How we debate
The principles we debate by
DebateSphere is built around three principles. They are not just slogans — they are the standard we hold every interaction to.
Argue the idea, not the person.
Attack arguments, evidence, and reasoning. Never attack the person making them. Personal insults, name-calling, and hostility have no place here, no matter how strongly you disagree.
Evidence over volume.
A good argument is built on reasoning and evidence, not on being the loudest or the most aggressive. We reward substance, not noise.
Respect the floor.
Every speaker deserves to make their case. Interrupting the structure, sabotaging a debate, or trying to silence others undermines what this platform is for.
The rules
What is not allowed
The following are prohibited anywhere on DebateSphere. Violations can lead to warnings, content removal, suspension, or a permanent ban depending on severity.
Harassment and personal attacks
Targeting someone with insults, threats, or sustained hostility. This includes attacks based on someone's race, religion, gender, sexuality, nationality, disability, or any other personal characteristic.
Hate speech
Content that demeans, dehumanises, or incites hatred against people based on who they are. There is no “I was just debating” exception for this.
AI-generated speeches
Speeches must be your own work. You may use research tools and reference material to inform your arguments, but the speech text itself must be written by you. Submitting AI-generated speech content is not permitted and can be reported. We treat this seriously because the entire point of DebateSphere is to help you develop as a debater — outsourcing your speeches to an AI defeats that purpose and is unfair to everyone debating honestly.
Cheating and dishonesty
This includes plagiarism, using multiple accounts to gain an advantage, manipulating ratings, and any attempt to game the system dishonestly.
Inappropriate content
Sexually explicit material, graphic violence, or other content unsuitable for a platform used by young people. Remember that members of our community are as young as 13.
Spam and disruption
Flooding chats, posting irrelevant content, or deliberately disrupting debates.
Sharing private information
Do not share anyone's personal or contact information, including your own in ways that could put you at risk. See the Youth Safety section below.
Enforcement
How moderation works
DebateSphere is a moderated platform. Here is how we keep it safe:
Reporting. Every speech and message can be reported. If you see something that breaks these guidelines, use the report option — look for the flag or report icon on the content in question. Choose the reason that best fits and add detail about what made you concerned.
What happens when you report. Reports are sent to our moderation team for review. A moderator reviews the reported content and the context around it, and can take action including dismissing the report if no violation occurred, issuing a warning, removing the content, or suspending the responsible user. Serious cases can result in a permanent ban.
A note on fairness. Not every report results in action. Disagreeing with someone, losing a debate, or finding an argument frustrating are not violations. Reports are reviewed on their merits, and false or malicious reporting is itself against the spirit of the platform.
Structural safety. Some of our safety comes from how the platform is built, not just from moderation after the fact. Team chats are private and visible only to your own team. There is no platform-wide public chat and no direct messaging between individual users. This limits the ways harm can happen in the first place.
For younger users
Youth safety
DebateSphere is used by people as young as 13. We take the safety of younger users seriously, and we ask everyone to help us keep this a safe space for them.
Division separation. We keep age groups separate. The Youth division (ages 13 to 17) and the Open division (18 and over) do not mix in standard debates. A 14-year-old will not be placed in a debate with adults.
No direct messaging. There is no private one-to-one messaging between users. Communication happens only within team rooms, visible to the whole team, in the context of a specific debate. This is a deliberate safety choice.
Protecting your information. Younger users especially should never share personal details — full name, address, school, phone number, social media handles, or photographs — with people they meet on the platform. If anyone asks a young person for this information or tries to move a conversation off the platform, report it immediately.
For parents and guardians.If you are the parent or guardian of a young user and have a concern, or wish to request information about or deletion of your child's account, contact us at customerservice@debatesphere.com. We are continually strengthening our youth-safety measures and welcome feedback from families and educators.
For teachers and schools. DebateSphere offers private, teacher-hosted debates for classroom use, where the teacher controls who participates. If you are running debates with students, you remain responsible for supervising your students' use in line with your institution's safeguarding policies. We are happy to work with schools on their specific safety requirements.
In an emergency
Safety beyond the platform
DebateSphere is a debate platform, not a crisis or support service, and we cannot provide emergency help. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services or a trusted adult.
If you encounter something on the platform that makes you feel unsafe, report it and contact us at customerservice@debatesphere.com.
If rules are broken
Consequences
We apply consequences proportionate to the violation:
Warning
For minor or first-time issues, a warning makes clear that the behaviour needs to stop.
Content removal
Content that breaks these guidelines can be removed.
Suspension
Repeated or more serious violations can result in a temporary suspension from the platform.
Permanent ban
Severe violations — including harassment, hate speech, threats, or behaviour that endangers other users, especially young ones — can result in immediate and permanent removal.
We reserve the right to act on serious violations immediately, without a prior warning, where the safety of the community requires it.
Updates
Changes to these guidelines
We will update these guidelines as the platform grows and as we learn. When we make significant changes, we will make them visible. Continued use of DebateSphere means you accept the current version of these guidelines.
Get in touch
Contact
For any safety concern, report of misuse, question about these guidelines, or request relating to a young user's account, contact us at customerservice@debatesphere.com.