Last updated: April 22, 2026
WPFolks exists to connect WordPress people. These guidelines keep it useful, welcoming, and honest.
Read once. Follow always. If something’s unclear, email moderation@wpfolks.org.
Core principles
Be respectful. Disagreement is fine. Personal attacks, harassment, discrimination, hate speech, and targeted abuse are not. Professional standards apply.
Be helpful. Answer questions patiently. Share context when showing your work. Give constructive feedback, not dismissive takes.
Be honest. Represent yourself and your work accurately. Don’t inflate install counts, claim contributions you didn’t make, or misrepresent your availability for hire.
Be inclusive. WordPress is global. Write in a way that non-native English speakers can follow. Respect different experience levels.
What belongs on WPFolks
- Plugin and theme launches, updates, and maintenance news
- WordCamp talks, meetup recaps, and event announcements
- Tutorials, technical tips, performance findings
- Questions about WordPress development, design, or business
- Build-in-public updates and honest progress reports
- Freelance availability and job opportunities
- Community feedback, bug reports, and feature suggestions for WPFolks itself
What doesn’t belong
- Spam, low-effort promotional content, or unsolicited mass DMs
- Content unrelated to WordPress or web development
- Political or religious debates unrelated to WordPress
- Personal grievances, call-outs, or dogpiling against individuals
- Private grievances against competitors (compete by shipping, not posting)
- NSFW content of any kind
- Content that violates copyright, trademark, or privacy rights
AI-generated content
Generative AI is fine as a tool. It’s not fine as a replacement for your voice or expertise.
- Fine: asking an AI to proofread a post you wrote, translate a comment, or generate boilerplate code for a snippet.
- Not fine: pasting a full AI-generated “essay” as your own build-in-public update, or submitting an AI-generated plugin description that you haven’t reviewed.
- Always disclose when the bulk of a post or submission was AI-generated, even if you edited it.
The community is here to meet you. Make sure it’s you they’re meeting.
Affiliate links and self-promotion
- If you link to something you get paid for (affiliate link, referral code, your own paid product), disclose it in the same post. One line is enough: “(I make a small commission if you buy through this link.)”
- Self-promotion is fine when it’s relevant. If your last five posts are all about your own product, tone it down.
- Undisclosed affiliate posts will be removed. Repeat offenses lead to posting restrictions.
Privacy and doxxing
- Don’t share another person’s private information (address, phone, employer, real name if they use a pseudonym) without their explicit consent, even if that information is publicly available elsewhere.
- Don’t post screenshots of private messages (email, DM, Slack) without the other person’s consent.
- Don’t out someone’s identity, orientation, immigration status, health, or other sensitive details.
These are zero-tolerance rules. Violations lead to immediate suspension pending review.
Plugin and theme submissions
- You must be the author, or have explicit written permission from the author
- The plugin must be hosted on WordPress.org or have a verifiable download URL
- Descriptions must be accurate. Don’t overstate features or compatibility.
- Upvote manipulation (fake accounts, vote rings) results in immediate removal and a permanent ban
Job board rules
- All jobs must be WordPress-related
- Post honest salary ranges when possible. “Competitive” alone is not enough.
- Not allowed: MLM schemes, “equity-only” listings, unpaid internships disguised as jobs, listings that require upfront payment from applicants
- Job posters must represent the actual hiring company
- Listings expire after 30 days (refresh if the role is still open)
Profile and identity
- Use your real name, or an established professional handle you already use elsewhere
- Don’t impersonate other community members or public figures
- Keep your profile info current
- “Available for hire” should reflect actual availability. Flipping this on to farm profile views isn’t allowed.
Moderation and enforcement
Moderation is currently handled by the WPFolks team (that’s a small team — hi). We review every report within 48 hours.
Three-strike approach
Most violations are handled progressively:
- First violation — private warning, content removed if needed. No public record.
- Second violation — 7-day suspension. Account locked, content still visible.
- Third violation or severe violation — permanent removal. Submissions stay online but re-attributed to “Deleted member.”
Immediate removal, no warning
Some things skip the warning and go straight to permanent ban:
- Harassment, threats, doxxing
- Hate speech or content targeting a protected group
- Malicious plugin submissions (malware, backdoors, cryptominers)
- Coordinated fraud or vote manipulation
- Child-endangering content (reported to authorities)
Appeals
If you believe an enforcement action was wrong:
- Email moderation@wpfolks.org within 30 days
- Include your username, what action was taken, and why you think it was mistaken
- We review every appeal. Response within 5 business days.
- Appeals are final, but you can email hello@wpfolks.org if you believe the review itself was conducted in bad faith
Reporting
Found something that violates these guidelines? Report it:
- Use the flag button on any post, plugin, job, or profile
- Or email moderation@wpfolks.org with the URL and a brief description
All reports are confidential. We do not share who reported what with the person being reported.
Changes to these guidelines
Guidelines evolve with the community. Material changes will be announced in the community feed with #guidelines. We’d rather get this right with your input than impose rules top-down.