r/opensource Bars AI Projects, Imposes 1-Year Minimums as 1,400-Comment Backlash Tests Linux Exception
Updated
Updated · PPC Land · Oct 25
r/opensource Bars AI Projects, Imposes 1-Year Minimums as 1,400-Comment Backlash Tests Linux Exception
3 articles · Updated · PPC Land · Oct 25
Summary
A new r/opensource policy bans any project that uses AI, is made by AI or is intended for AI, while requiring posts to involve projects with 1 year of active maintenance, roughly 3 contributors and an existing community.
Moderators said the rules target low-effort “slop” posts and burner accounts; accounts must also be at least 1 year old with significant Reddit activity, and posting obvious LLM output can trigger permanent bans.
One exemption covers incorporated nonprofits that win pre-approval, but the policy’s wording quickly ran into edge cases after users argued it could exclude the Linux kernel because its AI-assisted contributions are explicitly tagged.
u/Wolvereness said the Linux kernel would still be allowed on a “subjective line,” yet that clarification failed to settle criticism over vague enforcement, the English-only rule and broad gatekeeping.
The October 24 post drew about 1,400 comments and a net score of zero within a day, reflecting a sharply split community and helping spur a breakaway forum, r/TrueOpenSource.