Workspaces are a game-changer when it comes to moderating online communities. They are the hub of customizable features that allow you to stay organized and focus on the specific posts that you need to attend while working.

In your workspace, you’ll be able to filter comments according to your specifications, making it easy to see exactly what needs your attention. This way, you won’t have to sift through a bunch of irrelevant posts to find the pens that need to be moderated.

Each Workspace tile denotes the following:

1. Name of the Workspace
2. Total number of items in the queues within the Workspace
3. Number of people actively moderating the queues (hover over the number to see a list of names)
4. Last time the Workspace was accessed
5. Indicates if the Workspace is shared and shows the owner on click

To Create a Workspace
Click on the “Add Workspace” button and type the name that you’d like to give to your workspace. You will then be able to create Queues and Saved Searches in the new workspace.

To Delete a Workspace
Click on the ellipsis button and select the “Delete” option.

To Share a Workspace
Click on the ellipsis button and select the “Share” option. Send the URL generated by the system to any moderator that you want to grant access to this workspace.

Can I share a Workspace with someone who doesn’t have a Viafoura account?
No, all users who are granted access to a Workspace must have a Viafoura account.

Can I assign tasks or responsibilities within a Workspace?
No, Workspaces are designed for collaborative content management, but do not have task management or workflow features.

Customize your Workspace

While moderators can see and manage content in a shared workspace, only the owner can make changes to the Queues and Saved Searches within that workspace. So be sure to make your own copy if you want to customize the filters!

Consider creating a Workspace for specific news beats, such as politics, sports, or entertainment, or for specific regions or cities that you cover. This can help streamline content management and make it easier to find and publish relevant articles. Additionally, Workspaces can be useful for coordinating coverage of major events or breaking news stories.

When you enter a queue, you’ll notice a display on the right-hand side that provides a helpful overview of the task at hand. This display serves as a guide to keep moderators on track and ensures that they can complete their tasks efficiently and effectively. Take a look at the different elements:

Awaiting Moderation
This queue will automatically apply filters to include the content that the automated system has marked for review.

Flagged
This queue will automatically apply filters to include content that other users have marked for moderator review.

Custom Queue
This queue will allow you to select which custom filters you want to apply.

1. Choose “Custom Queue” from the dropdown menu and start creating a queue that is tailored to your specific needs.
2. Then you will be prompted to select the sites that you want to include content from.
3. You will be able to name the queue that you are creating and add a notice about the service level agreement and notes. For example, if you want to highlight that comments in this queue should be reviewed within 30 minutes.

Queues

Multiple moderators can work on it

Can hold up to 20 comments

Sorted by oldest first

Real-time updates

Quick submit

Examples of usage: moderating articles and social media posts

Saved Searches

Items are not dispatched

Can hold up to 50 comments

Sorted by date submitted or last action taken

Does not provide real-time updates

Search results can be shared with other members

Does not allow for quick submit

Examples of usage: searching for a user or specific comments on a particular article

Why did the comment disappear from the queue when I disabled it?
Once a comment is disabled or enabled, it no longer has the status of “Awaiting Moderation” so it no longer meets the filters of that queue.

Can I sort the Awaiting Moderation queue to show newer comments?
No. The queue shows the oldest comments first as those users have been waiting longer to have their comments published.

Trolls
For persistent trolls that continue to create new accounts after being banned, you can save a search that identifies users at their IP. IP address doesn’t conclusively indicate it’s the same person, but you can keep a close eye.

Moderation Activity
Use the “My activity” saved search to review your moderation activity.

Filter
Create a search and add the “Moderator Actions” filter so can see all comments that have been Approved or Rejected manually.

Enabling or Disabling Comments
You can easily enable or disable comments from Queues and Saved Searches. To disable a comment that has already been enabled, select at least one tag as the reason for disabling the comment. Once you’ve selected tags, the “Disable” option will appear in the bottom right corner of the comment.

Enabling a Disabled Comment
If you want to enable a comment that has been disabled, simply remove all of the tags associated with it. To do this, click on the “X” beside each tag. Once you’ve removed all of the tags, the “Enable” option will appear in the bottom right corner of the comment.

If Automated Moderation is enabled, you may see yellow tags in comments that are enabled or awaiting moderation. These tags are recommendations from the automated system that need to be reviewed. To agree with the tag, simply click on it and it will turn red. To remove the tag, click on the “X” beside it.

How to Review Flagged Comments
Comments that have been flagged by the community will show a special type of tag. The Flag Tag includes information about how many flags has that comment received and which users have created the flags. When you hover over the number of flags, you will see the agreement rate of each user that has flagged the comment.

Moderator Tags
These tags are added by the moderators themselves for a more personalized approach.

Suggested Tags
Represented by bright orange badges, these tags indicate that the automated moderation system is uncertain about the accuracy of its suggestion.

Certain Tags
These tags, represented by fiery red badges, are added by the automated moderation system to denote a post that meets the platform’s moderation criteria.

Suggested Tags
Represented by bright orange badges, these tags indicate that the automated moderation system is uncertain about the accuracy of its suggestion.

Flag Tags
These tags result from community members flagging a post.

Can I moderate comments in real-time?
Yes, Viafoura’s moderation console allows you to moderate comments in real-time as they come in, as well as review previously published comments.

Can I edit a comment instead of removing it?
No, Viafoura’s moderation console does not currently support editing comments. If a comment needs to be edited, it will need to be removed and resubmitted by the user.

Batch Approve
After you have reviewed and tagged all the comments in your queue, use the “Approve All” feature to quickly approve all comments in one batch.

Mark as Spam / Unspammed
Say “Bye, Felicia!” to spam comments by marking them as spam, and watch them disappear from the commenting thread.

Make Editor’s Pick
Want to give a comment a little extra attention? Make it an Editor’s Pick and badge will appear within the user’s comment, giving the commenter greater exposure, and strengthening their relationship with your community.

Disable / Enable Comment
Tired of dealing with inappropriate or irrelevant comments? Take control and disable them so they no longer appear in the conversation. With just a few clicks, you can maintain a positive and engaging environment on your site.

Pinned Comment
Have your staff write a conversation starter comment or a framing question, and then place it in the Engagement Starter by pinning it to spark audience participation.

Copy Link to Console
When you copy the post link and paste it into your browser tab this will lead you to the Quick Search tab in your console workspace. This feature is especially helpful when you want to learn more about the user and their post.

Flag / Unflag
Flagging a comment will place it into the awaiting moderation queue on the administration site for further review.

Want to make someone feel special? Give active users a badge and special benefits by making them a Trusted User. They’ll feel like royalty on your site! Their perks include:

They receive an icon that displays beside their name
They bypass moderation filters
They bypass spam filters

What should I do if I receive a large number of comments to moderate?
Prioritize comments that require immediate attention, such as those that are spam, inappropriate, or offensive. You can also use filters or automated tools to help manage the volume of comments.

How do I deal with a user who repeatedly violates site guidelines?
Consider warning the user. If the behaviour continues, incremental banning of the user may be necessary.

How can I maintain a balance between freedom of speech and a positive community environment?
It’s important to establish clear guidelines and enforce them consistently. Allow users to express their opinions, but not at the expense of others or the community as a whole.

What should I do if I’m unsure how to handle a specific situation?
Consult with other moderators or your community manager to determine the best course of action. It’s always better to seek advice before making a decision that could have a negative impact on the community.

Address Conflict
Keep an eye on comment activity and respond promptly to any potential issues or conflicts. Nipping problems in the bud can prevent them from escalating.

Set the Tone
Encourage respectful and constructive conversation by setting the tone with your own comments and enforcing site guidelines.

Curious about what happens to a user when they’re banned?
Well, the experience can vary depending on the moderator’s settings and the nature of the user’s behavior. Typically, banned users are immediately logged out and prevented from accessing the website or community. But fear not, they’ll receive a message explaining why they were banned and the steps they can take to regain access.

Think of it like a digital “time out” to encourage reflection and foster better behavior. At Viafoura, we believe in second chances!

Moderators have the power to ban users temporarily or permanently depending on the situation. Temporary bans can be lifted, granting users access again. But for serious offenses, permanent bans may be necessary to keep the community safe and positive.

When should a permanent ban be issued?
A permanent ban should be issued for serious offenses that threaten the safety or well-being of the community, or repeated violations of the community guidelines.

Can a permanent ban be reversed?
Yes, a permanent ban may be reversed by an administrator or a moderator through the console.

Can a user create a new account after a permanent ban?
Technically, yes, but moderators and administrators can easily track the users IP address through the moderation console.

Review History
Be sure to thoroughly review the user’s behavior and history before issuing a permanent ban.

Respond
Clearly communicate the reason for the permanent ban to the user and provide evidence if necessary.

Warning
Consider providing a warning or temporary ban before issuing a permanent ban if appropriate.

Moderators
Maintaining a healthy community is essential, and communication is key. That’s why moderators must clearly explain the reason behind the ban and provide a path for appealing it or resolving the issue. With clear communication, we can keep the community thriving and safe for all.

User Profiles lets you view public profile information, site activity, and ban history with ease.
To get started, simply login to the moderation console and navigate to your site’s comment thread. Once located, click on the user’s avatar beside their username.
Once you’ve clicked on their avatar, a new window will appear containing all of their user details. This includes information such as the date they created their account, the number of times they’ve been banned from commenting on the site, the percentage of their posts that have been disabled, and their most recent comments. Additionally, you can see how many people they follow and how many people follow them.

If you’re interested in reviewing their comments or viewing their full profile, you can use the buttons located at the bottom of the window. From there, you can gain a more in-depth understanding of their activity on your platform.

But what if you need to take action against this user? Well, you can easily ban them directly from this window. This makes it simple and straightforward to keep your platform safe and secure.

If you’re looking to get a better understanding of the moderation history for a particular comment, you can do so easily from any queue or saved search. All you need to do is click on the dropdown located beside the “posted days ago” text.

Once you’ve clicked on the dropdown, you’ll be able to see a detailed history of all the moderation actions that have been taken on that specific comment. This can include things like being flagged as spam or being deleted for violating community guidelines.

But what if you’re interested in learning more about who took each of these actions? Well, that’s easy too! Simply hover over each action to see the user who performed it. This makes it simple and straightforward to get a complete picture of the moderation history for any given comment.

Actions 
This tool provides you with a plethora of options for how you want to sort your posts. From Approved to Reviewed, from Spam to Unflagged, and even Editor pick added or removed, you can find exactly what you’re looking for. Plus, with the Description for Actions feature, you can search for comments that have never been reviewed or have been approved but are disabled. It’s like a treasure hunt, but instead of gold, you find comments!

Article URL 
This tool allows you to scope out posts made on a specific page. Want to keep an eye on your most popular pages? Hotlist them and have all comments reviewed by a moderator.

Comment Text
This tool helps you search for posts based on specific keywords or phrases. Monitor for mentions of keywords, keep tabs on your trolls social media presence, or even find your own posts with ease.

Automod outcome
This filter offers a valuable solution for those seeking to streamline their content moderation processes. By leveraging its advanced capabilities, including options such as Approved, Rejected, and Spam, users can efficiently sort through and analyze comments based on the automated moderation system’s decision on each post. Additionally, for those seeking to further optimize their workflow, the filter provides an option to search specifically for posts that have been Approved but are currently disabled, opening up opportunities to identify and address potential issues.

Tag 
This filter allows you to search for posts with specific tags assigned by either the automated moderation solution or manually by moderators. And with options for Tag Type like Proposed automod and Flagged by user, you can narrow down your search even further.

Date range
This filter is perfect for those who like to stay organized. With options to sort by Date created, Last action, Relative Time, or Date range, you can filter posts based on creation time or the time the last action was taken on the post.

With Community Chat, you have the power to moderate messages in real-time and ensure that only appropriate content is shared with your community. With our inline moderation actions, you can disable or enable messages with just a few clicks! If a message is flagged, no worries! You can easily take action on it using our epic moderation queue. Switch to the “Moderation” tab, and boom! You’ll see a list of flagged messages with all the necessary moderation actions at your fingertips.

As you take action on messages, they’ll be cleared from the list, and new flagged messages will load in real-time. It’s like you’re in a video game, but instead of fighting dragons, you’re taking down inappropriate messages!

How can I balance community engagement with moderation responsibilities?
It’s important to strike a balance between community engagement and chat moderation. Use chat moderation tools to help manage the conversation, but also make sure to participate and engage with your community to keep the conversation lively and engaging.

What is the best way to handle a user who is consistently disruptive in the chat?
Consider warning the user or temporarily muting them. If the behaviour continues, incremental banning of the user may be necessary.

Community Chat
Make sure to access the page of your site that contains the embedded chat and login with either administrator or moderator privileges.

Engage
Encourage engagement! Chat is all about engagement and interaction. Encourage your community to participate in the conversation, ask questions, and share their thoughts and opinions.

Have fun
Chatting should be enjoyable! Don’t be afraid to inject some humour or personality into the conversation to help keep things lively and engaging.