[Meta] Clarifications on Rules II & III: Policy Proposals and Non-economists
Hello everyone,
Given the recent surge of posts that violate subreddit rules, the r/Economics moderation team would like to clarify certain guidelines and provide examples of common rule breaches. This post includes links to the Rule II Roundtable and Rule III Roundtable, where we provide an in-depth explanation of these rules and discuss our moderation strategy. Since these roundtables are a bit dated, we welcome any feedback and are open to revising them based on community input. However, please note that comments on this post indicating a failure to review the roundtables will be removed, as understanding these guidelines is crucial for productive discussions.
Rule II: Relevance to Economics
Rule II is intended to ensure that posts remain within the discipline of Economics, distinguishing it from general discussions about “the economy” or business topics. Consequently, we will continue to remove posts focused on stock markets, individual stocks, or specific companies. Posts that provide a comprehensive analysis of an entire industry, however, will be accepted. Additionally, the individuals featured in posts—be they authors, commentators, or interviewees—must be economists or should quote economists. Therefore, discussions centered on prominent traders, business figures (like Jamie Dimon or Warren Buffet), or politicians (such as Donald Trump or Kamala Harris) are not suitable for this subreddit. We recommend seeking out appropriate forums like r/business, r/investing, r/politics, or other relevant subreddits for such content.
Another common type of rule-breaking post we frequently encounter involves economic policy proposals from political candidates, bloggers, or organizations. After careful consideration, we will now remove such proposals under Rule II. However, we will continue to welcome in-depth analyses of policy proposals and announcements regarding the implementation of specific policies. For instance, while articles stating “Politician A supports this policy” will be removed, contributions discussing “the effects of this policy” and employing economic methods will be permitted. We recognize this is a nuanced area, and we will allow policy proposals from active academic economists who are still engaged in producing high-quality research. This distinction helps us differentiate between economists acting as politicians and those presenting research, as it can be challenging to determine the context behind statements made by individuals like Janet Yellen, for example. More details on this can be found in our Rule II Roundtable linked above.
Rule III: Original Source and Editorializing Titles
With the increase in submissions from official media accounts, we’d like to remind users of our 90-10 guideline for submissions (including posts and comments) detailed in our Rule III Roundtable. We have banned several official media outlet accounts for violating this guideline, and we urge users to report any other accounts that appear to be non-compliant via modmail. Additionally, we now have the option to remove text posts that accompany link posts, which were previously being utilized to circumvent Rule III by editorializing outside of the comments. Our content rules have been updated to prevent this practice.
Finally, we encourage all users to revisit Rules IV and VI, the latter of which has been recently updated with a [roundtable](https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/80gcd0/meta_rules_round_table_3_rule_iii/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=Econom
One response
Thank you for sharing this important clarification regarding the subreddit rules. It’s essential for fostering productive discussions in r/Economics. I appreciate the emphasis on ensuring posts remain focused on the discipline of Economics rather than veering into broader topics like business or politics. This distinction helps maintain a high standard of relevance and academic integrity in our discussions.
Specifically, I support the decision to remove policy proposals from candidates and non-economists while allowing analytical discussions about their effects. This nuanced approach allows us to engage with the complexities of economic policies without diluting the focus of the subreddit.
Moreover, the reminder about Rule III and the 90-10 guideline is crucial, especially in the era of widespread media sharing. Maintaining an editorializing-free environment will undoubtedly lead to more genuine and informed debates.
I’m glad to see that the mod team is open to feedback and potential updates to the guidelines. It shows a commitment to evolving the community in a way that best serves the interests of its members. Thank you again for this comprehensive overview!