Yahoo Answers is shutting down on 4 May 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Yahoo Answers Community Guidelines

Yahoo Answers is an online community in which participants ask and answer questions on a wide range of topics, from the serious to the delightfully trivial. These guidelines are here to help you do your bit in making the community a safe and enriching place. We expect each member to conduct themselves with integrity, decency and respect, and your use of Yahoo Answers is subject to the Yahoo Answers Community Guidelines and the Terms

Violating the Community Guidelines may result in the termination of your Answers account without warning. In extreme cases, violations may result in the termination of your Yahoo ID and therefore access to all other Yahoo services.

For safety reasons, children under the age of 13 are not permitted to ask or answer questions on Yahoo Answers.

Good

The community depends on each member to help keep Yahoo Answers a safe, fun and positive place for everyone. Anyone can report abuse, but members who earn good reputations can help us detect and remove abuse more quickly.

  • Share what you know.

  • Be courteous.

    Yahoo Answers is a diverse community of people with diverse opinions. It is up to each of us to be polite and to treat one another with respect.

  • Be a good citizen.

    If you see great content, give it a star or thumbs up. If you see abuse, report it. Before you write anything, ask yourself if your contribution increases the strength and virtue of the community. You make a difference in shaping Yahoo Answers. Read more

  • Cite your sources.

    We encourage members to use online resources when answering questions. Just make sure you cite your sources and give credit where it is due. Read more

  • Ask clearly.

    Keep your questions succinct and descriptive, and check your spelling and grammar. It helps people find your questions, and you'll also get better answers. Read more

  • Categorise correctly.

    Categorise your question in the appropriate category. You will receive better and more relevant answers. Read more

Bad

Your use of Yahoo Answers is subject to the Yahoo Answers Community Guidelines. Yahoo Community Guidelines, and also the Yahoo Terms of Service.

Members who have violated the Community Guidelines are at risk of review and possible termination of their Answers accounts. In extreme cases, members risk losing their Yahoo ID and, consequently, access to all other Yahoo services.

  • Venting, ranting or using hate speech

    Yahoo Answers isn't a soapbox to vent personal frustrations or rant about issues. We are a community of people with diverse beliefs, opinions and backgrounds, so please be respectful and keep hateful and incendiary comments off Yahoo Answers. Read more

  • Chatting or otherwise violating the question-and-answer format.

    Yahoo Answers is a community of questions and answers, not a chat room. If a post is neither a question nor an answer, it doesn't belong here. If you prefer to have discussions or chat with others, please use one of Yahoo's other community services, such as Yahoo Groups. Read more

  • Being mean or obscene

    Because children as young as 13 may participate in Yahoo Answers, sexually explicit and vulgar language and images are not welcome on the site. Also not welcome are belligerence, insults, slurs and generally objectionable speech. If you wouldn't say it in public, don't post it on Answers. Read more

  • Exploiting the community

    Yahoo Answers is a place to gain knowledge, not customers, page views or dates. If you have years of experience in something, have a special hobby, own your own business, or if you are a knowledge partner, it's fine to accompany a good, on-topic answer with a link to your website, blog or email address to offer more information. However, it is not acceptable to post links that are unrelated to the topic or are clearly meant only to solicit others for personal and financial gain. Also prohibited are solicitations such as ‘Will you add me as a contact?’ or propositioning people.

  • Cheating

    Our points system is meant to reward community members for sharing questions and answers, so creating multiple accounts or posting content for the sole purpose of gaining points or soliciting others for points is not permitted. Posting filler answers to a question in an effort to be first to answer, or copying and pasting other members' answers, are also forms of cheating. Read more

  • Violating the law

    Members of Yahoo Answers are not above the law, so don't post anything that violates the laws of your country, region, county or town/city. Don't try to trick people into sharing their personal information, steal anything (such as copyright or trademark material) or break into places you shouldn't be. Don't threaten, harass, impersonate or hurt others, and don't invade other people's privacy.Read more

  • Behaving maliciously

    Don't post links to sites that contain viruses or malicious programs or that interfere with the operation of Yahoo Answers. Read more

  • Misusing Answers

    Don't create multiple accounts to troll or otherwise violate these guidelines or the Yahoo Terms of Service. Don't post things that are incomprehensible or in the wrong language, and don't post the same question over and over again. The community depends on you to report abuse and rate questions and answers, so using product features such as reporting abuse and providing ratings to target others is not allowed. Read more

  • Doing harm

    Be responsible and don’t misrepresent yourself, claim false credentials or expertise, or give advice in a way that might cause someone harm. Don’t incite or advocate violence or harmful practices. Read more

Using Answers safely

  • Age restriction

    Children under the age of 13 are not permitted to ask or answer questions on Yahoo Answers nor establish communication with other Yahoo Answers users. To find out more about using Yahoo Answers safely. Read more

We reserve the right to revise these guidelines at any time and without notice.