Rule Change Update

Given that several threads (the first and the second) are discussing changes to the rules without any actual explanation of the "what" or the "how," this seems like the most logical sub-forum to pose some follow-up questions.👍

The new rule is as follows:

rustydrifter10 said:... moving forward, critiques can only be posted if the user steps out from behind anonymity. In light of recent litigation, anonymous critiques will be deleted. We intend to remain neutral; it is not our responsibility to verify the truthfulness of claims, but in situations where we have an anonymous user on one side and a non-anonymous user on the other, we will favor the non-anonymous party.

I have been reviewing the current rules and guidelines, yet I don't see this new policy incorporated anywhere. Consequently, I have several points of confusion regarding this concept of "stepping out of anonymity":

- By what mechanism would a user provide their personal information to Reddit (will there be a form during registration, or will they need to visit a notary public...)?😕

- How exactly will Reddit verify this (which databases will be used, and how will you ensure the data is accurate and actually belongs to the individual)?😕

- What is the intended use for this information (will it be handed over to the subject of the critique to facilitate a lawsuit, or something else entirely...)?😕

Similarly, I find the grounds for deleting critiques somewhat unclear:

- Is it necessary for the subject of the critique to lodge the complaint themselves, or can someone act on their behalf?😕

- Does this apply universally to all criticized entities (for instance, companies on Pixar, public figures on Politics and similar sub-forums, FedEx on the Chicago sub-forum, telecom providers, makeup brands...)?😕

- If everyone mentioned in the previous paragraph were to request deletions tomorrow, would all historical posts be wiped, or will users be expected to submit their credentials retroactively...?😕

Well, that is just the starting point; I am certain more questions will occur to me within the next 14 hours.👍

I can totally see where they're coming from when it comes to corporations (though, just imagine some disgruntled employee at a massive firm like Amazon posting about how terrible the working conditions are—what are the odds that poor soul is going to sign their full legal name and risk getting fired?).

But when we shift the conversation over to political subreddits, public figures usually step into the spotlight by choice.
Even our elections, which serve as the primary democratic tool for holding politicians accountable, are built entirely on the foundation of the secret ballot.

What does it matter if they're public figures? At the end of the day, private individuals can still file a lawsuit for defamation or libel, whereas corporations generally can't. In fact, this actually gives them even more leverage to throw around legal threats.🤷

Well, it’s official, and the rule is now officially in effect:

Protecting the reputation of individuals and legal entities outside of Reddit

On Reddit, anonymous users enjoy the privilege of posting freely on a platform that is public and accessible to everyone. Consequently, there is always the risk that an anonymous user might abuse that anonymity to damage the reputation of specific individuals or organizations.

An aggrieved party can report such malicious posts and request their removal by providing a clear justification (such as falsehoods, libel, or privacy violations). In these instances, Reddit prioritizes the rights of the identified individual over the anonymous poster; we will weigh the reasoned arguments provided and remove posts that unfairly damage someone's reputation.

This doesn't mean every single reported post gets nuked automatically. Critical, yet objective and well-constructed posts from established users with a significant history on Reddit will likely remain (depending on the specifics of the case). However, for those authors who have very few posts—meaning they lack a digital footprint or any real credibility here—reported posts will be practically removed by default.

Those seeking to defend their reputation have the option to utilize a "verified user" to debunk false claims and provide accurate information firsthand. This is a far more effective practice than spinning up new, zero-credibility accounts just to dispute problematic statements or demand deletions.

An anonymous author whose posts have been removed may request their reinstatement, but doing so requires them to waive their anonymity. They must stand behind their claims with their real identity, which they can either disclose publicly or provide privately to the Reddit administration. We are obligated to keep this information confidential, except when compelled by a court order or police warrant.

As the title itself suggests, we are talking about both individuals and legal entities. And that, in short, is the gist of it.👎

I think the inclusion of the word "likely" is the most prudent part of the whole thing.🤦

Too bad. I just hope all these crazy restrictions don't turn this Reddit thread into nothing but a glorified chat room.

Brian Edwards6 said:That doesn’t mean every single post someone has ever made is going to be wiped out automatically. If a user has a massive history here—a real body of work—their critical, yet objective and properly phrased posts will probably stay (depending on how they justify them).

:

So what does this actually imply?
If I’ve been an active member on Reddit for years—thousands of posts under my belt—and I write that a face cream from Brand X bought at Target is an absolute disaster, completely useless, smells revolting enough to make me gag, and gave me a massive rash...
Is that post just going to vanish?
And if it gets nuked, am I expected to provide my full legal name, Social Security number, and home address right there in the thread just to get it reinstated?
Is that the price for making it easier for some corporation to sue me for defamation?
Since when are we not allowed to have an opinion, share our thoughts, or express our actual emotions regarding an event, a product, a company, or even a movie...?🤷

Who is going to decide—and by what metric, exactly—what constitutes "acceptable" speech versus what doesn't?
Going back to the cream example—who is the arbiter here? Who decides whether that cream actually smells like horse manure to ME, while the manufacturer claims it smells like a mountain breeze 🤷
and that it genuinely makes me nauseous (even if it doesn't affect anyone else)?
Am I allowed to say that, or am I being silenced?

Am I missing something obvious here?
This is truly... just... unbelievable.

I’m feeling the exact same way as Chloe Thompson9.

Also, what’s even the point of a thread like "Mobile Carrier Regulations" if they're just gonna nuked any post where someone shares a bad experience with Verizon or AT&T, while letting all the glowing reviews stay up?

And how is the Health or Psychology section supposed to work? Threads like "Looking for a doctor/specialist..." or "Experiences with psychiatrists and psychologists"—if you aren't allowed to mention a bad experience, then the whole thing falls apart. These things are totally subjective. One person's nightmare doctor is another person's lifesaver. 🤷

I can't help but feel like every single thread dedicated to a specific product, brand, or service is just gonna turn into a glorified PR page or a Q&A session.

Plus, why does post count matter so much? Shouldn't the registration date and the actual vibe of the user be more important?
I've seen plenty of people sign up, get cozy on some random site, and then spam a couple thousand posts in just a few months to game the system.

I'm signing off on all those doubts and questions above..

I honestly doubt we'll get any meaningful answers here.

Looking at everything being said—all these controversial topics and more—this decision by Reddit puts them on a straight path toward tyranny, one-sided thinking, and an obvious crackdown on free speech. It feels almost... I don't know, childishly obsessed with identity politics or something. They claim it isn't their job to decide who’s right or wrong, yet they just side with whoever has more power and then demand users hand over their private data.

Just like politicians, athletes, tycoons, and other "public figures," corporations are essentially public entities too. That means they have to deal with both praise and criticism. If they can't handle it, they should go talk to the people praising or bashing them directly and settle things there.

Who is going to guarantee to me, or to Steve, Milk, Mickey, Stanley, etc., that if we give our info to the admins or the owner, that data actually stays secret?
What stops an admin from having a meltdown one day? Like, what if he just snaps, quits his job, posts everyone's identities publicly, and then disappears from Reddit? What happens then?

Has the admin signed some kind of nondisclosure agreement or a vow of discretion with a notary, a lawyer, or some professional association? I highly doubt it..

And who guarantees that someone who gets access to personal data won't just go home and gossip about it with his wife, girlfriend, mistress, mom, brother, dad, sister, or even a neighbor? Just saying something "in confidence" that eventually leaks out..??
Who guarantees that discretion? How? Under what specific laws or regulations, and will there be actual criminal or civil liability involved?

It's kind of ridiculous..

Actually, it's pretty ridiculous..

I can't see this any other way than the leadership, including Unknown and the rest, getting spooked by potential lawsuits or threats. So, they decided to hide and cave to certain powerful interests, clearly doing it at the expense of their own users—the very people who keep this place running and determine whether this platform succeeds or fails..

Chloe Thompson9 said:To me, that cream honestly smells like horse manure, even if the manufacturer claims it’s like a mountain breeze.🤷
And it actually makes me nauseous (even if it doesn't bother everyone else).
Can I even write that, or am I not allowed?

Of course you can. Honestly, Reddit has always handled these kinds of 'anonymous' users this way; they just finally turned it into an official rule.

It’s nothing new, and it’s definitely not some thing designed to strip away your right to speak up or say when something sucks.
If someone or something is garbage, it's perfectly fine to say so and explain why, pretty much just like it's always been. 🙂

Reddit is essentially an anonymous platform, sure, but small businesses and actual companies aren't anonymous. Unfortunately, we live in a world where there are all sorts of people who, out of pure spite, decide to trash-talk or smear anyone—especially their competition.

And no, the total number of posts a user has made doesn't really matter that much, because your identity here is about more than just a count. It’s about your activity, how long you’ve been around, and the actual credibility you’ve built up by being part of the community.

To put it simply, if someone signs up today and starts trashing a specific product or a local business by next week, it's only natural that those posts get scrutinized, along with the person behind them. Since that person is totally anonymous, we have to verify what they're saying, because those negative reviews—which might not even be true—can cause serious damage to the non-anonymous company being mentioned.
We aren't calling the person a liar; maybe they really did sign up just to share their honest opinion, but if they want those posts to stay on the site, the admins need to be able to verify the person behind the screen with their actual name. That's the deal if you want your comments to stick.

But again, this isn't anything groundbreaking. Posts from brand-new users looking to drag things were always getting wiped because their motive was obvious. The only difference now is that these posts might actually be allowed to stay on the thread, provided someone is willing to stand behind their words with their real identity instead of just a username.

northernpilot2 said:cut/
Look, I’m not saying the person is lying. Maybe they aren't. Maybe they just signed up to share their take on things. But if they want those posts to actually stay on Reddit, the admins need to verify who they really are with a legal name. That’s the deal if you want your stuff left up.

I’m lost on a few things here.
How are you guys even supposed to verify someone's identity just because they claim a certain name? What, by asking for a driver's license?
And honestly, why would a post be considered suspicious or toxic today, but suddenly become totally fine tomorrow just because Marko Marić wrote it? Do you guys actually know Mark personally? Like, you know for a fact he doesn't just talk trash for the hell of it?
Plus, who's to say a new user—someone who just joined and was "forced" to reveal their real name—isn't planning on sticking around and joining other threads? Why are they being denied the same anonymity the rest of us get to pretend we have?

northernpilot2 said:… this kind of practice has always been applied on Reddit toward those 'anonymous' users; it’s just been codified into a written rule now…

What practice exactly? Handing over private information?🤔

northernpilot2 said:… If someone or something is problematic, it’s fine to write about why it’s problematic, basically as usual…

Posts were being written and deleted, and not by new users. Well, they were new under that specific username, but they were well-known to the moderators watching the thread (and acting in coordination with them to protect the site's integrity). How does what you're writing here apply to them?🤔

northernpilot2 said:… To simplify things, if someone registers today and starts trashing someone else's products or companies by next week, it is perfectly normal for such posts to be scrutinized, as well as the person behind them…

That isn't even what we're talking about. This is about deleting the entries of long-time users for no reason at all, and now, making the restoration of those entries conditional upon providing personal data.👎

northernpilot2 said:… I’m telling you, this isn't anything new. Such posts from new Reddit users have always been removed because their purpose for registering is immediately obvious. The only thing that's new is that such posts might actually stay on the thread and the site now, provided there is a real identity standing behind them rather than just a handle.

And once again in this thread—this isn't the issue at all. But given how you've framed it, I have to hand it to you. In political circles, they'd call that "spin."👎

Could you please address the questions I raised in my initial post?😕

I also have a few follow-up questions, given the way you’ve "clarified" things here:

- Regarding veteran users who actually have established credibility—will they also be wiped out and forced to "prove" who they are by handing over their private personal data?😕

- In this context, how are we defining an "old" versus a "new" user? For instance, does an "old" user mean someone who registered back in 2005 but hasn't logged in since, whereas a "new" user might have joined three days ago but already has dozens of high-quality posts?😕

I don't even know where to start with this one, honestly... I mean, I guess I should probably just dive right in, but there's so much noise lately that it’s hard to tell what’s actually worth talking about, you know? It feels like everything is just a constant stream of nonsense, and sometimes I wonder if anyone is even paying attention to the actual substance of things anymore. Maybe I'm just being cynical, or maybe I've just been staring at my screen for too many hours, but it definitely feels like we're all just circling the drain of some massive, collective misunderantstanding. Anyway, I was thinking about how much stuff changes depending on who you ask, which is kind of wild when you really stop to think about it. You have people shouting one thing on Reddit and then something completely different happening in real life, and I guess it just makes you question the whole reality of the situation. It's messy, it's loud, and frankly, it's exhausting. But hey, that's just my two cents, I suppose. kaže:
What kind of practice even is that? I mean, seriously, just handing over your personal info like it's going out of style? It feels pretty sketchy to me, I guess.🤔

No, what I was getting at was that part about how the sign-ups were just registered users—so, like, if they turned out to be nothing but spam, they’d just end up getting nuked in the end anyway.

I mean, I could honestly go on and on about this whole thing for hours, just rambling forever, but at the end of the day, the rule is right there in black and white. You can’t really dive into a deep, meaningful debate about stuff like this when it’s all still so new; you need actual time to let things breathe and get some real-world experience under your belt before you can even start talking about it seriously, I guess. Maybe we just need to wait and see how it plays out first.

This is Reddit for... technical Look, I feel like those questions you’re throwing out there—and honestly, the whole reason you even started this discussion in the first place—just don't really fit in this specific corner of the site. It feels a bit off-topic here, I guess. This kind of stuff is probably better suited for the PZK subreddit or something similar, you know? I mean, I guess this is just... how we're doing things now? It feels like everything is shifting, maybe even more than people realize, but honestly, I don't know if anyone is actually paying attention to the way things are moving lately. It’s all kind of messy, I suppose. Honestly, I feel like Nica pretty much nailed it with that one; she basically said "less is more," which is exactly what this whole thread needed.

So, I guess that's it then. I'm just gonna close this out.