Community guidelines

Who this site is for

Autists Online is for autistic people. You do not need to show a diagnosis to join. Family members, friends and other supporters are also welcome if they follow these guidelines.

These guidelines apply to posts, replies, profile text, usernames and profile pictures.

1. Treat people with respect

  • Do not insult, threaten or harass anyone.
  • Do not attack people for their disability, race, religion, gender, sexuality or age.
  • Do not tell other people that they are “not really autistic”, or that they need to be cured.
  • You may disagree with what someone says. Write about the idea, not about the person.

2. Say what you mean

  • Many people here read words literally. Write what you mean directly.
  • If a post is a joke or is sarcastic, add a tone tag such as /j or /s. The welcome page lists all tone tags.
  • Do not post hidden messages about another person (sometimes called “vague-posting”).

3. Follow communication preferences

A profile can list how that person prefers to communicate, for example “May reply slowly” or “Please ask before giving advice”. Follow these preferences when you reply to them.

A slow reply, or no reply, is not rude. People reply when they are able to.

4. Use content warnings

Add a content warning to a post when it is about:

  • death, illness, injury or medical procedures
  • self-harm or suicide
  • violence, abuse or bullying
  • food, eating or body weight
  • strong swearing
  • flashing images or loud sounds in a video
  • news about politics, war or disasters

If you are not sure whether a post needs a content warning, add one.

5. Protect privacy

  • Do not post another person’s private information, such as their address, phone number, workplace or real name, without their permission.
  • Do not post screenshots of private conversations without permission from everyone in them.
  • Do not post photos of other people without their permission.

6. Content that is not allowed

  • Sexual content or nudity.
  • Content that encourages self-harm, suicide or eating disorders.
  • Anything illegal, including copyright infringement.
  • Adverts, spam, and the same post repeated many times.
  • Pretending to be another person or organisation.

7. Health information

You can share your own experiences of health, therapy and medication. Other people’s experiences are not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you change a treatment.

If you or someone else is in danger now, contact your local emergency number. Do not wait for a reply on this site.

8. What happens if a guideline is broken

The people who run this site can delete posts that break these guidelines. If someone breaks them more than once, or breaks them seriously, their account can be removed.

To report a post or an account, contact the people who run this site. Include the link to the post or profile.