User-generated content can be a great boon if managed appropriately. It helps drive traffic to the target website, improve brand image and user experience. In contrast, unmoderated content has the power to damage a brand’s image.
Manual or technology-based content moderation plays a critical role in screening and managing user-generated content. The process filters illegal, derogatory, spam, and other harmful content. Furthermore, organizations may mould the process to suit their organization’s policies and requirements.
Chat moderators must respond swiftly to ensure a welcoming environment in public forums. However, the challenge increases when it comes to real-time chat moderation. Authorizing only registered users is the most viable option for safety and privacy. But it is restrictive for big organizations.
We have compiled a comprehensive guide to safety & privacy for chat moderators. Meanwhile, you can visit https://viafoura.com/community-chat/ to learn in-depth about chat moderation and its nuances.
Table of Contents
What is Chat Moderation?
Chat moderation comes under the scope of content moderation which is the management and review of online user-generated content in conjunction with a community’s guidelines. Content considered harmful, derogatory, inappropriate, spam, or illegal is filtered out in this process. Further, this follows a predetermined set of rules set by an organization.
In chat moderation, moderators ensure the safety and privacy of a forum where debate and conversation take place. Further, they also define boundaries and codes for the discussion. This is achieved through human intervention or chat moderation software.
Scope of Chat Moderation to Enhance Safety & Privacy
Considering the volume of user-generated data on the internet today, it is very challenging to decide what’s harmful and what’s not. Harmful content, spam, and abuses are not restricted to only text form. Therefore, consider the following aspects while moderating chats:
Image Moderation
Images tend to have a more significant impact than text or audio. This is why image branding remains the best tool for branding and advertising. However, misuse of user-generated content in the form of images has a similarly negative effect. A user can post offensive, promotional, or disturbing images during chats. Therefore, efforts should be made to include image moderation in policies too. Here are some tips to enforce image moderation:
- Format: Set rules to accept only specific image formats and sizes, such as GIF.
- Attempts: Set a limit to post a certain number of images by a user.
- Context: Moderators should review the content as per the community guidelines.
- Originality: Detecting copyright images remains the biggest hurdle. Still, set rules for misuse of photo editing and manipulation.
In the image moderation segment, the importance of human intervention can not be ignored. However, sophisticated moderation software uses machine learning, optical character recognition (OCR) to detect unwanted media on a larger scale.
Text Moderation
Moderation tools’ potential can be fully utilized in moderating text chats. Moderators have the option to feed custom words and sentences in the software. Hence, the software automatically detects and filters those words based on the preset codes.
For effective text moderation, a clear set of guidelines is imperative. It determines what constitutes inappropriate content. Further, these guidelines also become directive principles for moderators.
Video Moderation
Possibilities are you might have noticed some blurred or flagged videos on social media platforms such as Facebook. A pop-up warning appears before streaming some videos. This is a typical example of video moderation.
As the millennia shift from text-based communication to video chats and video sharing platforms, mastering video moderation can give you a competitive edge.
Human Review Tool
The best viable option for moderation remains human-machine collaboration. The software detects and highlights the content which is deemed inappropriate. Human moderators get the exact highlighted text or content for further review. It makes the moderation task quick, simple, and effective.
Tips to Enhance Safety & Privacy of Chat Rooms
Maintaining a private and safe online forum requires collective efforts. The main aim is to provide a welcoming environment to the new users while safeguarding the interests of existing ones. The task can be achieved by adhering to the following aspects.
Set Guidelines For The Chat
An online forum without a set of rules does more harm than good. Define a set of rules that the chat moderator follows and make the users abide by. Also, keep in mind that chat is a medium to communicate and express your emotions. Therefore, do not allow the following:
- Large passages of text
- Unwanted links
- Repeated text
- Typing patterns such as bold and all caps
- No-self promotion
- Anything that demeans the purpose of online chat, such as spoilers on a gaming or movie review platform.
Make Guidelines Easily Available
For first-time users, recommend content and make them agree to follow your community guidelines. Similarly, at the beginning of a new conversation, flash the chat room guidelines for new users. By doing so, you send a message of intolerance towards harmful content. At the same time, users get a sense of security by reading such guidelines.
Block Certain Words
The best way to moderate live-stream chats is by blocking certain words and phrases. The moment the blocked word is used, the comment or chat is automatically put on hold. However, to improve the user experience, a message stating your comment will appear after review may be flashed.
Limit Chats To Authorized Users
Exclusivity is critical in making a chat more safe and private. Either the followers or the paid subscribers should be allowed to participate in live-stream chats. It not only minimizes bots, trolls but makes the conversation more relevant.
Only the genuinely interested followers or subscribers should contribute to discussions, ask questions, or chat with other followers.
Don’t Hesitate To Ban
Despite warnings, the chat moderators need to ban some users for repeated rules violations. Some of the instances where banning is the only solution include when a person:
- Violates community guidelines of the platform
- Starts intentional heated chat/argument
- Makes sexual advances over chats
- Delivers hate speech/threats/harassment
- Posts malicious links in chat
Usage Of Chat Moderation Tools
Sometimes being human isn’t just enough for the safety and privacy of live-stream chats. Hence, the usage of the right tools and automation makes the complete managing process a lot more effective, fast, and easy. It gives an additional advantage to manage bulk chats in one go.
Endnote
Chat moderation enhances the privacy and safety of online users. However, it should not compromise the quality and user experience. Hence, the policies should be planned and executed carefully by keeping every aspect in mind.
When done systematically, chat moderation makes the platform more engaging, which is the prime factor for a business heavily dependent on online users.
Also read: What is Speed Index & How to Optimize A Website for it?
