When you’ve attained a new trust level, you’ll receive a corresponding badge to notify you of the bump-up. Your current level is visible on your user page (via badges).
I’ll go ahead and document what we currently have for each level in a separate post below, one per level.
New users are visitors who have just created an account. They are still learning the rules and the way our forum works. Whether accidentally, or intentionally, new users can cause problems, so they need to earn trust.
Some “advanced” functionality is hidden from new users to make the UI less confusing for them and gently land them on the deeper UI as they get more experienced.
Thus, new users’ abilities are restricted for safety – both yours and ours.
Users at trust level 0 cannot…
Send private messages to other users
Reply as new topic in the right gutter (UI removed)
Flag posts
Post more than one image
Post any attachments
Post more than 2 hyperlinks in a post
Have actual links in the ‘about me’ field of their profile (will be silently and temporarily converted to plain text)
Regulars are the most active readers and reliable contributors over long periods of time.
They can get to trust level 3 by…
This is time and activity based, unlike the previous levels. In the last 100 days…
must have visited at least 50% of days
must have replied to at least 10 different topics
of topics created in the last 100 days, must have viewed 25% (capped at 500)
of posts created in the last 100 days, must have read 25% (capped at 20k)
must have received 20 likes, and given 30 likes.*
must not have received more than 5 spam or offensive flags (with unique posts and unique users for each, confirmed by a moderator)
must not have been suspended
These likes must be across a minimum number of different users (1/5 the number), across a minimum number of different days (1/4 the number). Likes cannot be from PMs.
All of these must be true.
Unlike other trust levels, you can lose trust level 3 status. If you dip below these requirements, whether from flagging or the passage of time, you will be demoted to Member.
However, in order to avoid constant promotion/demotion situations, there is a 2-week grace period immediately after gaining Trust Level 3 during which you will not be demoted.
Users at trust level 3 can…
recategorize and rename topics
access a private “frequent flier’s lounge” category only visible to users at trust level 3 and higher
have all their links followed (we remove automatic nofollow)
spam flags cast on TL0 user posts immediately hide the post
flags cast on TL0 user posts in sufficient diversity will auto-block the user and hide all their posts
make their own posts wiki (that is, editable by any TL1+ users)
Leaders are regulars who have been around forever and seen everything. They set a positive example for the community through their actions and their posts. If you need advice, these are the folks you turn to first.
They can get to trust level 4 by…
Manual promotion only at the moment or maybe through an election!.