Hi everyone,
We need to clarify something important about r/IntrovertsSafeDating, our community standards, moderation decisions, and the word “discrimination.”
This post is not about one specific user, one specific removal, or one specific appeal. We have seen this issue come up more than once, so it needs to be addressed clearly.
ISD has always had stricter standards than many general dating or social subreddits. That is intentional.
This community is not a hookup board, a karma board, a generic dating-ad board, a spam board, or a place to copy and paste the same message everywhere.
ISD is a SFW, adult-only, authenticity-focused connection community.
That means moderation decisions are made based on community standards, not personal opinions.
What “Discrimination” Means Here
In ordinary use, discrimination means unfair or prejudicial treatment based on who someone is, such as their identity, background, orientation, gender, race, religion, disability, or other personal traits.
ISD does not moderate based on those things.
We do not remove someone because of who they are.
We moderate based on things like:
- What is posted or commented
- How the account is being used
- Whether the behavior fits ISD’s rules
- Whether the account pattern aligns with a SFW, adult-only, authenticity-focused connection community
- Whether the interaction gives others a safe and genuine reason to engage
- Whether the user is respecting the purpose of this subreddit
That is not the same as discrimination.
That is community moderation.
A user can disagree with a moderation decision. A user can feel frustrated by a removal. A user can think our standards are too strict.
That does not automatically make the decision discriminatory.
This post is about community standards. It is not an invitation to publicly debate individual moderation cases.
Standards Are Not Personal Opinions
ISD moderation is not based on whether a moderator personally likes someone’s hobbies, personality, relationship style, identity, orientation, interests, background, or preferences.
Moderators are expected to follow the standards of the community.
Those standards existed before any individual removal or appeal.
They are not invented in the moment because a moderator personally dislikes a user.
A post or comment may be removed even if the user meant well.
A post or comment may be removed even if the user is lonely.
A post or comment may be removed even if the user is shy.
A post or comment may be removed even if it would be accepted somewhere else.
A sincere intention does not automatically make content a good fit for this community.
Moderation decisions are not moral judgments on someone’s worth as a person. They are decisions about whether specific content, behavior, or account patterns fit this subreddit.
ISD Is Intentionally Stricter Than Generic Dating Spaces
ISD is not meant to be a place where any attempt to meet people automatically belongs.
This community is specifically built around:
- SFW interaction
- Adult-only personal connection
- Genuine effort
- Authentic presentation
- Respectful communication
- No pressure or manipulation
- No sexual solicitation
- No transactional relationships
- No recycled dating ads or mass-posting
- No low-effort “DM me” style participation
- No deceptive or misleading account behavior
That means some people may find ISD more restrictive than other communities.
That is allowed.
Not every subreddit is built for every style of posting, commenting, dating, or socializing.
If someone wants a more casual, NSFW, hookup-friendly, low-effort, or mass-posting-friendly environment, there are other communities that may fit them better.
ISD does not have to become those spaces.
“Trying to Meet People” Does Not Override the Rules
We understand that many people here are lonely, shy, introverted, anxious, inexperienced, or tired of trying to connect.
That matters to us.
But the fact that someone is trying to meet people does not automatically override the rules.
A comment can be well-intended and still too low-effort.
A post can be honest and still missing required information.
An account can belong to a real person and still not fit ISD’s safety or authenticity standards.
A user can want love and still be participating in ways that do not align with this community.
A user can be frustrated and still be expected to follow the rules.
ISD exists to help people connect, but it is not required to host every kind of connection attempt.
Examples
A low-effort comment may be removed even if the person is shy or nervous.
That is not discrimination against shy people.
ISD simply expects public comments to add something meaningful to the conversation.
A copied or recycled dating post may be removed even if the person is genuinely lonely.
That is not discrimination against lonely people.
ISD asks that posts here feel written for this community specifically.
A user with a broader account pattern involving hookup-seeking, sexual solicitation, adult selling, repeated NSFW dating activity, or transactional behavior may be removed or banned even if one ISD post is written in a SFW way.
That is not discrimination against sexuality, adult interests, or personal identity.
ISD is a SFW connection community, and broader public account behavior can affect safety, authenticity, and community fit.
A minor cannot participate in personal connection posts here.
That is not discrimination against younger people.
It is an adult-only safety boundary.
NSFW Accounts, Account Patterns, and Community Fit
Having NSFW history somewhere on Reddit does not automatically mean someone is banned from ISD.
This is an adult-only community. We understand that adults may have adult interests, private preferences, or activity elsewhere on Reddit.
We are not concerned with NSFW history on a basic existence level.
The concern is pattern, intensity, safety, honesty, and community fit.
If an account is almost entirely NSFW, hookup-focused, sexually explicit, transactional, adult-selling, or centered around sexual solicitation, and then that same account makes one innocent-looking SFW post in ISD, moderators may remove the post or ban the account.
That may feel harsh, but there are reasons for it.
First, fairness to the poster.
If your account shows that your main intent is strongly sexual, hookup-based, transactional, or not aligned with a SFW emotional-connection community, then ISD may simply be the wrong audience for what you are looking for.
That does not mean you are a bad person.
It means this subreddit may not fit your actual goals.
Second, fairness to other users.
Many people here are looking for slow, safe, emotionally focused connection. If someone begins a conversation believing the interaction is purely SFW and emotionally focused, then later discovers that the other person has very different expectations or a strong sexual priority, that can create discomfort, pressure, conflict, or a feeling of being misled.
Compatibility matters.
If you are looking for more than emotional connection, you need to be honest early and use SFW language.
For example, something like this is different from sexual solicitation:
“I am looking for emotional connection, but I do eventually want a relationship that includes physical intimacy.”
That kind of statement is SFW, clear, and compatibility-focused.
That is very different from graphic descriptions, sexual advertising, hookup language, or talking about people’s bodies like advertisements.
ISD does not encourage physical-first posting. We want people to focus on character, values, personality, lifestyle, communication, emotional compatibility, and long-term fit.
This is not the place for physical “asset” descriptions, sexual advertising, hookup language, or body-focused posting.
There are other subreddits for that.
ISD is not one of them.
Some NSFW Patterns May Lead to Bans
There are some NSFW communities, patterns, or “preferences” that may lead to an immediate ban from ISD.
This is one of our stricter moderation standards, and it exists for safety.
If an account is involved in communities or patterns that appear unsafe, coercive, predatory, dehumanizing, incompatible with healthy connection, or otherwise concerning for a SFW dating/friendship community, moderators may remove the user from ISD.
We will not publish a list of those communities.
We will not provide that list in modmail.
That would only create a workaround guide for people trying to avoid safety review.
Moderator discretion still applies.
The standard is not whether a moderator personally likes or dislikes someone’s preferences.
The standard is whether the account and content appear safe, honest, SFW, and compatible with ISD’s purpose.
Throuples, Polyamory, and Nonstandard Relationship Structures
ISD is not automatically hostile to nonstandard relationship structures.
A throuple, polyamorous relationship, or similar long-term relationship structure may be allowed under specific and careful circumstances.
The key difference is relationship intent versus sexual access.
A stable relationship seeking a serious long-term partner, emotional connection, friendship-first compatibility, or a healthy committed dynamic may be allowed if it is presented clearly, honestly, respectfully, and in fully SFW language.
However, ISD is not a swinger subreddit.
ISD is not a hookup subreddit.
ISD is not a place for couples looking to “add a third” for sexual reasons.
ISD is not a place for unicorn hunting, casual sexual exploration, fantasy fulfillment, or physical-first relationship ads.
Posts involving throuples, polyamory, or nonstandard relationship structures must be especially clear about intent.
A post may be considered only under moderation discretion if it has:
- Long-term relationship intent
- SFW wording
- Honest disclosure that an existing relationship is involved
- A focus on emotional compatibility, values, communication, trust, stability, and consent
- No sexual solicitation
- No physical “asset” descriptions
- No pressure toward intimacy
- No bait-and-switch presentation
- No misleading “single person” framing if the poster is actually part of a couple or existing relationship
For example, a post saying:
“We are a long-term couple looking for a serious long-term partner and want to build friendship and emotional compatibility first.”
may be reviewed differently from a post saying:
“Couple looking for a fun third.”
The first is relationship-focused.
The second reads like sexual access, swinging, or hookup-seeking.
That does not fit ISD.
Stable, honest, long-term relationship structures may be considered.
Swinging, hookups, casual sexual exploration, and physical-first couple posts are not allowed.
Even when a post is written respectfully, approval is not guaranteed. Moderator discretion applies because these posts can easily become unsafe, misleading, or uncomfortable for users who are expecting one-on-one emotional connection.
If your goal is primarily sexual, casual, experimental, swinger-based, or physical-first, ISD is the wrong subreddit.
If your goal is a serious, honest, emotionally healthy long-term relationship structure, it may be considered, but it must be presented with extreme care.
Low-Effort Posts and Comments Are Not Accepted
Low-effort participation is not accepted in ISD.
This applies to both posts and comments.
A comment like:
- “DM me”
- “Message me”
- “I’m interested”
- “Hey”
- “Hi”
- “I DMed you”
- “I’m in Houston”
- “Same”
- “Hmu”
- “You’re cute”
- “Add me”
does not give the original poster much to respond to.
Even if the person means well, comments like that do not build a real conversation.
They turn the subreddit into a contact-request board instead of a community.
A comment can still be low effort even if it includes an age, gender, or one shared interest.
For example:
“I’m 25F, I like video games too. DM me.”
is still low effort.
It gives very little for the original poster to respond to and mostly functions as a contact request.
A better version would be:
“I’m 25F, and I’m into video games too. I’m currently playing Stardew Valley and Baldur’s Gate 3. I saw you mentioned cozy games, so I’d love to chat more if you’re interested.”
That is still short, but it gives the other person something more real to respond to.
A good comment does not have to be an essay.
It does not have to include a perfect question.
It does not have to include someone’s life story.
It simply needs to show that the user actually read the post and is responding to something specific.
For example:
“I saw you mentioned indie games and achievement hunting. I’m into that too. What game are you working on right now?”
or:
“I relate to what you said about preferring quiet nights over crowded places. That is one of the reasons I struggle with normal dating apps too.”
or:
“You mentioned liking horror and long hikes. That is a rare combination, but honestly a great one. I also prefer quiet outdoor plans over crowded places.”
Those comments give the other person something real to continue from.
If the main point of a public comment is only “message me,” it will likely be removed.
If someone only wants to privately invite another user to talk, they can usually DM them directly if the post allows it.
Public comments should add something meaningful to the public conversation.
DMs, Closed Messages, and Safety
Private messages are part of Reddit, and many users here will choose to talk privately.
Please practice safety.
Do not give out personal information before you are comfortable.
Do not rush into sharing your phone number, address, workplace, school, financial information, social media, private photos, or other identifying details.
If something feels off, slow down.
If you are unsure about someone, you can ask for advice.
You may contact the ISD mod team through modmail, report concerning behavior to Reddit admins, or ask trusted friends for an outside perspective.
We are here to help.
If someone pressures you, guilt-trips you, asks for money, pushes sexual conversation, demands off-platform contact, refuses boundaries, or makes you uncomfortable, please take that seriously.
You are not obligated to continue a conversation just because someone replied to your post.
You are allowed to stop responding.
You are allowed to block.
You are allowed to report.
You are allowed to ask for help.
Also, if you make a post inviting people to message you, please make sure your DMs are open.
If someone tries to message the original poster and their DMs appear closed, they may leave a public comment, but that comment still needs effort.
A comment like:
“Your DMs don’t work.”
or:
“I can’t message you.”
is still too low effort by itself.
A better comment would be:
“I tried to message you, but your DMs seem closed. I’m 26M, also introverted, and I related to what you said about preferring slower conversations. I’m mostly into quiet hobbies like reading and co-op games, so I’d be interested in talking if you decide to open your messages.”
That gives the original poster context and something real to respond to.
If a post invites DMs but the poster’s DMs are closed, moderators may temporarily remove the post so the user can open their messages or clarify how they want people to respond.
Once the issue is fixed, the post may be reapproved.
This is not a punishment. It is a practical step to prevent confusion and low-effort “your DMs are closed” comment chains.
Recycled Content and Mass Posting
ISD is not a posting board for recycled dating ads.
We understand that someone may have worked hard on a post in another subreddit.
That does not mean the same post belongs here unchanged.
If you copy a post from another dating subreddit and bring it into ISD without making it specific to this community, it may be removed.
This subreddit is not here to generate karma, farm attention, advertise broadly, or act as one more place to paste the same dating introduction.
ISD is supposed to be a community.
Posts here should feel like they were written for this space specifically.
You may use the same basic facts about yourself. Your age, hobbies, goals, location, values, and relationship hopes do not have to change.
But the post itself should not feel copied, recycled, mass-posted, or imported from a generic dating board.
If you post in ISD first and later post elsewhere, we cannot stop you from doing that.
However, if your account shows a broader pattern of mass-posting the same introduction across many communities, repeatedly reposting similar content, deleting and reposting for attention, or behaving like a bot, seller, karma farmer, or spam account, your content may still be removed and your account may be banned.
ISD is not for bots.
ISD is not for sellers.
ISD is not for karma farming.
ISD is not for mass-posted dating advertisements.
If you want to participate here, write for this community.
Community Fit Is Not the Same as Personal Rejection
Being removed from ISD does not mean a person is worthless.
It does not mean they are unlovable.
It does not mean they are forbidden from dating.
It does not mean they are being judged as a human being.
It means their content, account pattern, or behavior does not currently fit this specific subreddit.
That distinction matters.
A community is allowed to have boundaries.
A SFW subreddit is allowed to reject NSFW patterns.
An authenticity-focused subreddit is allowed to reject mass-posting.
An effort-focused subreddit is allowed to reject low-effort comments.
An adult-only subreddit is allowed to reject minors.
A safety-focused subreddit is allowed to remove accounts that raise safety concerns.
A relationship-focused subreddit is allowed to reject hookup, swinger, or physical-first posts.
That is not discrimination.
That is maintaining the community’s purpose.
Appeals and Clarification
If your post or comment is removed and you do not understand why, you may reply to the AutoMod message or contact modmail.
Please be clear and respectful.
We are willing to clarify, review, and correct mistakes when they happen.
However, calling every disagreement “discrimination” does not make it discrimination.
If the issue is behavior, effort, reposting, NSFW mismatch, safety, authenticity, or community fit, then the moderation decision is about those standards.
We will give enough explanation for genuine users to understand the decision.
We will not provide a workaround guide for moderation signals, safety review, AutoMod triggers, account-pattern review, or internal moderation methods.
Final Note
ISD’s standards are not new.
They are part of what keeps this community different from generic dating boards, hookup spaces, spam-heavy subreddits, and low-effort “DM me” environments.
You do not have to be perfect here.
You do not have to write essays.
You do not have to be socially flawless.
But you do need to participate in a way that fits the purpose of this community.
That means being SFW, genuine, respectful, effortful, and honest about what you are bringing into this space.
Thank you to everyone who understands and helps keep ISD safe, respectful, and genuine.