Can I share a free event or community group here?
The rules allow recommending free events or groups, and pet adoption posts are fine. Anything you make money from is banned, but you can send a modmail to ask for an exception.
Subreddit guides
r/bayarea rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/bayarea: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog.
Subreddit guides combine public Reddit source URLs, captured rules, visible verification dates, and Rankhog's account-safety workflow.
Current public stats
- Members
- 837,448
- Verified
- September 26, 2026
- Category
- Local community and city subreddits
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- No poor or hostile behavior: No personal attacks or hostile language against your fellow redditors. Hostile language against public figures and organizations is allowed as long as it's not overly egregious.
- No racism or other hate speech: Do not directly or indirectly suggest someone has done something because of their race. Pointing out other people's racism is allowed as long as it doesn't cross the line of being a personal attack.
- No advocating violence: Don't suggest or glorify that people should be killed, maimed or shot, either by vigilantes or the legal system. Recommending people legally arm themselves is fine as long as it's not accompanied by any suggestion of wanting to use the weapon against someone.
- No duplicate posts: If a topic has been posted in the last few days, only posts with substantial new information are allowed.
- No advertising: Advertising anything that you or anyone associated with you makes money off of is not allowed. Giveaways, fundraisers and bayclub membership posts are not allowed. Pet adoption posts are allowed. Recommending free events or groups is fine. Send us a modmail if you are unsure whether this applies to your case or to ask for an exception.
- No unverified or mislabeled crime/political posts: All posts about crime or politics need a news article from a reputable organization or a statement from a state official or police force. They also must be correctly flaired.
- No unverified contact information in missing person posts: Posts about missing people can only recommend contacting a police department. They can contain the publicly available phone number for the police department, but not any other numbers. Lost pet posts are fine and don't have this restriction.
- Posts must be about the bay area: Topics that are relevant to the bay but aren't directly in the bay are allowed, such as news about a wildfire blowing smoke through, or people getting trapped on the road to Tahoe. But there must be some relation to the bay area.
Works well
- Share a free Bay Area event with the date, location, and a short description, no affiliate links or ticket sales.
- Recommend a local community group or meetup that is free to join, framed as a resource for residents.
- Post a lost pet notice with a photo and general location, which the rules explicitly allow.
- Ask a modmail before posting if you have something that might look promotional but serves the community, since the rules invite you to request an exception.
Avoid
- Do not post anything you or anyone associated with you makes money off of, because the advertising rule is strict and covers giveaways and fundraisers too.
- Do not post about crime or politics without a reputable news article or official statement, and make sure the flair is correct.
- Do not share contact numbers other than a police department phone number in a missing person post.
- Do not repost a topic that has appeared in the last few days unless you have substantial new information.
- Do not post anything with no connection to the Bay Area, because relevance is required even for tangential topics.
What r/bayarea Is For
This community is for things to do, things to see, and discussions about the San Francisco Bay Area. Based on the rules, people post about local news, crime, politics, missing persons, lost pets, free events, and community groups. The room is broad in topic but tight on local relevance. If it does not connect to the Bay Area in some way, it does not belong here.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rules that matter most for a founder are clear from the evidence. The rule called No advertising is the biggest gatekeeper, since it bans anything you or anyone associated with you makes money off of, along with giveaways and fundraisers. The rule called Posts must be about the bay area means your topic needs a real local hook. The rule called No unverified or mislabeled crime/political posts requires a reputable news link and correct flair if you touch those subjects. The rule called No duplicate posts means you should check the feed for recent coverage of your topic. The rule called No poor or hostile behavior sets a civil tone for how you engage in comments.
What To Post
A good post here is something genuinely useful to Bay Area residents with zero commercial intent. You could share a free local event, recommend a community group, or post about a lost pet. If you have something that might cross the advertising line, the rules say you can send a modmail to ask for an exception first. If your topic touches crime or politics, attach a reputable news article and use the correct flair. If it is tangential to the Bay Area, make the local connection obvious in your title and body.
What To Avoid
Avoid anything promotional. The rule called No advertising is blunt about this. Do not post giveaways, fundraisers, or anything you or an associate profits from. Do not post crime or politics without a reputable news article and the correct flair. Do not share personal contact numbers in missing person posts beyond a police department number. Do not repost a topic from the last few days unless you have substantial new information. Do not use hostile language or make personal attacks against other users.
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Common questions about r/bayarea
Can I run a giveaway or fundraiser here?
No, giveaways and fundraisers are explicitly not allowed under the advertising rule.
What do I need to post about crime or politics?
You need a news article from a reputable organization or a statement from a state official or police force, and you must flair the post correctly.
Can I post about a missing person?
You can include the publicly available police department phone number, but no other numbers.
Does my post need to be physically in the Bay Area?
Topics relevant to the bay but not directly in it are allowed if there is a clear relation, like wildfire smoke or road closures on the way to Tahoe.
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