[R] ACL 2026: Is the limitations sections counted against the 6 page limit for industry track?
Researchers face desk rejection over a single, crucial page in their manuscript.
Deep Dive
A viral post reveals confusion around ACL 2026's industry track submission rules. The CFP states papers cannot exceed 6 pages, excluding ethics and references, with a 7-page final version. Authors are now debating if the mandatory 'limitations' section counts against this limit, risking desk rejection for an 8-page draft. The core question is whether this critical academic section is considered 'content' or falls under an excluded category like ethics.
Why It Matters
This ambiguity could lead to the automatic rejection of otherwise valid AI research papers from a top conference.