Spoilers are a complicated issue, but we hope to get your feedback on how to handle them so we can set guidelines.
Part of what makes tip-toeing around spoilers so problematic is that everyone has their own set of rules, and everyone has their own viewing/reading schedules. It’s impossible to take care of everyone’s needs.
The Hypable staff brainstormed a new list of guidelines that the writers will heed after they’re finalized so we can provide a safe experience for as many people as possible.
One important note: We cannot please everyone. Neither can any other website on the internet. We each have our own wishes for how to prevent ourselves and our friends from seeing spoilers, but sometimes you have to just let a posted spoiler go. If the entire audience tells us we screwed up or if we don’t follow our own rules, then we will own up to it. But we have to warn you that our spoiler rules, your spoiler rules, and anyone else’s spoiler rules will never please all of the internet. Okay? Okay.
Our spoiler policy
“Spoiler” (n) – The Wikipedia definition: “an element of a disseminated summary or description of any piece of fiction that reveals any plot elements which threaten to give away important details concerning the turn of events of a dramatic episode.”
– TV shows: Spoilers cannot be posted in the headline, image, or lead on the site or in social media any sooner than one week after the episode airs in the United States. Writers may vaguely refer to the spoiler in the headline and lead, but the words used cannot give away a spoiler.
– Movies: Spoilers cannot be posted in the headline, image, or lead on the site or in social media any sooner than two weeks after the film hits theaters in the United States.
– Books: Spoilers cannot be posted in the headline, image, or lead on the site or in social media any sooner than one month after the book is released in the United States.
– Major deaths, returns, plot twists will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and may not be revealed for several months. At the least, they won’t be revealed in the time frames noted above.
– Plot lines that may or may not happen in the future cannot be revealed OR suggested in the lead, image, or headline on the site or in social media.
Exception: Spoilers can be written in the search engine headline (the headline that appears at the top of your browser window) and URL. If it’s in the URL, it has to be at the very end of the headline so that it doesn’t show up on Twitter (Example: true-blood-season-7-major-death-spoiler-sookie-dies).
Why do we insist on this exception? When people are searching for information about a particular topic, they are using a search query that specifically references the spoiler. By putting the spoiler itself at the end of a URL, you will not see it on our Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr. You will also not see the SEO headline unless you have the article open.
Please keep in mind…
– Stills, casting announcements, trailers, and synopses officially released by studios are not spoilers. They are fully intended for public viewing ahead of time, that’s why the studios release them to build show hype! If you want to stay away from the Hype, stay away from Hypable.
– If you see an article that pertains to an episode you haven’t watched yet, don’t click on it.
– Our articles frequently have spoiler warnings in the form of “(spoiler)” in the headline or somewhere towards the top of the article. If you see this – Yep, it’s a spoiler.
– Our podcasts, including Hype, discuss topics that have happened in fandom over the past week. We do our best to not reveal spoilers and at least offer spoiler warnings, but our shows do assume that you don’t mind being lightly spoiled about things you don’t follow.
Have an idea for another rule? Disagree with one of the rules? Tell us in the comments. If you like someone else’s idea, give it an up-vote. This will help us gauge what everyone wants to see.