Moderator Guidelines

1. Introduction

Moderators are the backbone of Gecker's community-driven philosophy. As a moderator, you have the privilege and responsibility of shaping the culture of your Tree or Garden. These guidelines provide a framework for fair, consistent, and transparent moderation that aligns with Gecker's core values.

Remember: Moderation is not about control—it's about stewardship. Your role is to facilitate healthy discussions, protect community members, and uphold the shared values that make your community unique.

2. Core Principles

All moderator actions should be guided by these principles:

• Transparency: Be open about moderation decisions and community rules
• Consistency: Apply rules fairly and uniformly to all members
• Proportionality: Let the punishment fit the violation
• Community First: Serve the community's interests, not personal preferences
• Collaboration: Work with other moderators and respect shared responsibility
• Growth: Foster an environment where diverse perspectives can thrive

3. Moderator Powers and Responsibilities

3.1 What Moderators Can Do

Depending on your permission level, you may be able to:

• Remove posts and comments that violate community rules
• Review and act on user reports
• Pin important announcements or discussions
• Edit Tree/Garden descriptions and rules
• Invite or remove other moderators (if you have full permissions)
• Customize Tree/Garden appearance with custom CSS
• Ban users from your Tree/Garden (temporary or permanent)
• Communicate with community members about moderation decisions

3.2 What Moderators Cannot Do

• Edit or modify other users' posts or comments
• Access private user data or messages
• Override platform-wide bans or shadow bans
• Remove content that doesn't violate rules simply because you disagree with it
• Use moderation tools for personal benefit or to settle personal disputes
• Share confidential moderation discussions outside the mod team

4. Creating and Enforcing Community Rules

4.1 Setting Clear Rules

Every Tree and Garden should have clear, written rules that are:

• Specific: Avoid vague language like "be nice"—define what behaviors are and aren't acceptable
• Public: Display rules prominently so all members can see them
• Consistent with Gecker's policies: Your rules can be stricter than platform policies, but not more lenient
• Reasonable: Rules should serve the community's interests, not arbitrary preferences
• Enforceable: Don't create rules you can't or won't enforce

4.2 Enforcement Best Practices

When enforcing rules:

1. Investigate first: Review context before taking action
2. Document decisions: Keep records of what was removed and why
3. Communicate clearly: When removing content, explain which rule was violated
4. Escalate gradually: Start with warnings for first-time offenders when appropriate
5. Consider intent: Distinguish between malicious violations and honest mistakes
6. Respect appeals: Be open to reconsidering decisions if new information emerges

5. Handling Reports

User reports are your primary tool for identifying problematic content. When reviewing reports:

• Review promptly: Address reports in a timely manner
• Evaluate independently: Don't just accept the reporter's characterization—review the content yourself
• Consider context: Look at surrounding comments and the user's history
• Respect auto-hide: Content that reaches the auto-hide threshold (≥50% of viewers) should generally remain hidden
• Mark accuracy: When dismissing reports, mark them appropriately to help the platform identify bad-faith reporters
• Communicate outcomes: Let reporters know their report was reviewed (without revealing confidential details)

6. Banning Users

6.1 When to Ban

Bans should be reserved for serious or repeated violations:

• Repeated rule violations after warnings
• Severe violations (harassment, threats, illegal content)
• Ban evasion attempts
• Spam or commercial abuse
• Coordinated disruption or brigading

6.2 Ban Duration Guidelines

Use proportional ban durations:

• First offense (minor): Warning or 1-3 day ban
• Second offense or moderate violation: 7-14 day ban
• Third offense or serious violation: 30-90 day ban
• Severe or repeated violations: Permanent ban

Document all bans with clear reasoning. Users should understand why they were banned and what behavior led to it.

7. Working with Co-Moderators

Effective moderation requires teamwork:

• Communicate regularly: Share important updates and discuss challenging cases
• Respect decisions: Don't publicly contradict or undermine other moderators
• Divide responsibilities: Assign specific areas or time zones to different moderators
• Maintain consistency: Align on how rules are interpreted and enforced
• Support each other: Moderation can be stressful—check in with your team
• Handle disagreements privately: Resolve mod disputes away from public view

8. Conflicts of Interest

Recuse yourself from moderation decisions when:

• You're personally involved in the dispute
• The content involves a close friend or rival
• You have a financial interest in the outcome
• Your personal feelings might compromise objectivity

In these situations, ask another moderator to handle the case and explain why you're recusing yourself.

9. Transparency and Communication

9.1 With Your Community

• Explain major moderation decisions, especially controversial ones
• Post announcements about rule changes before enforcing them
• Create opportunities for community feedback
• Be visible and accessible to community members
• Admit and correct mistakes openly

9.2 With Affected Users

• Send removal notices citing specific rule violations
• Provide ban reasons with duration and appeal process
• Respond to good-faith questions about moderation decisions
• Consider requests for reconsideration if new information is presented

10. Moderator Self-Care

Moderation can be emotionally taxing. To maintain your well-being:

• Take breaks: Step away when you're feeling overwhelmed or burned out
• Set boundaries: You're not obligated to be available 24/7
• Use filters: You don't need to personally review every piece of reported content—delegate when possible
• Seek support: Talk to other moderators about difficult situations
• Know when to step down: If moderation is no longer fulfilling, it's okay to pass the torch

11. Moderator Misconduct

Moderators are held to high standards. The following actions constitute moderator misconduct:

• Using moderation powers for personal gain
• Removing content solely because you disagree with it
• Banning users without cause or for personal reasons
• Sharing confidential moderator information publicly
• Coordinating harassment or brigading
• Creating alt accounts to evade bans or manipulate votes
• Using custom CSS to deceive or harm users

Moderator misconduct may result in removal from your position, community bans, or platform-wide bans depending on severity.

12. Escalating to Platform Administrators

Contact Apotentia LLC administrators when you encounter:

• Content that may be illegal (CSAM, credible threats, etc.)
• Coordinated attacks or brigading from other communities
• Ban evasion through multiple accounts
• Technical issues with moderation tools
• Questions about interpreting platform-wide policies
• Harassment of moderators that crosses community boundaries

Report serious issues to: support@gecker.com

13. Gardens: Additional Considerations

If you moderate a Garden (verified business community), additional rules apply:

• Advertising restrictions: Follow stricter guidelines about promotional content
• Transparency requirements: Disclose business relationships and conflicts of interest
• Customer service expectations: Respond professionally to questions and complaints
• Metrics tracking: Your Garden's performance may be monitored by administrators
• Verification maintenance: Maintain the standards that earned verification status

Gardens that fail to meet these standards may lose verified status or face removal.

14. Changes to These Guidelines

Apotentia LLC may update these Moderator Guidelines from time to time. Significant changes will be announced to all moderators. Continued moderation after updates constitutes acceptance of the new guidelines. Previous versions are archived and available upon request.