r/illinois Oct 26 '25

From the Mod Team Apologies for overactive use of automated tools

197 Upvotes

Recently, we implemented multiple automated tools to try to help keep down brigadeers, trolls, and bots who have been inundating r/Illinois , particularly on posts that are related to ICE activity. Those tools, however, were definitely overly aggressive at removing user comments, and we have now rolled them back.

The Read the Rules application, in particular, is a tool that we've been using with considerable success to provide a pre-screening tool for posts: it requires users to complete a very short verification process before creating a new top-level post. Some users had questions about it, particularly users who prefer old.Reddit, but it was basically manageable and helpful. Today, when we applied that same tool to comments, it resulted in the vast majority of comments being immediately removed. I want to apologize that it took us several hours to recognize the problem, and implement the fix, because there were several thousand comments that were affected by our mistake.

Thanks to the users who helped bring the problem to our attention. I want to make it clear that we are absolutely in favor of any and all discussion that comports with the rules we've posted, and Reddit's site-wide rules. What happened today was a mistake, and I'm hopeful that we'll be able to learn from that mistake, and implement practices that can prevent something like this from happening in the future.

I also want to assure the users here that none of what happened today was the result of any sort of direct pressure: Reddit Admins haven't given us any feedback at all about how we're moderating the sub. It's just that we're a small team, and we've seen out traffic triple this month. The number of user reports, and the number of automated reports, are untenable, so we explored adding new tools and new features in existing tools, and it just didn't work.

Thanks for your patience, stay safe, and please use the Message the Mods feature if you have any questions or concerns.


r/illinois Oct 12 '25

From the Mod Team We're changing our policies on specificity of locations

746 Upvotes

TLDR: The mod team is changing course on this issue. We encourage users to specify locations of current events that happen in public spaces, including any and all law enforcement action.

After several days of discussion among the mod team, we've come to the conclusion that our policies against reporting specific locations are unnecessarily restrictive. Most recently, we've guided users to avoid being specific about the location of any current events, out of concern that it could reveal private or personal information about the persons involved, which is a violation of site-wide Reddit policies We are, of course, bound to moderate this space in a way that adheres to all of Reddit's site-wide policies, and if we fail to do so, the subreddit will be shut down.

That being said, we've come to a consensus that private and personal information means more than just location of where people are at in a given moment, and the context of people's presence at specific locations matters. It remains prohibited to reveal the home address or workplace of any private individual, or to offer overly specific information about that sort of personal information: for example, if a user were to post that u/jamey1138 lives near the corner of Pulaski and Belmont in Chicago, that would be considered too specific. Other forms of contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, etc, shared without the individual's consent are also violations of private and personal information.

On the other hand, if a user says that there's law enforcement activity, including ICE and CBP activity, at a particular corner, that does not reveal anyone's personal or private information. We want to encourage community members to share information about any current events happening in any public space in Illinois, and to include specific locations with that information.

Thank you for your participation in r/Illinois. We will continue to evolve our policies, and try to meet the moment as best we are able. Stay safe everyone.


r/illinois 4h ago

Illinois News Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has released the official list of rejected license plate applications in 2025.

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646 Upvotes

r/illinois 18h ago

Propaganda Neighbor put up a “Deus Vult” flag. Feeling unsettled and unsure how to respond

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10.2k Upvotes

Our next door neighbor just put up this flag facing our home It says “Deus Vult” with a red crusader-style cross.

For anyone unfamiliar, “Deus Vult” is a medieval crusader slogan that in modern times has been widely adopted by far-right and anti-Muslim groups. I’m Muslim, and seeing this displayed so prominently feels hostile and intimidating, especially given how this phrase is commonly used today.

I understand free speech laws, but I’m trying to figure out where the line is between protected expression and something that reasonably makes neighbors feel targeted or unsafe.

What makes this especially upsetting is that our household has never caused any issues. We’ve lived here for over a decade without a single complaint or disturbance. We’re a quiet, working household. Our household includes a final year medical student, and another member works in social services as well as a high school student. We contribute to the community, keep to ourselves, and have always been respectful neighbors.


r/illinois 11h ago

ICE Posts Congresswoman Delia Ramirez Exposes "Inhumane" Conditions at Broadview

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1.4k Upvotes

r/illinois 30m ago

ICE Posts DOJ sues Illinois' governor over laws protecting immigrants at courthouses and hospitals

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Upvotes

r/illinois 5h ago

Illinois News Illinois Transit Bill Includes ‘Transit to Trails’ Grant Program Expanding Bus Routes to Parks

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38 Upvotes

r/illinois 16h ago

Illinois News Office of Public Affairs | Justice Department Sues J.B. Pritzker, Kwame Raoul Over the Illinois Bivens Act | United States Department of Justice

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191 Upvotes

r/illinois 14h ago

Illinois Politics These two crooks can still convert millions from their campaign funds into personal use if they choose

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23 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

ICE Posts Chicago: Diabetic Collapsed found dead in cell “Released”- ICE Detainee Dies on 8th Wedding Anniversary After Denied Medical Care

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10.4k Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

ICE Posts ICE spotting

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192 Upvotes

Also reports of someone being pulled over in wheeling IL I believe they took a patroller.


r/illinois 1d ago

it's a joke, laugh Illinois Rejected Plates Video (2025)

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122 Upvotes

r/illinois 17h ago

Illinois News IBPOOPN, TYPESHT, BRICKED: Here Are 2025's Rejected Illinois License Plates

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22 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois News Ignored, misdiagnosed, left to die — Illinois prisoners’ health in hands of new provider with shoddy track record

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141 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois Facts Catching the CTA Holiday Train in Chicago

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647 Upvotes

r/illinois 2d ago

ICE Posts Chicago, IL: “She’s a Time Waster” - Armed Federal Agents Refuse to Explain Illegal Stop After Surrounding Woman’s Car

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6.4k Upvotes

r/illinois 36m ago

Illinois Politics Sign the Petition

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Upvotes

Sign if you agree this is something Illinois need. Lets get this girl her meds.


r/illinois 2d ago

ICE Posts Chicago, IL: Stealth Mode Failed Unmarked Federal Vehicle Tagged

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2.8k Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

ICE Posts Frightening details emerge on CBP agent accused of sexually assaulting, robbing several women in suburban Chicago hotels.

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978 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

ICE Posts I am not fluent in Spanish yet and I understand her perfectly.

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322 Upvotes

r/illinois 18h ago

Question Which credit card works on the Illinois Lotto app to buy tickets?

0 Upvotes

I'm a responsible adult and I like to buy Powerball tickets when the jackpot goes over a billion dollars.

American Express/PayPal does not work. I've only had luck with gift cards. Are there any easy options?

Thanks!


r/illinois 2d ago

Illinois Politics Illinois white supremacist, 25, of Wayne City, IL. What happens to make people like this?

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894 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

Question DnD Players in Crawford County?

6 Upvotes

We just bought a house in Robinson and we are looking to try to find some dnd players in the area to befriend and eventually game with. It's going to take us a few months to get settled in the house so while we're not looking for a current running game we ARE interested in making friends.

A little about us, We're in our Mid-30s. We are an LGBTQIA household. We own an UNREASONABLE amount of DnD books as well as other TTRPGs. My wife likes video games, gunpla building, and goth clothes. I like Books, ball-joint dolls, and drawing. We have a kiddo who is an enthusiastic dice goblin but isn't quite old enough to grasp the concepts of DnD yet. We'll be creating a DnD/Gaming room out of our den once fully moved in.

Let me know if there's anyone out there willing to make friends. :)


r/illinois 1d ago

Question Budget Rental Vans

14 Upvotes

I went on a day trip to visit family today (North Central Illinois for the whole trip in the 815's), and started to notice a pattern of Budget Rental Vans idling near roadways as I was on my way there and back. I counted 5 once I started to feel like it was a pattern, and am just wondering if anyone else noticed anything.

I know it is the last minute delivery rush couch time, but all of them that I saw were just idling, and in a couple I saw someone just scanning the passing traffic.

I hate always feeling paranoid these days, but felt I should ask.


r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois Politics Looking Ahead to the 2026 Election in Illinois

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2 Upvotes