Hello, everyone. Mod here. In this post, I will be sharing some updates to make our community less spammy and more enjoyable.

The purpose of this subreddit

As you may know, mods define the purpose of each subreddit. The purpose of a subreddit can evolve over time. Having been a subscriber of r/babies both before and after I became a parent, I think r/babies occupies a wholesome niche where folks can just come and enjoy uplifting pictures and videos of cute babies -- and let's face it, all babies are cute if they are healthy and cared for. I would like this to remain the focus of this subreddit: light-hearted and uplifting. There are enough spaces on the internet filled with promotions, disgusting pictures, the exact same conversations as 50 other groups, and 1000 posts asking the same question. I would like r/babies to not become one of those spaces.

r/babies is not a parenting subreddit. There is a wealth of high-quality parenting subreddits out there: r/beyondthebump, r/parenting, r/newborns, r/newparents, r/mommit and r/daddit, to name a few. I highly recommend them.

Subreddit rules

The current r/babies rules were set up 3 years ago by yours truly (announcement post) and have served this community well. In enforcing these rules, I remove 200-400 pieces of content (posts and comments) every month with the help of Automoderator.

However, more and more users (usually not bad users but just new to r/babies) are trying to get around these rules, especially "Text posts allowed for limited topics", and then arguing with me in modmail. So I have updated the rules to more clearly explain what is allowed.

1. Follow Reddit rules - Content can be removed for violating Reddit rules (https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) proactively by mods or in response to user reports.
2. NEW RULE: Focus on babies - Pictures and videos must be of a baby or babies. This is not an advice or support subreddit.
3. No promotions - No selling, shilling, spamming your social media, asking people to vote for your baby in a contest, etc. It's OK to credit a post with a source link or social media handle.
4. No NSFW - No discussions of genitals, photos of poop, etc.
5. NEW RULE: No medical advice - This is not a support or advice subreddit. Go to your pediatrician or health visitor. Use reputable medical information websites. Don't ask internet strangers for medical advice
6. Be nice to each other - Be respectful. Don't be mean. Mods make the call.
7. Text posts allowed for limited topics - Text posts are OK for discussions about this subreddit, but please use subreddits like r/beyondthebump, r/parenting, r/newborns, r/newparents, r/mommit or r/daddit for advice and support posts. All text posts will be reviewed by mods and only approved if they provide constructive feedback or discussion about this subreddit.

Spammers reposting old content

This is a perpetual problem, and I unfortunately don't have photographic memory so I often don't recognize something that has been posted before. I am eternally grateful for the users who call out these reposted spammers in comments and through reports. Please keep posting receipts in comments -- they help me remove these posts as quickly as I can.

Thank you, and remember: you make this community possible!

Hello, everyone. Newest mod here. In this post, I will be sharing some important updates to make our community safer and more enjoyable.

Subreddit rules

The current r/babies rules are narrowly focused on spam selling stuff, and are not visible on new Reddit or in the mobile apps. To align expectations between members and mods across a broader range of issues, we are introducing these subreddit rules:

1. Follow Reddit rules - Content can be removed for violating Reddit rules (https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) proactively by mods or in response to user reports.
2. No promotions - No selling, shilling, spamming your social media, asking people to vote for your baby in a contest, etc. It's OK to credit a post with a source link or social media handle.
3. No NSFW - No discussions of genitals, photos of poop, etc.
4. Be nice to each other - Be respectful. Don't be mean. Mods make the call.
5. Text posts allowed for limited topics - Text posts are OK for discussions about this subreddit, but please use subreddits like r/beyondthebump, r/parenting, r/newborns, r/newparents, r/mommit or r/daddit for advice and support posts. All text posts will be reviewed by mods and only approved if they provide constructive feedback or discussion about this subreddit.

Text post policy

The biggest change: we are now limiting text posts to only feedback and discussions about this subreddit (rule #5). Several other subreddits are more suitable for support and advice. If you are a new parent in need of help, check those out. At the same time, we want to preserve a channel for public discussions of what we can do better or differently. Therefore, we will rely on mods to manually approve text posts until we find a better solution.

Explanation of account age and karma filters

We have an Automod rule that removes posts and comments by newer accounts and accounts with little prior activity. We understand this can be a frustrating experience, but we rely on this rule to remove large amounts of spam that would otherwise flood the subreddit. We will focus on manually restoring posts from users that seem legit, hopefully within 24 hours.

Stats from the troll brigade

The recent troll brigade has been distressing for all of us on the mod team. For a brief recap of what happened, please see this post by u/steevo. Between October 6 and October 16, thanks to the combined effort of u/steevo, yours truly, u/Picsonly25, u/Pwaully and of course Automod, we have taken the following actions against this attack:

• Removed 14 posts,
• Removed 29 comments, and
• Banned 24 users.

Reminders for r/babies members

Unfortunately, we are on the internet, where a-holes roam. The mod team is shoring up our defenses, but members also need to help protect themselves and each other. Here are some things you can do:

1. Please don't post your or your child's personal details (full name!!!, address, phone, etc).
2. Please report anything that you think violates Reddit rules or r/babies rules. Please be as specific about the reason as possible, e.g. if you're reporting a post for harassment, select "harassment" as the reason, not "breaks r/babies rules".
3. Please be patient. Mods have lives and commitments outside of r/babies, and may take up to 24 hours (but hopefully not more) to respond to your report. In some grey areas, mods can also make different calls from you and from each other. Don't be discouraged if that happens.

Thank you, and remember: you make this community possible!