshooting profile setups or issues with specific platforms be a bad idea? If we had it, posts would look something like this.

See below.

Then, if someone is having trouble with a specific site, they could just skim the thread and quickly find the exact issue or the provider they're dealing with, thanks to such a clear layout.

...but since the post showing that layout was deleted, it's gone. 😢

Still waiting on an answer for over a month now. Still no explanation, so I’m asking again—why was my post deleted from the
"Offtopic topic US tourism"
thread?

mod: said:Since people tend to drift away from the main US tourism thread, this space is meant for off-topic chatter—basically anything else like politics or history, instead of what we talk about in the US tourism section.

So, here's the deal. I made a post about Booking.com that actually fit the theme on the "Where to Advertise Private Rentals Online" thread, but they wiped it. The mods basically told me that hosts aren't allowed to post there and that their stuff gets moved to the "Offtopic" section instead.
Then, I went over to the "Offtopic" thread to suggest a new layout for a potential sub-forum, but even that post got nuked.

If you can't even post relevant stuff on the "Where to Advertise Private Rentals Online" thread without it being shoved over to "Offtopic"... and if the "Offtopic" thread is supposedly "meant for off-topic chatter where you can write about anything"... then why are posts getting deleted there too?
Why did they delete my post from the Offtopic section?
What am I actually allowed to say in Offtopic?
What's strictly off-limits in Offtopic?
Why is it such a struggle to just get an explanation when something gets deleted from the Offtopic thread?

Just wanted to jump in here—if anyone’s looking to drop some suggestions, there’s actually a dedicated thread for that over at: . It probably shouldn't be hanging out in the off-topic section anyway, right?

I totally missed that Temu thread. I was scrolling through the USA and tourism section since that’s my usual spot—it felt like the right place for this suggestion, you know?
But even if it wasn't, shouldn't there be some kind of explanation instead of just deleting stuff? If a post doesn't fit, why not just move it to another sub?
Plus, that other post with the suggestion and the follow-up explanation is still sitting there. 🤷
link1 and link2
How is that one gone while these others are still up? 😕

Look, here’s the thing. You wrote quite a massive amount there, but honestly—the whole situation is actually very simple and straightforward. One part of your question was already covered by NN, and I’ve given you my take on the rest.

So, basically, this forum has various threads dedicated to all sorts of different subjects. We try our best to stick to specific guidelines and rules for certain topics. Part of those rules is that we stay focused on the subject at hand—we shouldn't wander off into other areas. If a conversation drifts too far from the main point, it really ought to be moved over to the appropriate thread or topic instead.

I think you might have slightly missed the mark regarding both the subject matter and the nature of the inquiry itself. "Off-topic" exists as a catch-all space for just about anything, but even then, we try to avoid rehashing things that are already clearly laid out in the PDF. In either case, the core purpose of your long explanation sort of missed the actual point of the thread 😁
.
Maybe it shouldn't have been deleted entirely, but moving it was definitely the right call. It’s one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situations—if it gets deleted, people complain; if it stays, it’s messy. If it makes things easier for you, I can go ahead and delete link1 and link2 myself. Personally, I believe that even moderators aren't always right or perfect—not that we try to be difficult!—but we really do just do the best we can. I'm honestly not sure what else I can say to clarify this for you.

Harold Taylor6 said:Look. You wrote a whole novel, but this is actually super simple. One person already answered part of it, and I gave you the rest.

True, though the explanations felt pretty weird to me. That’s why I started this thread—to see if there really are certain topics off-limits depending on what you do for a living or whatever.
Besides, who’s to say everyone claiming to be a landlord is telling the truth? If I had lied and said I was a rental owner, would I have been allowed to post in a thread titled "Where to Advertise Private Rentals Online"? (where apparently only owners should talk)
I haven't seen any rules or discrimination like that in other sub-forums or threads.

Basically, the forum has different threads for different things. They try to follow specific guidelines and rules for certain topics. One rule is that certain threads are for specific subjects only, so you shouldn't wander into other areas. If you do, you're supposed to move over to the correct topic.

That might apply generally to the forum, but not to the "Where to Advertise Private Rentals Online" thread. People talk about everything and anything there, and hardly ever just about where to advertise.
Plus... if that were actually the case, there wouldn't be a reason for my post (which fit the topic perfectly) to be deleted. It wasn't even moved.

You kind of missed the point of the threads and the requests.

I'm saying it again—that's just not true, and I don't know why people keep insisting on it.
In the "Where to Advertise Private Rentals Online" thread, I asked about Booking.com... people kept discussing it, yet my post got wiped.
Everything else (like stuff about vacation rentals, etc.) I posted in the "Tourism industry - Discussion (General Thread)," which I thought was appropriate.
The main thing is that those posts aren't even being discussed; they're still in that thread, neither deleted nor moved.

The Off-Topic section is meant for everything, but you still shouldn't post about things that already have their own dedicated threads on the Democratic Party. In both cases, you missed the point of your posts and the purpose of the thread. 😁

I mentioned that I checked the "Tourism industry" threads and couldn't find a match, so Off-Topic seemed like the best bet.
If it wasn't right, it could have just been moved and I could have been told why... like, "hey, this thread exists."
That's how it works everywhere else.

Regarding the bolded part, since I'm not "allowed" to post in the advertising thread and was told to use Off-Topic instead—I'm basically being forced to do the exact opposite of what's intended and what fits existing topics. I don't get it... everyone else is going one way, and I'm being pushed the other.
Please don't delete posts like this under "offtopic." They actually fit perfectly under "where to advertise," and honestly, I don't have any other choice.

Maybe it shouldn't have been deleted, but moving it was definitely the right call. Deleting it? Not great. Leaving it alone wouldn't be ideal either. If you prefer, I can just go ahead and delete link1 and link2 myself. Look, I believe even moderators aren't always right or perfect, but we’re doing our best here. I'm not sure what else to say to you.

How can you say that?
Why wouldn't it be okay to leave it up? 😕
I mean, I literally wrote the post wanting it to stay, so obviously I didn't want it deleted.
First, it was an on-topic post from the "Where to advertise private rentals online" thread, and then an off-topic one from the "Offtopic: US Tourism industry" thread.
That's exactly why I'm asking here—to understand the why and how... not because everyone was just letting posts sit where they were... because I'm really not happy about this.🙄
The post was meant well; it was a suggestion for a more efficient thread that would help a lot of people, yet it got wiped. Weird.

You don't need to say anything else.
To be honest, the replies I've gotten feel pretty pointless, untrue, and frankly, discriminatory.
But hey, no big deal... I guess that's just the vibe of that group. If they're happy now that I'm not posting in that thread, fine by me.
It's still weird, though. But hey, that's my problem.
And... thanks for the reply, even if I'm not thrilled with it. 😉