March 11, 2026
Humans only—now cue the drama
Don't post generated/AI-edited comments. HN is for conversation between humans.
Humans only in the comments — cheers, doubts, and jokes erupt
TLDR: Hacker News updated its rules to ban AI‑written comments and push kinder, more thoughtful debate. Readers split between applauding the human‑only ideal and worrying it can’t be enforced, with warnings against AI witch‑hunts and a few jokes to keep things human—and sane.
Hacker News (the popular tech discussion board) just slapped a big “humans only” sign on its comments: be kind, avoid snark, keep debates thoughtful—and don’t post AI‑generated or AI‑edited replies. The spirit is simple: real people having real conversations. But the community reaction? A spicy mix of applause, skepticism, and memes.
Some users cheered the clarity. One voice of relief, lapcat, basically said what many felt: finally! Others immediately asked the question on everyone’s mind: how on earth do you enforce this? fcpguru floated a solution with a wink to Web3—Proof of Humanity—while skeptical replies wondered if that’s overkill for a comment section.
The doubters rolled in fast. snoren shrugged that there’s “no way to verify,” adding that trusting people to self‑police “has never worked.” That set the room buzzing: is this a noble, unenforceable wish? Meanwhile, tromp dropped a crucial counter‑warning—don’t start witch‑hunts by accusing posts of “reeking of AI.” Translation: let’s not turn every awkward paragraph into a courtroom drama.
Of course, the internet did what it does best: joke about it. jeffrallen cracked, “I, for one, welcome my human overlords,” and the thread grinned. The vibe overall? A tug‑of‑war between idealism (keep it human, keep it kind) and realism (we can’t test every comment), with a side of humor to keep the pitchforks at bay.
Key Points
- •HN emphasizes civility, curiosity, and removing snark or swipes from comments.
- •Participants should address arguments, not people, and assume good faith while engaging with the strongest versions of others’ points.
- •Generated or AI-edited comments are prohibited; HN is for human-to-human conversation.
- •Flamebait, ideological battles, shallow dismissals, and meta-discussions about voting are discouraged.
- •Users should flag egregious comments, avoid accusatory insinuations, use asterisks for emphasis, and contact hn@ycombinator.com for abuse concerns.