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FAQ / Rules / Guidelines

Last Updated on 11th August 2025

Changelog
  • NEW UPLOADER PRIORITY: new uploaders (i.e. uploaders with less than 20 overall comics) will have priority for new comic claims (of English Official Manhwa Series Only) for first 12 hours after the release of the comic as long as the quality is legible. Beyond that, normal rules apply i.e. fastest first quality upload. New uploaders can also collab with non new uploaders on 5 out of those initial 20 comics.

  • Uploaders dropping their comics/putting them on hiatus are strongly advised to add [Open for Pickup] in the comic title to make it easier for others to search for them and upload to it.

  • Scan Groups are required to add [Team Name] in the title after 11 august 2025.

  • Do not add links to donate, scan team websites and discord servers in Extra Info section of the comics.

  • Do not add AI covers, novel covers or covers with watermarks as comic covers.

  • Added perms request onsite: Please request uploading perms through the on-site report system. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the comic page and click report. The template for requesting perms can be found under General Uploading Rules and in the BATO Discord server.


Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What is BATO? BATO is a non-profit community-run comic-sharing platform created by comic fans for comic fans. It supports various languages and allows active uploaders/groups full control over their content.

  2. How does BATO cover its operating costs? Operating costs are covered through ads displayed to users and partly from the website owner's funds. You can make voluntary donations to help with the operational costs through here.

  3. Are users paid to upload on BATO? No, uploads are made purely out of a desire to share comics without financial gain.

  4. Can I download a title/chapter? BATO does not offer a download option. For downloads, visit the scanlation group's website or the publisher's site if a digital copy is available for purchase.

  5. How do I add a new comic or group to BATO? Submit new content through the Publisher Window. For additional instruction and guidelines on uploads, see Rules below.

  6. How do I delete my account on BATO? To delete your account, go here. [Beware this is irreversible]

  7. How can I request upload permissions for an existing series? Please request uploading perms through the on-site report system. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the comic page and click report. The template for requesting perms can be found under General Uploading Rules and in the BATO Discord server.

  8. Can I re-upload/un-hide content that was removed by moderators? No. Moderators will always provide a reason under the comic page for why it was removed. If you disagree with the removal and would like to repeal it, please go to the Discord #support channel.

  9. What are the consequences of violating BATO's rules? Violating BATO's rules can result in warnings and potentially a ban depending on the severity and frequency of the violations. Follow the rules closely to avoid any issues.

  10. Can I appeal a ban or warning? If you believe a ban or warning was issued in error, you can appeal by contacting the moderators via the #support channel on Discord. Provide any relevant information and context for your appeal.

As a reminder, moderators are always here to help you with any questions you have. Please find the list of site moderators here or ask your questions in the Discord #support channel.

Moderation
  • Moderator Authority: Moderators can remove rule-breaking content without prior notice and issue warnings as needed.

  • Conflict Resolution: Bato moderators will not intervene in disputes between uploaders unless the site is being disrupted. Moderators will not mediate conflicts between different scanlation groups.

  • Harassment: Moderators will step in if any uploader is being harassed due to actions by other uploaders.

  • Content Removal Requests: The moderators will not actively modify or remove user-uploaded content within the scope allowed by the rules. Content removal requests will be processed if directed by the data center to delete specific content.

  • Moderator Warnings: Warnings can result from rule violations or user reports.
    • Informal Warnings: Warnings given in comments, and direct messages to address minor issues such as off-topic discussions, missing spoiler tags, or irrelevant exchanges. These informal warnings are meant as reminders and do not count towards account bans unless the behavior persists.
    • Official Warnings: These are formal warnings recorded in the reported system, issued for serious or repeated rule violations.

  • When Accounts Are Banned: Warnings do not operate on a "3 strikes, you're out" system. Warning severity and the user's ability to fix their behavior will be taken into account. TLDR: As long as you're willing to learn from your mistakes, you'll be fine.
    • Official warnings from alternative profiles will count toward the user's total. Creating a new profile to evade guidelines or moderation will warrant an official warning.
    • Immediate bans are issued for the following: spambots, spamming irrelevant or malicious links, spamming fake chapters, spamming irrelevant comments, aggregator site promotion, moderator impersonation, ban evasion attempts with alternate profiles, unsolicited pics in DMs and sexual harassment.

Comment and Review Section
  1. No Advertising: Sharing relevant links (e.g., publisher websites, scanlator sites) is allowed. Creating accounts or posting solely for promotional purposes is not permitted. Bato.to and its mirrors are not responsible for any issues arising from these links. Exercise caution when clicking on links.

  2. No Spamming: Avoid repeatedly posting the same content, excessive use of memes or gifs, and trolling. Ensure your posts contribute to genuine discussion.

  3. Respectful Conduct: Avoid flame wars, trolling, harassment, misleading arguments, personal attacks, and disrupting debates. Maintain respectful interactions with others.

  4. No Excessive Reporting: Reporting every comment in an argument or spamming reports for trivial reasons is prohibited. This behavior may lead to an official warning. Use the report function responsibly. When reporting a lot of reports, try to compile them into one report but don't compile more than 10 reports together.

  5. No Offensive Language: It is strictly prohibited to use racial slurs, queerphobic language, or any other derogatory terms that could offend others, whether aimed at fictional characters or fellow users. Swear words are allowed if not used offensively.

  6. Avoid Sensitive Topics: Refrain from discussing sensitive topics like religion, race, and politics unless relevant to the series and supported by facts. This applies to usernames, bios, and icons. Any subjects that can lead to controversy and irrelevant arguments are not welcomed. Bato.to (and mirrors) staff understand the importance of these conversations and their real-life implications. However, the site itself is not a suitable forum for these topics nor is it conducive to meaningful discussion.

  7. No Impersonation: Do not impersonate staff or other users by using similar usernames or avatars, or by taking down other users' pages or comics.

  8. Spoiler Alerts: Use the spoiler tag for plot details and mention "Spoiler Warning" before discussing the story.

  9. No Vile, Violent, or Gory Comments: Comments of a vile, violent, or gory nature are not allowed, even if about fictional characters.

  10. NSFW Content: NSFW images or content are not allowed in comments for SFW series, profile bios, or avatar/pfp of users.

  11. Moderator Authority: Moderators do not typically take action on comments about fictional characters but will enforce rules on offensive language, spam, and other prohibited behaviors. Report inappropriate comments using the 2 dots>report next to the comment.

Comic Content Policy

1. Permitted Content

  • Comics and comic-related content: e.g., manga, manhwa, manhua, doujinshi are allowed.

2. Prohibited Content

  • Malicious Content: Content intended for spamming, trolling, phishing, or advertising, such as repeatedly posting irrelevant content, deliberately provoking or harassing others, deceiving users to obtain personal information, or promoting a particular product, service, website, etc. whether paid or unpaid. This includes any form of novel promotions, as BATO is a comic-focused platform and such content is considered spam.
  • Harmful Content: Content containing child pornography or pedophilia (see Mature Content Policy below for more information), discrimination, hate speech, and intimidation are strictly prohibited. Content deemed distressing or deeply disturbing to readers may be removed at our discretion.
  • Free Comics: Entirely free comics on platforms like Webtoons (unless with the author's permission). Exceptions to this rule include but are not limited to: Webtoon series that have entered the Daily Pass system, MangaPlus titles with read only once chapters etc.
  • Partial Uploads: Incomplete series or attempts to lure users to external sites are not allowed. This includes incomplete chapters, missing panels, or directing users to continue reading on another site. Partial uploads are permitted only for fan-translated titles - See "Rules Specific to Fan-Translations & Scanlation Groups" below for more info.
  • Banned Titles/Scanlation Teams: Click here for the list of banned teams/titles

3. Mature Content Policy

  • Separate Hosting: All [R18] releases must be hosted separately from their [R15]/[All Ages] counterparts.
  • Handling Regular Chapters: If the [R18] content is added as a regular chapter (without special labeling), include "[R18 Version]" next to the chapter title and ensure clear differentiation between the [R15] and [R18] versions.
  • Handling Special Chapters: If the [R18] content is labeled as a "special chapter" or "0.5" on the original site, publish it as a separate chapter and include "[R18 Version]" in the title or add a 🔞 sign to the comic thumbnail.
  • Content Restrictions: Content from sites such as Fakku & Irodori is not allowed (any page older than November 1st, 2023 will remain, but new uploads thereafter will be removed).
  • Child Pornography: Strictly Prohibited - Any content that depicts minors in a sexual manner is strictly prohibited, including but not limited to:
    • Characters clearly identified as being under the age of 16 or below high school age.
    • Characters drawn or represented in a childlike manner, even if their specific age is not stated.
    • Characters over the age of 16 but portrayed in a childlike manner.
    • Romantic relationships involving minors and adults, or between minors, that depict or imply explicit sexual content or themes.
  • Pedophilic Content: Subject to Moderation - Content that romanticizes or depicts minors in a non-sexual but romanticized way is heavily discouraged and subject to moderation. Moderators have full discretion in reviewing content and will remove any material deemed manipulative, exploitative, or inappropriate.
    • Includes "lolicon," "shotacon," or similar content.
    • Content involving relationships between minors and adults, or between minors.
  • Account Penalties: If a user receives 2 official warnings for Child Pornography or Pedophilic content and a 3rd warning is warranted, their account will be banned as per Moderator Involvement.

Rules Specific to Fan-Translations & Scanlation Groups
  • Unauthorized Usage of Scanlation Work: It is not mandatory that a user receive the scanlation team's permission before uploading their work. However, the scanlation team may request for their work's removal. Continous uploading of a scanlation team's works (while fully aware that they do not want it uploaded without their permission) may lead to a warning.

  • Scanlation Team Inactivity: If the scanlation team has been inactive (a period of 6 months or more) and efforts to contact a staff member or leader of that team have proved to be futile, then user may reupload or re-translate without their permission.

  • Retranslating Credits: If a user is granted permission to re-translate fan scanlations, credits must be given (with mention of the group name being the bare minimum).

  • Taking Down Stolen Work: If you require takedown of stolen work, contact the site moderators via Discord or v3x with proof of your work.

  • No Promotional Uploads: Avoid uploading partial or incomplete chapters to promote or drive traffic to your own website. Any such incident will warrant moderator action.

  • Partial Uploads: If you want to scanlate a series that has been abandoned, you do not have to start with the first chapter. You can continue from where the last scanlation chapter ended. You cannot jump and start scanlating a random chapter, it must continue from where the last scanlated chapter left off. You cannot start scanlating from chapter 47 if the last chapter available is 32.

  • Partial Uploads of Scanlated Content: Partial uploads are permitted only with permission to continue from where a previous group left off on a new page.

  • Scan Group Disputes: Batoto will not mediate conflicts between different scanlation groups; groups must resolve these issues independently.

  • Extra Info Section: Link to discord servers, donation pages, and scan team websites are not allowed in the extra info section on the comic page.

  • Covers: Don't use covers with scan team watermarks, AI alterations, novel covers, etc.

  • Labelling: Scan Groups are required to add [Team Name] in the titles of their comics, regardless of how many other groups are translating the same series. (Rule applies to comics created after 11th August 2025)

Rules Specific to Official Releases
  • New Uploader Priority: New uploaders (i.e. uploaders with less than 20 overall comics) will have priority for new comic claims (of English Official Manhwa Series Only) for first 12 hours after the release of the comic as long as the quality is legible. Beyond that, normal rules apply i.e. fastest first quality upload. New uploaders can also collab with non new uploaders on 5 out of those initial 20 comic

  • If you are dropping a series / putting its bato upload status as hiatus, you are now advised to add [Open For Pickup] in the title to make it easier for others to search it up and pick up.

  • Labeling Official Translations: Mark titles with "(Official)" if both an official and scanlated version exist.

  • Avoid Duplicates of Official Translations: The only exception to this is if multiple translations with differences in translations/editing exists. Please provide the publisher version in the title. For example: Solo Leveling (Tapas Version) or Who Made me a Princess (Lezhin Version).

  • Dropping a Title/Hiatus: If you are dropping a title or putting it on hiatus and not going to upload it, please add [Open for Pickup] in the title to help make it easier for people to search for it and upload.

  • Establishing a Legitimate Claim
    • Claiming a Series: A legitimate claim means the first chapter must be completely uploaded (whether this be the prologue, chapter 1, or chapter 0). Uploading a series in descending order invalidates a claim.

    • Pre-Announced Series: For pre-announced series, the comic must be unhidden before uploading the first chapter. Unhiding after the upload will void the claim.

    • Surprise Releases: For surprise releases, unhide the page within 2 minutes of uploading the chapter to secure your claim.

    • Missing Panels: If the first chapter is missing panels, the next uploader who provides a complete version can claim the series.

    • Comic Information: Make sure the title is same as official title, summary is not edited, genres are the same etc i.e. make sure the information is also same and exact.

  • I want to take over perms for an official title but it came out just recently with a batch release of chapters. What are the requirements? The original uploader has 2 weeks to upload all of the chapters that were released upon its initial release on the official site. So if 16 chapters get released for a new title on August 1st, then all 16 chapters should be released by August 15th at the latest.

  • I want to take over perms for an official title that releases weekly/bi-weekly. What are the requirements? If the title in question is 3 chapters or more behind the release on the official English site, then perms are grantable.

  • I want to take over perms for an official title that recently came back from hiatus. What are the requirements? For titles that just came back from hiatus with a batch release, the current uploader is alloted 2 weeks to upload all the chapters that were released on its comeback date. However, if the title returns and follows its normal release schedule, then please follow the 3 chapter-gap rule.

  • I want to take over perms for an official manga title but it does not have a consistent release schedule and it follows a chapter-by-chapter release. What are the requirements? Please still follow the 3-chapter gap rule even if it does not have a weekly/bi-weekly release schedule.

  • I want to take over perms for an official manga title but it does not have a consistent release schedule and it follows a volume-by-volume release. What are the requirements? The uploader would have one month to have the entirety of the volume uploaded. The first chapter of the volume must be released on BATO within 2 weeks of its release date. So if Volume X came out on August 1st, then the first chapter of the volume must be uploaded no later than August 15th. If even one chapter is missing by the month deadline, then perms are grantable to anyone. If there is a volume gap of 2 or more, then perms become automatically grantable.


Upload Guidelines & Questions
  • Comic Creation & Control: You have full control of a comic page created by you, this includes editing perms and restricting comic modification to selected users only. To gain access to comic pages not created by you, you can privately message the page creator via v3x or request permission in #support channel on Discord (please note that perms will only be granted under specific circumstances).

  • Uploading Instructions: For comprehensive instructions on uploading chapters, please consult the Chapter Uploading Guide.

  • General Content Guidelines: Add trigger warnings if necessary, making them visible before readers start. Use appropriate fonts, titles, and cover images. Memes, self-made covers, and random fonts or titles are considered spam.

  • Quality Control Guidelines:
    • Ensure that all uploaded content is clear and legible. While poor-quality scans are not strictly prohibited, they are discouraged on the bato.to platform. [i.e. Use readable fonts and sizes, be mindful of text placement, and try to avoid distorted/blurry images that affect readability.]
    • We recognize that many uploaders are unpaid volunteers, so while we don't expect perfection, please be mindful of quality and the impact on the readers' experience whenever possible.
    • Individual works must be manually created to be permitted on the platform - AI-generated art or content is not allowed and subject to immediate removal.
    • For fan translations, if machine translation (MTL) is used, ensure accuracy and readability are maintained. The final translation and comic should be polished. See Rules Specific to Fan Translations for additional content guidelines.
    • Series that do not meet these guidelines (e.g., illegible, or excessively poor-quality content) - and for which the uploader cannot or will not make revisions- may be subject to removal by the moderation team.

  • No Revoking Permissions: If a new user is granted uploading perms to a comic page, the page creator/previous uploader does not have the right to remove those perms. Unless it was a mistake on the moderator's part and perms should not have been given, the tampering of perms is a warnable offense.

  • No Tampering with the Comic Database: Our comic database includes essential details like comic titles, categories, author/artist info, and genres. It operates like a wiki where users can edit content. Do not intentionally, add false information, alter accurate details, or make incorrect changes. Tampering with the comic database is a warnable offense.

  • Official vs Fan Translations: The existence of an official translation has no relevance to the rules for uploading scanlated releases. See "Rules Specific to Official Releases" and "Rules Specific to Fan-Translations & Scanlation Groups" below for more details.



All rules, policies, and guidelines are designed to protect our readers, uploaders, scanlators, and the continued operation of Bato. Staff may interpret and enforce them as needed. For more questions, join our Discord server.