Community Rules & Code of Conduct

Debategle is a platform for serious, structured debate. We believe the best debates happen when participants argue with intellectual honesty and treat each other with respect, even when holding radically different views.

Debate Format

Every debate follows a structured format. Each phase has a time limit. If you don't submit before time runs out, the phase advances automatically.

Phase	Who	Time	Description
Opening Statement	Player 1	2 min	Make your case for your position.
Opening Statement	Player 2	2 min	Make your case for your position.
Rebuttal	Player 1	2 min	Respond to your opponent's opening.
Rebuttal	Player 2	2 min	Respond to your opponent's opening.
Cross-Examination	Both (alternating)	3 min total / 30s per turn	Rapid back-and-forth. Ask questions, challenge claims, defend your position.
Closing Statement	Player 1	1 min	Summarize your argument and make your final case.
Closing Statement	Player 2	1 min	Summarize your argument and make your final case.

🤖 AI Judging

After both closing statements are submitted, the AI judge reads the full transcript and independently scores each player. Results appear within ~20 seconds. ELO is updated immediately after.

Each message can be up to 2,000 characters (~300–400 words). You can also debate using your voice. Click the Video button in the debate room to turn on voice mode. Your speech gets transcribed in real time and submitted as your turn.

Scoring Breakdown

25%

Logical Soundness. Valid arguments, no fallacies (strawman, ad hominem, false dichotomy, slippery slope, appeal to emotion).

25%

Rebuttal Effectiveness. Did you directly address your opponent's specific points? Dropped arguments are penalized.

25%

Evidence & Reasoning. Claims backed by reasoning, examples, or evidence. Plausibility and context matter.

15%

Clarity & Structure. Were your arguments organized and easy to follow across all phases?

10%

Good-Faith Engagement. Engaging with your opponent's actual position. Smugness, sealioning, and deliberate misreading are penalized, even if they stop short of explicit personal attacks.

Politically neutral. The judge is explicitly instructed not to favor any ideology, religion, or worldview. A well-argued minority position scores just as high as a popular one.

Scores are independent. Both players are graded separately — a close, high-quality debate produces two high scores, not forced separation.

Nuance is rewarded. Dogmatic or inflexible positions score lower than well-reasoned, nuanced arguments — even when the conclusion is the same.

🤝 Respect Your Opponent

You may strongly disagree with someone's views. That's the entire point. Disagree with their arguments, not with them as a person. Treat every opponent with basic human dignity, even if you find their position repugnant.

🚫 Zero Tolerance for Hate Speech

Slurs, dehumanizing language, and hate speech targeting race, religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or disability are strictly prohibited. There is no grey area here. First offense results in an automatic strike; repeated offenses result in a permanent ban.

💬 No Personal Attacks (Ad Hominem)

Attack the argument, not the person. Saying "your point is wrong because X" is debate. Saying "you're an idiot" is a rule violation. The AI judge will specifically penalize fallacious reasoning, including ad hominem attacks.

⏱️ Respect the Format

The structured turn system exists for a reason. It prevents shouting matches and ensures both sides are heard. Do not attempt to circumvent turn locks or flood your turns with off-topic content to waste time.

📋 Argue in Good Faith

Engage seriously with your opponent's actual position (no strawmanning). Don't deliberately misrepresent facts. Don't concede a point and then act like you didn't. The AI judge evaluates intellectual honesty.

🔞 No Inappropriate Content

Sexual content, graphic violence, or any NSFW material has no place in a debate. Violations result in an immediate permanent ban with no appeals process.

🏳️ Forfeiting

You may forfeit a debate at any time by clicking 'Forfeit'. Your opponent wins automatically. Rage-quitting (disconnecting without forfeiting) results in the same outcome, and repeated disconnects flag your account for review.

🚩 Use the Report Button

If your opponent violates these rules, use the report button. Include specific details. False reports intended to harass opponents are themselves a violation. Our moderation team reviews all reports.

⚡ Automated Strike System

An automated moderation system monitors all debate messages in real time. The following escalation applies:

1.Strike 1: Warning. Your message is blocked and you are notified.
2.Strike 2: Second warning. Your message is blocked. Opponent is notified of a violation.
3.Strike 3: Automatic forfeit. You lose the debate and receive a 24-hour matchmaking ban.
4.Severe violations (hate speech, slurs, NSFW): Immediate 3-strike forfeit on first offense.

Appeals

If you believe a ban or moderation action was applied in error, you may contest it via the report system. Premium members receive priority human review within 24 hours. Free members are reviewed within 72 hours.

These rules apply to all users regardless of rank, seniority, or political position. Enforcement is applied equally.