Built for Better Conversations: See the Updated Community Guidelines

Aug 28 8:36am | Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Comments (1)

two women sharing a conversation

Whether you’re a long-time member or visiting Mayo Clinic Connect for the first time, the updated Community Guidelines help protect the respectful, supportive conversations that make Connect meaningful.

Every conversation on Mayo Clinic Connect starts with trust. Whether you are sharing your own health experience, asking a question, or offering encouragement to someone else, the Community Guidelines help make those conversations welcoming, safe, respectful, and helpful for everyone.

To help protect that trust, we recently updated the Community Guidelines along with the Terms of Use.

Over the years, the guidelines have evolved as we responded to new situations and challenges in online communities. You’ll find the same values that have always guided Connect, now organized in a way that is easier to read, easier to scan, and easier to use when you need a quick reminder.

On every page of the website, you’ll see the guidelines in brief as a helpful reminder to:

Share your story, not medical advice.
Be human. Don’t post AI-generated answers.
Always be civil and respectful.
Stay on topic; no politics or promotions.
Report concerns.

What you’ll notice in the update

Clearer language so you can find answers faster

Rewritten using plain language.
Reorganized into shorter, easier-to-read sections.
Important information easier to find.

Greater emphasis on sharing experiences, not medical advice

Connect is a place to share what has worked for you, not to tell others what they should do.
The guidelines clearly explain when medical claims or misinformation will be removed.

New guidance about using artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly

We added guidance for sharing information generated with AI tools.
Share your experiences, not AI-generated answers.
Posts that rely only on AI-generated content may be removed so conversations stay personal, trustworthy, and grounded in real experience.

Reminders on respect

The community’s expectations for respect and civility remain the same.
Stay on topic, with a focus on health.

Simple steps for reporting concerns

See clear instructions about how to report posts that require moderator attention.
This includes reporting concerning content about someone’s safety, suspected misinformation, spam, or fake accounts.

What hasn’t changed is the heart of Connect: people helping people through respectful, supportive conversations.

Why this matters

Community Guidelines are more than rules. They help create an environment where people feel comfortable discussing personal health experiences, asking questions, and supporting one another.

These updates ensure that Mayo Clinic Connect remains:

Safe and supportive.
Respectful and inclusive.
Trustworthy and informative.
Focused on meaningful human connections.

Most importantly, the updated guidelines help all of us continue building a community where every member feels welcome, supported, and heard.

Take a few minutes to read the updated Community Guidelines and see how you can help keep Mayo Clinic Connect welcoming, trustworthy, and focused on meaningful connections.

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