Community Principles, Comment Policy, and Tips

Our Community Principles


At PolicyMic, we believe in amplifying well-informed, but previously unheard voices from across the political spectrum. To remain open, inclusive, and fun, we follow these principles:

  1. Use your real name and a real photo in your profile. We are promoting the highest quality discussion online, and want community members to stand behind what they say. Fake profiles will be removed.

  2. Respect other contributors. You will only convince others by being respectful. Disrespectful comments will be removed, and repeat offenders will have their accounts deleted.

  3. Critique ideas and writing, not motives, personalities, or affiliations. Personal attacks are not tolerated.

  4. Prioritize facts over speculation. Use data when available; be sure to cite your sources by linking to them.

  5. It's easy to criticize a flaw, but much harder to propose a solution. The best comments do both — they reveal an issue and also move everyone's thinking forward.

Good PolicyMic Manners

Here are some tips and best practices (to get more Mics):

  1. Stay on topic. Others will read, Mic, and reply to you more often.

  2. Mic. If you think something contributes to conversation, Mic it.

  3. Be thoughtful. Rehashing talking points without adding substance won't get you far.

  4. Address others as you wish to be addressed.

  5. Read other members' profiles. You might be surprised to learn what you have in common.

  6. Got something to add to this list? Submit it here.

Moderation


PolicyMic is a safe space for smart discussion and debate. If your comments consistently make this community a less civil and enjoyable place to be, you and your comments will be excluded from it. Our editors are the ultimate arbiters of our principles, and will actively remove users that consistently attack writers or do not add constructively to the discussion.

Beta Community Flag System


We want the community to help identify inappropriate comments. Here's how it works: If a comment breaks one of these rules, give it a red flag. If you believe someone has misused a flag, then give it a green flag. Three red flags will remove the comment. Three green flags will keep the comment permanently on the site. Gang-flagging will result in account deletion.

Behaviors that will get you banned

  1. Disrespectful or aggressive critique of other users

  2. Threats, racial/sexual slurs, or excessive vulgarity

  3. Fake photos, names, or accounts

  4. Promoting organizations unrelated to the discussion