Chat Moderation

What Is Chat Moderation?

It is the systematic process of monitoring and managing real-time communication in digital chat. It ensures that the digital space remains safe, inclusive, and compliant with community guidelines and policies. Chat moderation can be implemented across various levels—by participants of a chat and by chat owners and administrators. 

Mechanics and Types

Moderation can be performed as pre-moderation or parallel moderation (similar to post-moderation). In pre-moderation, content is verified before it is published. With parallel moderation, content is checked immediately after it goes live.

Moderation can be automated, manual, or a hybrid of both. Automated moderation typically utilises AI-powered tools, block filters, and stop-lists. Manual moderation involves real-time review by human moderators. Best practices suggest combining both methods for the best results.

Depending on who is responsible for the process, moderation can be community-driven or owner-driven. In the former, the community itself manages the content. In the latter, the platform owner or staff handles moderation; however, in this scenario, users can still send reports or "hide" specific users to customise their own experience.

The Reasons Why Chats Need Moderation 

Safety: Preventing harassment, cyberbullying, and hate speech. Effective moderation ensures a safer environment for every group and participant visiting the chat.

Brand Protection: Ensuring the conversation doesn’t turn toxic, which could drive away users or advertisers.

Compliance: Meeting legal requirements regarding data privacy and online safety. Since different countries have various policies to protect users and companies, chat moderation must comply with all relevant regulations.

Common Chat Moderation Actions and Tools

Filtering: Automatically blocking specific words, phrases, or links. Usually built on stop lists.  

Shadowbanning: Permitting a user to post without their messages being visible to others. Separate messages or all messages from a particular user can be shadowbanned.

Muting/Banning: Temporary or permanent removal of a user’s ability to participate in a chat. It is important to notify users about the reason for blocking and the ban duration.

Personal data masking: It protects user data from being visible not just in a chat but also on the admin panel.