Writing Community Rules That People Follow

Most community rules are written after something goes wrong. They pile up, one reaction at a time, until the rules channel is a wall of text that nobody reads. Rules people follow are short, specific and enforced the same way for everyone.

Start with the purpose of the space

Before listing rules, write one or two sentences about what the community is for. For example: "This server is for people who use and build on our protocol. We want questions answered quickly and discussions that help the product improve."

Rules then support that purpose. When a situation comes up that no rule covers, moderators can ask whether the behaviour helps or hurts the stated purpose.

Keep the list short

Aim for five to eight rules. Each should fit on one line and describe a concrete behaviour that anyone could observe. Compare:

Vague	Specific
Be respectful	No insults, slurs or personal attacks
No spam	No repeated messages, and no links from accounts under 24 hours old
Stay on topic	Price talk goes in the trading channel only
No shilling	No promotion of other tokens, services or groups
Be safe	Never share seed phrases, and report anyone who asks for one

Specific rules are easier to follow and easier to enforce without arguments.

Explain the reason in a few words

A short reason makes rules feel less arbitrary. "No DMs to members without asking first, because scammers use DMs to steal funds" explains itself. People follow rules they understand, and they help enforce them.

Rules every crypto community needs

Crypto groups face specific risks, so a few rules appear in almost every good set:

1. Team members and moderators will never DM you first
2. Never share your seed phrase or private key with anyone
3. Only trust links posted in the official links channel
4. No promotion of other tokens or projects
5. No financial advice presented as certain, and no guaranteed return claims
6. Report suspicious accounts to moderators

These protect members as much as they protect the project.

Build an enforcement ladder

Members accept moderation more easily when they know what to expect. Publish a simple ladder:

• First minor issue: a friendly reminder in the channel or by bot
• Repeat issue: a timeout for a set period, such as one hour
• Continued issues: a longer timeout or removal from certain channels
• Serious issues: an immediate ban, for scams, impersonation, threats or illegal content

Moderators should note actions in a private log so decisions stay consistent across the team and over time.

Tone matters

Rules written in an angry voice make a community feel tense. Write them the way you would explain house rules to a guest. Avoid capital letters and threats. A calm tone also makes it easier for moderators to act without seeming personal.

Make rules visible where they matter

Pin rules in the welcome or rules channel, and repeat the relevant one in busy channels. A trading channel might pin the rule about price predictions. A support channel might pin the rule about DMs and seed phrases. Rules seen at the moment of temptation work better than rules read once on joining.

Review every few months

Communities change. Every quarter, look at moderation logs. If one rule causes most actions, consider whether it needs clarifying or whether the channel structure is causing the problem. If a rule never gets used, remove it.

Strong communities often share a sense of identity beyond the rules. Some projects mark that identity publicly with a shared tile on the Proud Globe, linked from the rules channel as a reminder of who the community is and where it calls home.