The heat indicator
A small badge on threads that are getting heated. It's a heads-up, not a punishment — and it's never visible to the original poster as a score.
What it is
The heat indicator is a small badge that appears on threads getting heated — lots of replies in a short window, sharp tone signals, or brigade-style patterns. It tells you "this is a tense one" before you walk in. It is never shown as a score to the original poster.
How to use it
When you see a 🔥 badge on a post, tap it. You'll see a short explanation of why the badge is there ("rapid replies," "pattern match with brigade signal," etc.).
Decide if you want to engage. The badge isn't a recommendation — it's information. Some heated threads are real conversations; some are not.
If you post a reply in a heat-flagged thread, the composer shows a gentle nudge: "this thread is heated; take a sec." It's literally one extra tap, no friction beyond that.
Why it matters
Most platforms hide heat because surfacing it slows engagement. We think that's the wrong trade — slower is fine. The badge is a heads-up so you can opt in, not a public scoreboard or a punishment. We never show OPs a heat score because that breaks the feedback loop into self-censorship.
Quick FAQ
Related
Manipulation Shield
Our system that flags coordinated bots, brigade attacks, and sock-puppet rings. Most of it runs in the background — here's what to know.
ReadCommunity notes
Reader-written context that attaches to a post when it might mislead. Notes only show up after a diverse group of contributors agrees the note helps.
Read