Remove the "No Duplicate Post" Rule & Fold into "No Low Effort Discussion" Rule
I'm proposing the removal of the duplicate post rule, along with folding the contents of the current duplicate post rule into Rule 3, which better encompasses the inherent issue with duplicate topics.
Additionally, we should add a reference list and minimum character requirement to ensure the sub isn't saturated by redundant threads, and that users that want to post similar topics are doing so with the intention of sharing their own, unique opinions while encouraging distinct discussion after having engaged with existing topics.
Secondarily, we should revise the sightings submission guidelines to include the language regarding multiple/follow up videos, images, etc., as users are often unclear on this requirement or ignore it entirely.
**Contents of the current duplicate post rule:**
>*Posts of the same footage, link, or news article may not be posted within sixty days of one another. New articles or previously unlinked footage may be posted at any time. If you have multiple videos of the same object, include them all in the same post, not as individual submissions.*
This rule is arbitrary, in that it grants tenure to a post based on the time of submission, not the quality of the content. This is especially frustrating for users who may be posting the same news story within minutes of one another; a common and unavoidable occurrence on our sub.
By removing duplicate threads we stifle discussion and unique points of view, and encourage users to take part in existing discussions whose themes and viewpoints may differ greatly from their own. This likely dissuades users from participating in those discussions, as the divide between skeptics and believers often leads to conversations that skew in one direction or another, making some feel their voice will either not be heard, or will be met with substantial pushback.
This rule has also been regularly misinterpreted to include *similar* news stories and media, which has lead to the erroneous removal of topics which may have contributed valuable discussion to the community.
**Proposed Update to Rule 3 (revisions in italics):**
No low effort discussion. Low Effort implies content which is low effort to consume, not low effort to produce. This generally includes:
* Posts containing jokes, memes, and showerthoughts. * AI generated content. * Posts of social media content without significant relevance. * Posts with incredible claims unsupported by evidence. * “Here’s my theory” posts unsupported by evidence. * Short comments, and emoji comments. * Summarily dismissive comments (e.g. “Swamp gas.”). * *Duplicate posts without reference to previous threads.*
*Posts consisting of the same footage, link, or news article must include links to previous threads and include a submission statement of at least 300 characters. Duplicates that do not meet these requirements or that do not contain references to previous discussions will be removed.*
**Key points:**
**Why make the requirements for duplicate posts more stringent?**
By including the character limit requirements and references to previous threads we encourage users to get into the habit of checking the sub for existing discussions that they can take part in. The character limit ensures duplicate posts include new, unique points of view, while weeding out users whose motivation is to simply share a news story or piece of media to accrue karma.
Folding the duplicate post rule into the low effort rule is in alignment with how we view low effort topics, as the majority of duplicate posts dilute conversation and saturate the sub with redundant content and discussions.
**Is this easy to enforce?**
Unfortunately, it may be difficult to automate this process and require manually removing threads which don't adhere to these requirements. At a later time we may be able to develop/revise a bot which checks for duplicate content that doesn't meet the 300 character limit, while also checking for links to previous threads.
I understand this adds additional scope to our current moderation load, but I feel very strongly that it will lead to a cleaner, more organized sub with fewer duplicate, low-effort topics, while also providing users with the space to create their own discussions around topics that are important to them. It will also serve to reduce frustration around duplicate post removals.
**Proposed Update to the Sightings Submission Guidelines (revisions in italics):**
[**r/UFOs**](https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs) **Posting Guidelines for Sightings:**
* Must include approximate Location and Date/Time Recorded * Must be related to a detailed and descriptive eyewitness account (can be anonymous) * No trail camera or doorbell camera footage * Must have been seen with eyeballs (No “Look what I found when I looked back at my pictures!”) * No cell phone videos of content on a TV/display. * *Multiple videos/images of the same object must be included in the same post, not as individual submissions.*
Interviews, podcasts, documentaries, and articles related to UFOs can still be shared and will not be subject to these posting guidelines.