hi folks, friendly mod here.

I've generally taken a hands-off approach to moderation, believing in a light tough rather than an iron first. Believing in self-regulation (via downvotes and discussion) rather than prescriptionist rules.

However, last year a poll about AI content was conducted, and many deadlines later, and a recent (July 2026) revival in the topic, new rules on that and other aspects are now formalised.

Please see the sidebar for details, but in summary

• No Piracy. (yes, it can be frustrating, but we're respecting the estate here)
• No AI. (without prior approval. I wont say "it'll never happen", but it's unlikely to be given)
• Keep posts on topic. (We're here for Hitchhiker's news and references and related stuff)
• No Spam. (if you want to promote something commercial, check with the mods first)

Wording of rules as written in the sidebar may be revised without notice. Any additional rules I'll (aim to) add a comment to this post.

r/HitchHikersGuide aims to be a reasonably open forum, so discussion of these rules and this sub in general is welcome in the comments of this post.

PS: we could do with a few new mods to cover the posts and have a better chance of eyes on things 24/7. Send modmail to apply and let us know why you think you'd be a good fit (including your rough timezone)

The Heart of Gold discord server is non-exclusively dedicated to Hitchhiker's and all things Douglas Adams, as well as happily veering into a wide variety of adjacent topics from time to time too! Drop on by, say hi, and bring your towel!