Reddit's r/opensource bans AI slop, and quite a few humans for good measure
New rules also shut out solo developers, fledgling projects, and anyone who doesn't speak English
Reddit's r/opensource community is tightening its rules to exclude AI-generated software and solo developers. The new policy disallows projects that use AI, were created with AI, or are intended for AI applications. Moderators stated that such projects are not compatible with the Open Source community. To be featured on the subreddit, developers must now demonstrate active maintenance for at least a year, have an established community, and have at least three contributors.
Student projects, like note-taking apps and PDF viewers, are also excluded. The rule change has sparked controversy, as even nine-year-old projects with extensive GitHub stars and resolved issues may no longer qualify due to the sole contributor constraint. The moderators also imposed a minimum Reddit account age of one year and require significant prior contributions.
English-only is another requirement, with moderators unable to differentiate between AI-written content and AI-translated text. This rule has been particularly contentious, leading to objections and the formation of alternative communities. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges open source developers face in regulating AI-generated contributions, with some arguing for a more lenient approach.
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