Debatism is designed to foster real intellectual discourse. Every rule exists to ensure the best arguments rise to the top.
All public debates are viewable without an account. Read arguments, see vote tallies, and explore the platform. You only need to sign in when you're ready to participate by voting, posting arguments, or switching sides.
Requires Sign In:
Voting • Posting Arguments • Switching Sides • Creating Debates
Every participant must declare For or Against before posting or voting. This commitment ensures everyone has skin in the game and prevents fence-sitting.
Each participant receives exactly 6 votes per debate - 3 positive and 3 negative. Your relationship to an argument determines which votes you can use:
The Rule
Your side only
Any argument
Votes are locked for 7 days before they can be moved to another argument.
Changed your mind? You can switch sides up to 3 times during a debate, with increasing time constraints between switches. This powerful mechanic rewards truly persuasive arguments.
When You Switch
1st Switch
After 1 week
2nd Switch
After 1 month
3rd Switch
After 1 year
Arguments that change minds earn a "🎯 Changed X minds" badge — the highest honor on the platform.
Every argument must be substantive. We enforce quality through word minimums and AI checks.
Minimum 15 words. Up to 3 per side per user.
Minimum 15 words. One per depth level.
Arguments are checked for: substantive content, on-topic relevance, and coherent reasoning. Maximum nesting depth: 4 levels (argument → counter → counter → counter).
Arguments ranked by total score. The cream rises to the top.
Arguments gaining momentum in the last 24 hours. Hot takes welcome.
Fresh perspectives. Hidden if score drops below -10.
AI-powered semantic matching based on your expressed views.
Filter to only show arguments you've voted on. Track your vote placements and when they become moveable.
Outstanding arguments receive bonus points through two mechanisms:
When someone switches sides and selects your argument as the one that convinced them:
+25 points
🎯 Badge displayed
After 72 hours, the three highest-scoring arguments on each side receive:
+5 points
🏅 Medal displayed
After 72 hours, the argument with the most mind-changes receives:
+10 points
🏆 Trophy displayed
In case of ties for system bonuses, the earliest-created argument wins.
Debates can be configured with a judging date to determine a winner after a set timeframe. This creates a sense of urgency and allows debates to reach formal conclusions.
Before the judging date, a countdown banner shows time remaining. Participants compete to build the strongest case before time runs out.
When the date arrives, the debate is automatically judged based on total argument scores. Results are immutable and permanently recorded.
Open-Ended Debates
Not all debates need a judging date. Debates without one remain open indefinitely, allowing for ongoing discourse without a time constraint.
Your reputation points reflect your contributions to quality discourse. Points unlock platform features and signal your experience level.
Reach 500 reputation points to unlock Advocate status and gain the ability to create new debates.
Advocate Perks:
Create Debates • Trusted Contributor Badge • Reduced Rate Limits
Track Your Progress
View your reputation breakdown and recent activity in your Settings > Reputation page. Your reputation points are displayed in the header, showing your progress toward Advocate status.
Each debate shows two leaderboards recognizing the most impactful contributors:
Ranked by total argument score - the sum of all votes received on their arguments in this debate.
Ranked by minds changed - how many people switched sides after reading their arguments.
Privacy Control
You can opt out of appearing on leaderboards via Settings. Your contributions still count, but your name won't appear in public rankings.
Your leaderboard position is based on the quality and persuasiveness of your arguments:
Only your arguments in that specific debate count toward that debate's leaderboard. Platform-wide leaderboards are coming in a future update.
Arguments can include up to 5 source URLs. Each source is validated and labeled:
We don't censor sources - all are allowed, just labeled. Powered by Media Bias/Fact Check.
Flag arguments as: Factually Incorrect, Misleading, Off-Topic, or Low Quality.
Rate limit: 2 flags per debate per 24h. Flag accuracy affects your reputation.
Arguments are locked once they receive any vote. This prevents bait-and-switch tactics.
Harmful content screening, semantic duplicate detection, and quality checks on every submission.
Go anonymous and appear as "Former User" while your arguments remain attributed.
Now that you understand the rules, it's time to pick a side and make your case.