4. Moderation Tools and Techniques
4.1 Content Supervision
4.2 User Management
4.3 Conflict Resolution
4.4 Handling Problematic Content Post-Publication
4.5 Resources and Support for Moderators
This section details the tools available to moderators within the Discourse platform to carry out their responsibilities. Each subsection addresses one of the moderator’s primary duties, breaking down the triggers that initiate an action and the specific steps to resolve the situation.
4.1 Content Supervision
Content supervision ensures that all posts are relevant, clear, and comply with community standards. This section includes protocols for reviewing posts and promoting best practices.
Trigger: A user creates a new topic or post (requires pre-approval)
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Primary Action: Review and approve, reject, or edit the content.
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Specific Steps:
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Access the pending posts panel in the moderation area.
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Evaluate each post using the checklist:
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Title: Is it clear and does it reflect the content of the topic?
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Category: Is it correctly assigned?
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Content:
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Does it comply with community guidelines?
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Is it relevant to the category?
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Is it well-written, without major grammatical or structural errors?
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Sensitive data: Has it been removed or properly anonymized?
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Tone: Is it respectful and constructive?
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If the post meets the criteria:
- Approve it directly from the panel.
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If adjustments are needed:
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Make minor corrections (such as improving the title or assigning the correct category).
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Communicate to the user the reasons for rejection or the necessary modifications before resubmitting the post.
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Document any relevant case in the Staff category for future reference.
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Trigger: The moderator detects a topic or post in the wrong category or with an unclear title
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Primary Action: Reassign the category or edit the title.
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Associated Workflow: Use the edit options in the moderation menu of the post or topic.
Trigger: Identification of duplicate topics
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Primary Action: Merge the duplicate topic with the main one.
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Associated Workflow: Use the “Merge Topics” function from the topic’s moderation menu.
Trigger: Publication of sensitive or non-anonymized content
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Primary Action: Delete or edit the post and contact the user.
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Associated Workflow: Select “Delete” or “Edit” from the moderation menu and send a direct message to the author.
Trigger: Detection of posts or patterns indicating users’ difficulties in following guidelines or generating clear and relevant content
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Primary Action: Publish guides, examples, and resources to guide users toward best practices. These posts may include:
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Examples of clear and effective titles.
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Tips on how to choose the correct category for a topic.
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Instructions on how to draft posts that encourage productive discussions.
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Associated Workflow: Create highlighted topics in relevant categories, pin guide posts, or include useful links in automated welcome messages.
Protocol for Promoting Best Practices
Objective: Improve the quality of content on the platform through proactive guidance.
Specific Steps:
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Identify patterns of recurring issues (ambiguous titles, incorrect categories, etc.).
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Publish guides or highlighted topics in the category to guide users, such as:
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Examples of clear and effective titles.
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Tips for selecting the appropriate category.
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Basic rules for drafting relevant and respectful content.
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Encourage users to participate by sharing best practices in welcome messages or direct interactions.
4.2 User Management
User management involves ensuring that participants have the appropriate permissions and guiding members in their interactions with the community.
Trigger: Request for access to a private category or group
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Primary Action: Review and either approve or reject the request.
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Specific Steps:
- Review requests in the Groups or Categories menu in the administration settings.
- Confirm that the user meets the established requirements (e.g., trust level, assigned role).
- Communicate with administrators about any necessary adjustments to permissions or roles.
- Document decisions in the Staff category for tracking purposes.
Trigger: A user repeatedly posts content that violates guidelines (e.g., off-topic posts, unclear titles, non-anonymized sensitive data, or spam)
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Primary Action: Contact the user to provide guidance, and if the behavior persists, escalate the case to the administrator.
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Associated Workflow: Send a direct message (PM) from the user’s profile with the relevant guides or community rules.
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Specific Steps:
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Identifying the issue:
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Review the user’s posting history from their profile to confirm recurring problematic behavior.
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Identify patterns, such as the type of rule being violated (e.g., inappropriate tone, spam, sensitive data).
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Initial review and documentation:
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Access the relevant posts and review each one in detail.
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Use a checklist to evaluate:
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Does the content violate specific category rules?
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Are there similarities among problematic posts suggesting intentional or repeated behavior?
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Document incidents in the Staff category for future reference.
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Communication with the user:
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Send the user a direct message (PM):
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Clearly explain which rules were violated.
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Highlight specific examples of problematic posts.
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Provide links to community rules or guides to help the user correct their behavior.
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Be constructive and avoid blaming the user; focus on the content.
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Additional monitoring:
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Monitor the user’s future posts to ensure they apply the suggested changes.
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Record any further violations for a documented history.
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Escalation to administrators (if the issue persists):
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If the problematic behavior continues, contact administrators to decide on additional measures, such as:
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Lowering the user’s trust level (Trust Level 0) to restrict their actions.
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Temporarily silencing the user, preventing them from posting.
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Provide documentation of recurring incidents to support the decision.
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Final measures (if necessary):
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For severe or persistent behavior, coordinate with administrators to temporarily suspend the user.
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Ensure that an official communication is sent to the user explaining the reasons for the measure and the conditions for reinstating their access.
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Trigger: Report of a user abusing platform functions (e.g., spam, excessive posting, inappropriate use of flags)
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Primary Action: Evaluate the user’s activity history and apply restrictions if necessary (e.g., reducing trust level).
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Specific Steps:
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Identifying the issue:
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Initial review: Access the user’s profile to evaluate their recent activity.
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Check the frequency and content of posts to identify spam or excessive posting.
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Review the flags raised by the user to determine if they are being used maliciously.
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Check logs: Use moderation tools to review the user’s activity logs and confirm problematic patterns.
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Evaluation and analysis:
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For spam or excessive posting:
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Determine whether posts are irrelevant, repetitive, or promotional in nature.
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Assess whether the content complies with community guidelines.
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For abuse of the flag system:
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Verify if the flags raised by the user are targeting valid posts.
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Identify whether the behavior is intentional or due to misunderstanding.
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Initial communication with the user:
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Send a private message (PM) explaining:
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The problematic aspect of their behavior (e.g., excessive posting, improper flagging).
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Why this usage of the platform violates community guidelines.
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Clear instructions on how to use the affected functions correctly (e.g., post in moderation, flag only when necessary).
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If applicable, request a response from the user to clarify their intent or resolve misunderstandings.
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Additional monitoring:
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Monitor the user’s future activity to confirm whether the suggested changes are being applied.
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Record any further incidents in the Staff category for analysis and follow-up.
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Escalation to administrators (if abuse persists):
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If the user ignores recommendations or continues abusing functions:
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Request administrators to lower the user’s trust level (Trust Level 0).
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Restrict their abilities (e.g., limiting topic creation or flagging capabilities).
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Document all actions taken and decisions made to ensure transparent management.
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Final measures (for severe abuse):
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In cases of severe or persistent abuse:
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Coordinate with administrators to temporarily silence or suspend the user for a defined period.
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Communicate to the user the reasons for the measure and steps they must take to regain their privileges.
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Trigger: Identification of a need to divide content within the moderated category (e.g., high volume of similar topics or the inclusion of a specialized group)
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Primary Action: Contact administrators with a clear proposal to:
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Create subcategories for better content organization.
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Establish new groups with specific permissions, such as external collaborators or advanced users.
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Specific Steps:
- Assessing the need:
Review the content within the moderated category:
Are there redundant topics? Determine if multiple topics cover the same issue and could be grouped or separated into a subcategory.
Is the topic volume high? Evaluate whether the number of posts makes navigation difficult.
Are there specialized audiences or topics? Consider if a differentiated space is needed for specific groups (e.g., external collaborators, advanced topics).
Drafting the proposal:
Write a clear proposal for reorganization:
Describe the current situation and the identified issue.
Detail the proposed solution (e.g., creating subcategories or groups, adjusting permissions).
Justify the change and outline the expected benefits for the community (e.g., better organization, increased clarity).
Include specific examples of how existing topics would fit into the new structure.
Communicating with administrators:
Send the proposal to administrators via the Staff category or private message:
Present the reorganization details and suggest names and permissions for the new subcategories or groups.
If necessary, request technical support to implement the changes.
Implementing the reorganization:
Collaborate with administrators to:
Create new subcategories.
Define permissions for specialized groups, if applicable.
Configure relevant tags to facilitate search and organization.
Move existing topics to the new subcategories to provide clear context.
Communicating with the community:
Announce the changes to users via a highlighted topic in the category:
Explain the reasons for the reorganization.
Provide guidance on how to use the new subcategories or groups.
Address questions or concerns from users about the new structure.
Monitoring and adjustment:
Monitor the use of new subcategories and collect user feedback.
Make adjustments as needed (e.g., merging underutilized subcategories or creating additional tags to improve navigation).
Trigger: Notification that a user has been admitted to the moderated category or has posted their first topic or response.
Primary Action: Send a welcome message that includes:
Links to rules, usage guides, and key resources.
Initial tips for interacting within the category.
An invitation to ask questions or request help if needed.
Specific Steps:
Initial review:
Access the user’s profile or the published content to evaluate:
Is their post relevant? Ensure that the topic or response is appropriate for the category.
Does it comply with the rules? Verify that there are no significant errors in the title, category, tone, or content.
Sending a welcome message:
Create a personalized private message (PM) for the user:
Welcome them to the group or category.
Briefly mention the rules or best practices they should follow.
Provide useful links, such as:
Community rules.
Guides for posting relevant content.
Examples of good topics or responses.
Invite them to ask questions if they have doubts or need help.
Message example:
Hello [User Name]! 
Welcome to the [Category Name] category. It’s great to have you here. 
Before you continue, we recommend checking out our Community Guidelines and this Quick Guide for writing clear and relevant posts.
If you have any questions or need help, feel free to reach out to me. We’re here to support you!
We look forward to seeing more of your contributions!
Monitoring in the category:
Monitor the user’s activity to ensure they are participating correctly and following the rules.
If they make initial mistakes, send a friendly follow-up to help them improve.
Optional: Post a collective welcome topic:
In categories with high turnover of new users, consider creating a pinned topic to welcome all new members.
Encourage new users to introduce themselves briefly and interact with others.
4.3 Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution involves addressing issues that may arise between users or with specific posts.
Trigger: A user flags a post (reporting inappropriate content).
Primary Action: Review the flagged content, decide whether the report is valid, and take action (hide, edit, or dismiss the flag).
Specific Steps:
Access the Flags tab in the moderation panel.
Review the flagged post using the checklist:
Does the content violate community guidelines?
Does it contain non-anonymized sensitive data?
Is it offensive, spam, or off-topic?
Decide on the action:
Validate the report: Remove or hide the post and send a message to the user explaining the reasons.
Invalidate the report: Mark the flag as dismissed if there is no valid justification.
Document the case in the Staff category if it is a relevant or recurring incident.
Trigger: Report of a conflict between users (direct message or public discussion).
Primary Action: Act as a mediator to resolve the conflict and redirect the discussion if necessary.
Specific Steps:
Initial Evaluation:
Access the reported message or discussion.
Review the full context:
What is the origin of the conflict?
What type of language or content is causing the dispute?
Is any user’s behavior violating community guidelines?
Record any relevant information in the Staff category for future reference.
Intervention in Public Discussion (if applicable):
If the conflict occurs in a public thread:
Post a brief message to remind users of community guidelines and request mutual respect.
Consider temporarily closing the thread if the conflict escalates and complicates moderation.
Example message:
Css: Hello everyone, let’s remember to maintain a respectful and constructive tone in our discussions. If anything needs clarification privately, we’re here to help. I’m temporarily closing this thread to cool things down.
Communication with Involved Users:
Send a direct message to each user involved:
Ensure impartiality: Listen to both sides of the conflict.
Explain how their behavior impacts the community.
Provide specific examples of which guidelines may have been violated.
Encourage users to resolve the issue respectfully or, if needed, move to a more appropriate channel (such as private messages with mediation).
Example message:
css
Hello [User], I noticed there’s a conflict in [topic or context name]. I understand we can all have differences of opinion, but it’s important to maintain respect in our interactions.
According to our community guidelines, [mention the relevant rule]. Please review this to avoid future issues.
I’m here to help if you need clarification or if there’s anything we can resolve together.
Conflict Resolution:
If users cooperate: Facilitate constructive dialogue between them, helping resolve their differences.
If the conflict persists:
Escalate the case to administrators if the situation does not improve or if any user’s behavior remains problematic.
Document the actions taken and outcomes in the Staff category.
Additional Measures (if necessary):
If a user continues problematic behavior:
Reduce their trust level (Trust Level 0) to limit their ability to interact.
Temporarily silence the user, preventing them from posting until the conflict is resolved.
Communicate to the user the reasons behind these measures and the changes required to regain privileges.
Follow-Up:
Monitor future interactions of the involved users to ensure the conflict does not resurface.
Gather community feedback on how the situation was handled to adjust protocols if needed.
Trigger: Identification of a sensitive topic generating controversy (detected by the moderator or reported by another user).
Primary Action: Assess the content’s impact and decide whether to edit, hide, or close the thread.
Specific Steps:
Initial Content Review:
Access the flagged topic to review the full context:
Does the content comply with guidelines? Check for non-anonymized sensitive data, incorrect information, or inappropriate language.
Is it relevant to the category? Evaluate whether the topic aligns with the category’s purpose and fosters constructive discussion.
Is the controversy caused by the content or the responses? Determine if the issue arises from the topic itself or user interactions.
Immediate Preventive Measures:
Edit the content: If sensitive data or problematic information is detected, edit or remove those sections of the topic before the controversy escalates.
Temporarily close the topic: If the discussion is getting out of control or escalating, close the topic temporarily with an explanatory message:
css
This topic has been temporarily closed for review due to the sensitivity of its content. Please maintain a respectful environment while we work on this.
Communication with the Topic Author:
Send the author a private message explaining:
Which aspects of their post are problematic (e.g., non-anonymized data, inappropriate tone, etc.).
The changes made by the moderator (if applicable).
How to adjust their content to avoid future issues.
Example message:
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Hello [User], we’ve reviewed your topic “[Topic Title]” and identified some sensitive points that required adjustments. To comply with community guidelines, we have [edited/removed] certain parts.
Please review our guidelines here: [Link to guidelines]. If you have any questions or need help publishing sensitive content appropriately, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you for your understanding and contribution.
Review and Communication with the Community:
If the topic is relevant but sensitive:
Post a message in the thread reminding users of the community guidelines and the expected approach for sensitive discussions.
Encourage participants to focus on the content and avoid personal attacks.
Coordination with Administrators:
If the topic involves significant legal or ethical risks, consult with administrators:
Notify the situation via the Staff category.
Request a joint review to decide whether the topic should be archived, moved to a private category, or deleted.
Final Measures:
If the controversy persists:
Consider archiving the topic to prevent further interactions.
If the author insists on posting problematic content, coordinate with administrators to temporarily restrict their ability to post.
Follow-Up:
Document the incident in the Staff category for future reference.
Monitor related topics to identify whether the controversy spreads to other areas of the community.
4.4 Handling Problematic Content Post-Publication
In cases where inappropriate content bypasses the pre-approval system, it is essential to act quickly to mitigate the damage.
Trigger: The administrator or a user detects a problematic post after its publication.
Primary Action: Review the content, correct or delete it, and contact the author to notify them of the issue.
Associated Workflow: Access the reported post via the notification from the administrator or user (flag), manage the content using the previously mentioned moderation tools, and send a message to the user.
Trigger: A post generates multiple flags or user complaints.
Primary Action: Determine whether it is necessary to close the thread or redirect the conversation.
Specific Steps:
Initial Review of the Post:
Access the reported post via the flags tab in the moderation panel.
Review the full context of the content:
Does the content violate guidelines? Check for inappropriate language, spam, incorrect information, or sensitive data.
Is the number of flags justified? Assess whether the reports are valid or if users are reacting emotionally to the content.
Document the situation in the Staff category for future reference.
Immediate Action:
If the flags are valid:
Temporarily hide the post to prevent further interactions while reviewing it in depth.
Edit or delete problematic sections as necessary.
Send a message to the author explaining the actions taken and the reasons behind them.
If the flags are invalid:
Mark the reports as dismissed and restore the post if it was automatically hidden.
Post a brief comment in the thread to clarify the situation to the community (if necessary):
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Thank you for your concerns regarding this topic. After reviewing it, we believe it complies with the community guidelines. Let’s continue fostering constructive dialogue.
Communication with the Post Author:
If the post required edits or was deleted:
Send a private message to the author detailing:
Which parts of the content violated the rules.
How to avoid similar issues in the future.
Links to relevant resources or guides. Example Message:
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Hello [User], we reviewed your post “[Title]” and identified some issues that required adjustments. To maintain community guidelines, we have [edited/removed] certain parts.
We recommend reviewing our guides here: [Link to guidelines]. If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your understanding!
Monitoring the Thread:
Monitor responses and comments related to the post to ensure no additional conflicts arise.
Temporarily close the thread if criticism continues to escalate, with an explanatory message:
css
This topic has been temporarily closed due to the number of reports received. We are reviewing the situation to ensure compliance with community guidelines.
Collaboration with Administrators (if necessary):
If the post involves significant legal, ethical, or regulatory risks, notify administrators to make joint decisions.
Request additional measures if the author persists in posting problematic content.
Final Measures:
If the post is irreparably problematic or continues to generate controversy:
Archive it to prevent further interactions.
Escalate the case to administrators to evaluate temporary restrictions on the author (e.g., lowering their trust level, silencing them).
Follow-Up:
Document the actions taken and outcomes in the Staff category for future reference.
Review patterns in received flags to detect potential abuse of the system by users.
- Protocol for Responding to a Security Incident
Objective: Minimize the impact of an incident and ensure a coordinated response.
Specific Steps:
Detect the incident (notification via flag, report from an administrator, etc.).
Immediately notify administrators to coordinate actions.
Take temporary measures:
Remove the affected content.
Close relevant threads if necessary.
Collaborate in investigating the incident and draft a report in the Staff category:
Description of the problem.
Actions taken.
Recommendations for preventing future incidents.
4.5 Resources and Support for Moderators
Being a moderator on Discourse involves making key decisions to maintain order and quality in the community, but this doesn’t mean you have to do it all on your own. There are multiple resources and tools available to help you resolve doubts and act confidently in complex situations.
- Staff Category
- Description: The Staff category is a private space within the platform where administrators, moderators, and other key team members can discuss issues related to community management.
- Main Uses:
- Consult specific questions on how to handle complex cases.
- Seek advice or validate decisions before implementing them.
- Discuss changes or updates to moderation rules or policies.
- Access: This category is available only to users with the appropriate permissions, and administrators can manage its membership to include or exclude members as needed.
- Whispers
- Description: Whispers are an internal communication tool within threads that allows moderators and administrators to comment privately without being visible to the rest of the users.
- Main Uses:
- Coordinate actions in real time within a public topic.
- Share observations about a post before deciding on an action (e.g., edit, close, move).
- Document internal discussions on how to handle a specific situation.
- Activation:
- To enable Whispers, an administrator must activate the corresponding option in Discourse’s settings.
- Once enabled, moderators can use the feature by selecting “Reply as Whisper” when writing a comment in a thread.
- Official Discourse Site
- Description: The official Discourse site (meta.discourse.org) hosts an extensive collection of guides, resources, and discussion forums dedicated to assisting administrators and moderators.
- Key Resources:
- The Discourse Moderation Guide: Provides detailed information on tools, best practices, and handling specific situations.
- How-To Section: Step-by-step tutorials for configuring features or resolving technical issues.
- Support Forum: A space where you can ask questions and receive help directly from the community and the Discourse team.
- Access: Publicly available; simply visit meta.discourse.org.
- Other Support Resources
- Administrators: Platform administrators are a key resource for resolving issues that go beyond the moderator’s role. You can contact them via direct messages or in the Staff category.
- Network of Moderators: Collaborate with other moderators on the platform to exchange ideas and strategies for handling common or complex situations.
- Internal Documentation: If your community has personalized guides or procedures, reviewing them will help ensure your actions align with the organization’s expectations.
Continuous Training: Participate in workshops or sessions organized by the community or administrators to stay up to date on new tools and best practices.