Welcome to MetaFilter! We're glad you're interested in adding your voice to our online community. Here is some general information about signing up, and some guidelines for members to follow.
How signups work
There is a one-time US$5 charge to create an account on MetaFilter. The signup process uses PayPal by default. If you can't use PayPal, or can't afford the fee, that's all right; contact us and we can offer alternatives or waive the fee.
MetaFilter has Site Guidelines. It's important that you read and understand them; if you violate them, your account may be closed with no refunds.
Choose your username carefully, because once you start to comment with it, the name can't be changed. Remember MetaFilter is a public site visible to the whole internet, and your username will remain permanently attached to your posts and comments.
No promotional posting, no spam
MetaFilter is not a site for self-promotion, SEO, PR, marketing, or advertising. There are extremely limited circumstances under which it is acceptable to link to your own work, your company's work, or any work you've been hired to promote. Posting outside of these circumstances is grounds for an immediate ban. If you're joining specifically for any of these purposes, stop now and save us both some time.
Waiting Periods for Posting
MetaFilter is a site with a long history and a strong site culture. To encourage people to acclimate, we have set some limits on what brand-new users can do.
- You must wait one week before you can post a new thread to the front page.
- You must participate in a front-page thread on MetaFilter before you can post one. We strongly encourage you to read the FAQ before making your first post as well.
- Ask MetaFilter does not have a hard rule about not repeating questions, but the archives are extensive - be sure to search to see if your question has been asked before.
- There are various waiting periods between posts, depending on the subsite, which help prevent spam and inappropriate posting. These apply no matter how long you have been a member.
Further Reading
Sound good? Great, go ahead and sign up for an account here. At the end of the process you'll be directed towards Paypal, and upon your return, you should be able to login as a brand-new MetaFilter member!