# We Need To Get Rid of Trust Levels **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [June 25, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907 "2020-06-25T03:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/1 "2020-06-25T03:08:09Z")
This nanny system is geared to control people and their posts, allegedly to self-moderate. Users have to earn access to post. We can only “move up” levels by coming here frequently, posting frequently, and viewing lots of topics. Adding insult to injury, if we don’t keep at it the nanny software takes away what we’ve “earned.” > **[Understanding Discourse Trust Levels](https://blog.discourse.org/2018/06/understanding-discourse-trust-levels/)** > > The user trust system is a fundamental cornerstone of Discourse. Trust levels are a way of… ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/2 "2020-06-25T03:13:05Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > This nanny system is geared to control people and their posts, allegedly to self-moderate. Users have to earn access to post. We can only “move up” levels by coming here frequently, posting frequently, and viewing lots of topics. Adding insult to injury, if we don’t keep at it the nanny software takes away what we’ve “earned.” Nice idea, but I doubt there’s any way to do that. Seems to be the bedrock of Discourse. And anyway, without likes, none of us can move up very far. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/3 "2020-06-25T03:18:36Z")
Well, at least we now know codinghorror was literally coding horror. Discourse with all the features turned on must be what runs Hell’s message board. (_They_ keep the 50 character limit.) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/4 "2020-06-25T03:26:45Z")
I need some help here, because I have no idea what the OP means. How do users need to earn anything to post? Who cares about moving up levels? What does that get us? How can we move up levels in the first place since they turned off likes? Isn’t the whole point of the tweaks they’re making here to negate the whole Discourse experience as much as possible? Is anything in this post relevant to the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/5 "2020-06-25T03:29:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I need some help here, because I have no idea what the OP means. How do users need to earn anything to post? Brand new members would presumably start out at Trust Level 0. They can still post, but not much. But if you’re TL0 for more than 15 minutes, somebody needs to check you for a pulse. > [@](#): > > Who cares about moving up levels? What does that get us? There are some potential benefits, but I imagine that none of them will be turned on here. The ability to turn your OP into a wiki is one example, and there is by default a special forum just for TL3s. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Crap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.crap/32/3131_2.png) [@Dr.Crap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Crap)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/6 "2020-06-25T03:31:15Z")
I can see the _real_ forums. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/7 "2020-06-25T03:34:40Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > There are some potential benefits, but I imagine that none of them will be turned on here. The ability to turn your OP into a wiki is one example, and there is by default a special forum just for TL3s. So a) the issue is irrelevant here; b) turn your OP into a wiki - huh? 🤢 ; c) again, irrelevant here. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/8 "2020-06-25T03:36:46Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > turn your OP into a wiki - huh? 🤢 Just means that anybody (above a certain Trust Level) can edit the post. I’ve used it a couple of times, but it’s mostly ignored, IME. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/9 "2020-06-25T05:16:38Z")
Apparently, there’s some standard trust level that ALL new posters attain fairly quickly that’s good enough and gets us pretty much all the posting privileges we are accustomed to. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/10 "2020-06-25T07:35:38Z")
I can understand the resentment of the OP as a mere Level 1. However, the higher trust levels are really something. The secret fora for Level 10 and higher are much better and provide answers to questions about Area 51. Also there are added benefits. I’m not allowed to say anything for fear of being set back in trust level, but who doesn’t like jet packs and [connection broken] ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/11 "2020-06-25T11:29:11Z")
I know I’m enjoying being clear of all my Body Thetans. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/12 "2020-06-25T13:15:52Z")
I assume no one here can go beyond Level 1 “basic” because you need to give and receive a like to promote to Level 2. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/13 "2020-06-25T13:19:18Z")
Fives have lives, Fours have chores, Threes have fleas, Twos have blues, and Ones don’t get a rhyme, because they’re garbage! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/14 "2020-06-25T13:27:39Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > turn your OP into a wiki - huh? 🤢 Honestly, I could see a feature like that being really useful and fun in the Game Room for those involved in long term fantasy sports leagues. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/15 "2020-06-25T13:32:18Z")
All I can think of is Robert De Niro yellng at me about who is inside the Circle of Trust. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/16 "2020-06-25T13:49:52Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Fives have lives, Fours have chores, Threes have fleas, Twos have blues, and Ones don’t get a rhyme, because they’re garbage! Why are you at school on a Saturday? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/17 "2020-06-25T13:53:31Z")
I seem to be a level 2 despite never having given any likes. Maybe that part got turned off? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/18 "2020-06-25T13:55:08Z")
from the badge description, > [@](#): > > This badge is granted when you reach trust level 2. Thanks for participating over a period of weeks to truly join our community So maybe you don’t need likes for level 2 ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/19 "2020-06-25T14:46:10Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@Andy\_L](#): > > > > Fives have lives, Fours have chores, Threes have fleas, Twos have blues, and Ones don’t get a rhyme, because they’re garbage! > > Why are you at school on a Saturday? I got to get to the cafeteria before they run out of _apples_ ! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907/20 "2020-06-25T17:09:53Z")
Are the levels directly equivalent to MeowMeowBeenz? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-to-get-rid-of-trust-levels/912907.md?page=2)