Community Guidelines

Debatable is built for open, honest debate. Every opinion deserves a platform — but every person deserves respect. You can disagree with any idea. You cannot target, threaten, or dehumanize the person behind it. Attack the argument, not the person.

The following will result in immediate account suspension or ban, with no warning:

• Direct threats of violence against any person or group
• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of any kind
• Doxxing — sharing someone's private information (address, phone, workplace) without consent
• Impersonation — pretending to be another person or public figure
• Coordinated harassment campaigns or brigading
• Spam, scams, or malware distribution

We draw a clear line between expressing opinions on sensitive topics — which is allowed — and targeting individuals with dehumanizing language — which is not.

• Allowed: "I believe immigration policy should be stricter."
• Not allowed: Slurs, dehumanizing language, or calls to violence directed at any individual or group based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin.
• Context matters. We consider intent, audience, and whether speech targets a group versus critiques a policy.

Live debate rooms are the heart of Debatable. Room hosts and moderators have the authority to manage their rooms, including muting, kicking, or banning disruptive participants. In addition:

• Stay on topic during formal debates
• Do not shout over or deliberately interrupt other speakers
• Audience chat should add to the discussion, not derail it
• Room moderators' decisions are final for their room

Violations are handled through an escalating system, except for zero-tolerance offenses which result in immediate action:

• First offense: Warning notification with reference to the violated guideline
• Second offense: Temporary suspension (24 hours to 7 days depending on severity)
• Third offense: Permanent ban, subject to appeal
• Severity matters — a mild violation may only warrant a warning, while a serious one can skip straight to suspension.

If you see content or behavior that violates these guidelines, please report it. You'll find a Report option in the menu on every post, comment, profile, and chat message. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team. You can also block or mute users directly for immediate personal relief.