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How do you configure AutoModerator rules to handle common problems?

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AutoModerator is Reddit's built-in automation tool that allows moderators to create YAML-based rules which run automatically on all new posts and comments in a subreddit. It is configured through a wiki page at the path r/yoursubredditname/wiki/config/automoderator, which moderators with wiki and config permissions can edit. The rules written there execute in sequence for each new piece of content, and they can perform a range of actions: removing content, approving it, adding a comment, sending a modmail notification, or flipping an item into a review queue. The most common AutoModerator rule types address new and low-karma accounts, which are a primary source of spam and rule violations. A rule can automatically remove or hold posts from accounts younger than a specified number of days or with fewer than a specified amount of karma, sending those users a message explaining why their post did not appear and when they will be eligible to post. This single rule dramatically reduces spam volume in most subreddits without requiring manual review of every new post. Keyword-based filters are another foundational tool. Rules can scan post titles, body text, and comments for specific words or phrases and automatically remove or flag content containing them. This is useful for enforcing prohibitions on specific types of content — commercial links, banned terms, slurs — that are consistently problematic. However, keyword rules require careful construction because overly broad patterns can generate false positives that catch legitimate content. Link domain rules allow moderators to specify which domains are permitted or prohibited as sources. A subreddit that only allows self-posts, or one that wants to block specific affiliate link domains, can implement this at the automod level. Flair enforcement rules can remove posts that do not have required flair applied, and post format rules can enforce title structure requirements. The official AutoModerator documentation on Reddit's wiki provides comprehensive examples for all of these rule types, and r/AutoModerator is an active support community where moderators can ask configuration questions and share rule snippets.

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