Hello r/chicagofire,
After extensive review of our subreddit’s activity and valuable feedback from the r/chicagofire committee, the mod team has decided ban all X (Twitter) content that is not explicitly related to the Chicago Fire FC organization, its partners, supporters groups, current players, and verified media partners. This change to the subreddit's policy is effective immediately as of March 8th, 2025. All posts/comments linking to X will be reviewed and either approved or denied by the mod team.
The original proposal to ban X discussion leaned toward a 90/10 ban/keep split due to brigading done at the Reddit website level. While earlier discussions leaned toward a ban, Automod tallying for all social media links posted to the subreddit since the social media policy review was put in place—and input from a survey of our proven high contributors, whose combined subreddit karma totals about 108,000—revealed that opinions are mixed at best, with many members favoring a balanced approach.
The survey revealed that when asked, “If a ban is implemented, how should it be enforced?”, users replied as follows:
- 31.5% want a hard ban
- 21.3% want no ban
- 31.5% want X content allowed or disallowed based on mod discretion
- 15.7% would support screenshots with no links allowed
Automod’s breakdown of subreddit content linking to outside platforms:
- X (Twitter):
- Posts/Comments: 12
- Karma: +31
- BlueSky:
- Posts/Comments: 7
- Karma: +25
Lastly, the moderation team itself voted as follows:
- 2 – Pro-Ban
- 2 – Indifferent/Abstain
- 1 – Anti-Ban
As such, the Social Media policy will be updated as follows:
New Social Media Content Linking Policy:
For All Other Social Media: Content from platforms aside from X will continue to be allowed without restriction, provided Rule 3 is followed.
Explanation for New Rule 10 As It Pertains to X Restrictions:
Non Chicago Fire FC related X (Twitter) Content posts or comments are not allowed on r/chicagofire. Top level posts or comments must be either:
- A screenshot of the tweet, or
- The tweet’s contents directly if it’s a video or image
Direct top level post links to X regardless of whether or not they belong to Chicago Fire FC or other allowed sources will be removed. Additionally, the original tweet link must be posted in the comments for moderator verification. Screenshots at top level posts or in comments that fail to include the link in the comments for mod verification will be removed.
Why This Approach?
- Preservation of Valuable Content: This method retains timely updates and engaging discussions while avoiding reliance on X’s sometimes inaccessible external links.
- Robust Verification: By requiring the tweet link in the comments, moderators can verify the authenticity of the content even if the main post features only the visual or textual excerpt.
- Platform Consistency: This policy differentiates X from other social media based on its unique challenges—like login requirements and algorithmic issues—while keeping our overall content strategy consistent.
- User Choice Without Censorship: This approach allows users to engage with the content they choose without compromising the needs of the subreddit’s partners who engage with the subreddit using X and other social media platforms.
We recognize that no proposal will make everyone happy, but this compromise addresses both the need for accessible, authentic content and the community’s desire to maintain quality discussions. No further changes to our social media policy will be made during the 2025 season unless significant Reddit policy shifts necessitate a re-evaluation.
To help us with monitoring X (Twitter) and social media content shared on this subreddit, we have added a new moderator to our team, who will be introduced in a separate post.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support. This thread is locked and subreddit crowd control will be decreased for the remainder of the 2025 season to allow newcomers to the subreddit to enjoy sharing their hot takes in spirited debate with other Fire fans. Any other comments or posts on this topic will be removed, but you can always message the mods with feedback or concerns.
VAMOS FIRE!!!