Spam can be subjective, and can be defined differently in different contexts. It can be hard to know what should be reported. We’d like to share our working definition of spam with you, and as always, we welcome your comments and questions.
What is spam?
For purposes of moderation, we define spam as:
- Commercial marketing or search engine optimization
- Repetitive posts that degrade the quality of service or the experience of users
- Any accounts setting up contacts for subsequent fraud or scams
- Promotion of cryptocurrencies, stocks, or other speculative financial instruments
- Promotion of gambling
Exceptions to this include:
- Local businesses and organizations serving Bay Area residents are allowed to present information about events, programs, services, or merchandise; provided that this is not done so frequently that it disrupts the timeline. See our Corp and Org account rules for more details!
- Individual artists and creators are allowed to present their own work, including works for sale; again provided that it is not done so frequently that it becomes disruptive
- Genuine reviews or recommendations by customers are allowed; instances where it’s unclear whether something is a genuine review will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
What is not spam?
Examples of some things we would not consider to be spam:
- Posts that are tangentially related or irrelevant to the topic
- Poorly informed opinions or statements that may not be true
Generally, the best approach in these cases is to apply a personal mute, block, or filter. However, if such posts are being made in a manner clearly intended to cause harm, distress, or disruption, we would treat it as harassment and sanction accordingly.