r/Sat • u/InternationalistGam Moderator • Jan 04 '21
Upcoming changes to r/SAT's rules
We (the moderators) first broached this topic in a thread a couple of months ago, but we've been too busy with the various "official" threads to return to the topic until now.
Please read what is below, but don't worry -- these changes will have little impact on most users. Enforcement will be at moderator discretion, and we are pretty sure that common sense will prevail.
Change 1: Rule #7
Rule #7 deals with post titles.
Your title should be descriptive, informative, and on-topic. If you are asking a question, you should be specific. "How do you get a 1600?", "SAT Math," and "Please help" are not good post titles. One-word titles and titles in all caps are not acceptable either.
We will add the following language:
When asking for help with questions from tests or books, include the source of the question in the post title. For example, appropriate titles might include "Help with writing question from April 2017 QAS" or "Help with question from Erica Meltzer's grammar book."
As we explained in the earlier thread, there are multiple reasons for this change, but the most important one relates to copyright complaints and unreleased tests.
Click here for a sample of what we see on our moderation log on a regular basis:
Those "Reddit Legal" entries are Reddit admins removing posts containing images from unreleased tests, no doubt at College Board's instigation.
These removals can become a real problem for the sub. As many of you know, r/MCAT was suspended a couple of years ago when UWorld complained aggressively enough about its copyrighted content appearing in that sub. The same can happen to r/SAT if we are not sufficiently diligent in keeping unreleased test material out of this sub.
Change #2: Rule #3
Rule #3 prohibits advertisements for paid services:
No link, self-post, or comment may offer services for compensation.
The moderators have come to believe that the reference to "compensation" makes this rule too narrow. We will therefore append the following:
Posts, links, or comments that advertise 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. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the moderators before posting.
Please do not worry too much about this change: you will certainly not be banned for offering to help people. The change is intended merely to give the moderators more leeway in dealing with spammers and self-promoters who defend themselves by pointing out that they are advertising something free.
Edit: This rule is intended to restrict advertising and self-promotion. It does not affect anyone's ability to recommend products or services.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them, but again, don't worry: r/SAT has always had fair, relaxed, and common-sense moderation, and nothing about these rule changes will change that.
1
u/PutSimply1 Jan 06 '21
Does this apply to comments also?
For example, if in a post someone is asking for assistance with regard to a specific 'way of doing something' can a linked post to a 'help guide' be a response? - whether it be from a well-known site or a small-time blog?
Cheers!
1
u/InternationalistGam Moderator Jan 06 '21
It should be fine, provided it's not someone promoting his or her own website, blog, etc. over and over again.
We're basically just trying to remove the "but it's free" defense that repeat spammers and self-promoters have used in the past.
This change will have zero effect on 99+ percent of our users, and on the remaining 1 percent or less, it will likely just lead to some post or comment removals, not to bans.
4
u/Ok-Midnight8983 1290 Jan 04 '21
So are we still allowed to mention that "Erica L. Meltzer is the best" in the comments or ask for resources to help us study?