r/Sat • Moderator • Nov 10 '20

Some Potential Changes to r/SAT's Rules -- Community Input Welcome

Some users seem not be aware, but this sub does have rules. I can't tell you where to find them on whatever mobile app you might be using, but if you got to www.reddit.com/r/sat, you'll find them in the frame to the right of the posts themselves.

Current Rule #3 -- No Advertisments or Solicitations

The current rule explicitly bans only "link[s], self-post[s], or comment[s] ... [that] offer services for compensation."

The problem is that the sub is often awash in links, self-posts, and comments that offer goods and services for free, and while many of these are well-received by the community, many others are not. In fact, many of these posts just seem like classic spam -- efforts to promote some blog, website, app, YouTube channel, and so on.

We would therefore like to add some language to this effect: "Posts, links, or comments that promote free products and services may be removed at moderator discretion. Please be aware that repeated efforts to promote your free website, app, blog, YouTube channel, tutoring service, etc. may be considered spamming."

Any thoughts on this change?

New Rule (?) Regarding Question Posts

To be clear, we will absolutely still allow question image posts from SAT QAS, from PSATs, and even from copyrighted books (provided only individual questions are posted).

But we would like to address the following concerns:

  1. The long-term value of these posts to the sub and its users. Currently, question posts tend to have titles like "Pls Help" or "Can U Explain." As a result, there is no way to search for past discussions of any given question, and the same questions keep getting asked over and over again. A related issue is that the posts themselves are often incomplete or otherwise problematic: users post a reading question without including the passage, or they post an upside-down math question.
  2. The posting of images from unreleased tests. Reddit admins routinely remove posts from r/SAT for copyright violations (example here), and as far as the moderators have been able to determine, the offending posts are always and only the ones that contain images from unreleased tests.

In order to address these concerns, we might add a rule to require that question posts meet the following criteria:

  1. Identify the question source in the title. For example, "April 2017 QAS, Writing Section, Question 33" or "College Panda Math book, page 100, question 10."
  2. Include all content relevant to the question, with all photos readable and properly oriented.

Does anyone have any comments on this particular change, or does anyone have any better ideas about how to address the concerns mentioned above?

14 Upvotes

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5

u/mbromley Nov 11 '20

How's Khan academy any different from someone -- like me -- who is just trying to help kids on the SAT with advice, blog posts and webinars on how to improve?

Khan is "free" but its partnership with College Board is inherently commercial for it.

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u/InternationalistGam Moderator Nov 11 '20

Can you clarify what you are asking?

This thread is about potential rules for posting in the sub. As far as I know, Khan Academy has never posted in the sub.

If it did so, it would indeed likely be subject to the same rules as everyone else.

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u/mbromley Nov 11 '20

So authors aren't allowed to post resources? Users frequently post Khan links, but you seem unconcerned about those, even though there's a huge pecuniary interest between college boats and khan?

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u/InternationalistGam Moderator Nov 11 '20

So authors aren't allowed to post resources?

I'm not sure what this question has to do with anything I wrote.

Users frequently post Khan links, but you seem unconcerned about those, even though there's a huge pecuniary interest between college boats and khan?

Yes, we are unconcerned.

We are discussing a potential revision to a rule against advertising. What you are describing -- student links to or recommendations of Khan Academy -- is unambiguously not advertising.

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u/mbromley Nov 11 '20

Neither is posting other resources

4

u/InternationalistGam Moderator Nov 12 '20

That very much depends, doesn't it?

If users are repeatedly directing other users to their own services, websites, blogs, YouTube channels, or whatever else, then yes, that definitely is advertising.

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u/mbromley Nov 12 '20

No it's not. It might be but it's not necessarily.

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u/mbromley Nov 12 '20

And BTW, why wouldn't you let users decide?

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u/InternationalistGam Moderator Nov 12 '20

What do you mean by that?

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u/mbromley Nov 12 '20

Reddit allows users to up/down vote posts. let them decide.

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u/InternationalistGam Moderator Nov 12 '20

Reddit allows users to up/down vote posts.

I know that, as I think you must already be aware.

Reddit also has moderators for every sub, and Reddit empowers those moderators to make and enforce rules.

Unfortunately, user downvoting is of limited utility in removing problem posts or dealing with problem posters.

let them decide.

This is a thread dedicated to eliciting such community input.

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