Dotterit

Dotterit is a web-based discussion and content aggregation platform that organizes conversations into topic-focused communities, known as dots. Users submit links, questions, and original posts, which other users can comment on and vote up or down. The platform emphasizes collaborative moderation and community governance, aiming to foster open discussion and transparent decision-making.

Dotterit was founded in 2010 by a fictional tech startup, Dotter Labs, and grown through user-driven expansion across different subject areas. The site introduced mobile apps in the mid-2010s and gradually refined its reputation system and moderation tools to balance free expression with community standards.

Structural elements center on the dot: individual communities that host posts and discussions around a chosen topic. Content types include text posts, links, images, and question threads. Users vote on items, earning karma and receiving badges that signal participation and trust. Search, tagging, and cross-dot navigation help users discover relevant discussions.

Governance combines volunteer moderators within each dot with site-wide administrators. Dot moderators enforce community rules, review reports, and curate approved content. The platform maintains formal guidelines on harassment, misinformation, and copyright. Appeals processes and transparency reports are used to address disputes and demonstrate accountability.

Reception to Dotterit has been mixed. Proponents praise its organized space for niche communities and open discussion, while critics warn of echo chambers, polarization, and uneven moderation across dots. The platform has also faced debates over censorship versus free expression and the influence of popular dots on wider discourse.

See also Reddit, online communities.