Moderation Guide

Why Moderate?

Moderation can be an arduous, thankless task and largely goes unnoticed when done effectively. How it is done and our personal reasons for doing it is also regularly misunderstood or brought under question by users. Despite this, it can be one of the most helpful ways to engage with the community, increase our personal understanding of ufology, and allows us to create unique relationships with like-minds who are both curious and motivated towards new ways of engaging with the phenomenon.

Getting Started

If you’re a New Moderator who has just been accepted to the team you will not receive moderator permissions to act on posts or comments on Reddit until you have read this guide in full. We do this to ensure you are familiar with this information and have the necessary tools before attempting to moderate.

Once you’ve been granted permissions you will enter a 60-day Probationary Period. At the end of this period, the other moderators will hold a vote to determine if you are welcome to stay on the team. During this period we will help you learn how to moderate and be standing by to answer any questions at any time. All of us started from this point and understand how challenging it can be when first attempting to put everything together and the volume of material to learn. Asking questions is strongly encouraged and mistakes are expected!

If you’re unsure where best to ask a specific question in the Mod Discord you can just ask in your application channel. You can also jump into our voice channel at any time if you’d like to talk through anything or just chat. We’re our own community of UFO-enthusiasts and voice is great way to  get help with whatever you’re working on, connect, and learn more about others on the team.

Old & New Reddit

There are two main versions of Reddit on desktop which you should be aware of. Old Reddit refers to https://old.Reddit.com and uses the original Reddit layout. New Reddit refers to the latest version which can be found at https://sh.reddit.com.

About 60% of moderators currently use Old Reddit and 40% use New Reddit. There are limitations for each, but we attempt to accommodate both and you may use whatever you prefer. There is a slow shift towards New Reddit as it becomes more compatible with some of our legacy tools and as the future of Old Reddit remains uncertain.

Who’s in Charge Here?

We work as a consensus-based, collaborative team with a flat structure. This means each moderator has the same level of decision-making power as any other moderator in all areas. We often take unilateral actions on a granular level when moderating in the modqueue, but we strongly avoid taking significant actions without consensus, usually by simple majority.

Technically speaking, Reddit does force a hierarchical mod structure in the sense we cannot demod moderators with greater seniority than us on the modlist. This means senior mods functionally have a form of power over newer mods, but this cannot be changed and is Reddit’s way of ensuring that whoever created a subreddit essentially has the final say over who is allowed to moderate it. In 2022 we internally proposed agreeing to switch to a flat structure and this change was accepted by the entire team, including Timmy242, our seniormost mod. We now treat each other equally regardless of our seniority or standing as moderators.

If you see another moderator acting unilaterally in a way that goes against this or you think should require more consensus you should speak up! Smaller decisions still can and must be made without seeking the team’s input first, such as addressing clear rule violations when removing posts or comments on the daily. Larger decisions are expected to be put before the team to ensure we reach a consensus before moving forward. You will become more comfortable gauging decisions that require more consensus over time and how best to approach them, but when getting started it’s sufficient to simply know we aim to maintain a flat structure.

How Are Decisions Made?

Before implementing a significant change to the subreddit or how the team moderates an Action Vote (AV) is required. AVs consist of a poll in our #action-votes channel with a set of relevant choices for other moderators to vote on. Any moderator may submit an AV at any time by simply creating a poll in the channel. When a rule, change, or idea is suggested the person who initially proposed it generally has ‘dibs’ on submitting the AV, writing up the related language, and implementing the proposed change if or once consensus is reached. If they do not wish to do so, another mod can request submitting the AV or doing the related work.

Longer-form proposals are generally made in r/ufomods, r/ufosmeta, or in the Mod Discord chat channels before being submitted as an AV so they can be discussed in detail beforehand and be more likely to reach consensus as they are proposed. If an AV obtains a simple majority of support from active moderators then it typically moves forward. However, there may be times when something is contested and warrants further discussion beyond a simple majority. If an AV you initiate passes you should add a green check mark emoji to it once it has been implemented to let everyone know it is no longer in process and was not left undone.

Be mindful of the amount of time you give for others to weigh in on deliberations! We suggest setting your AV poll to be open for at least seven days if it is not time-sensitive. If a change is made too quickly other moderators will be left out and deprived of a voice. If you ever feel something is moving too quickly you are free to let everyone know you would like more time to weigh in. We strive to obtain the strongest consensus possible in most cases before moving forward with significant actions. We also recommend being mindful of highly contested AVs which may pass with only a single vote. New AVs can be proposed or created with updated language or choices as many times as needed and we frequently iterate based on each other’s feedback.

The seniormost moderator, axolotl_peyotl, stepped in shortly after this and demodded all the other moderators aside from Timmy242. There was then a vote post stickied on the subreddit to recruit new moderators and the four users with the most upvotes were added to the mod team. Not long after this axolotl_petyotl was then removed by Reddit admins at the request of Timmy242 due to some public statements made on r/conspiracy (where they were also a moderator) and the fact they were largely absent as a moderator of r/UFOs. Afterwards, another round of moderators was recruited and vetted by Timmy242. A few months after those moderators were settled the shift to a flat structure occurred along with a large number of other changes related to transparency and communication. The team is currently well-aligned and better organized, but has still been struggling to keep up with the unpredictable waves of attention and activity on the subreddit.

Removing Moderators

In rare instances, we are forced to remove (i.e. demod) a moderator. This is always a consensus decision, except in the unlikely instance a moderator begins taking destructive actions towards the subreddit or moderation team such that a unilateral action should be taken and the decision deliberated afterward. AVs for demodding require a simple majority vote to pass. Demodding generally occurs for two reasons, but is not limited to:

All moderator actions are subject to review by users and other moderators. Users can view our modlogs via the Transparency page and moderators can do so internally here.

Giving Feedback

When giving feedback, make sure your input focuses on the action or issue rather than the other person. Avoid assigning blame, be specific, and propose alternatives or solutions. Feedback that only criticized can be unhelpful and discouraging. If another moderator is being reactive or responding emotionally, consider allowing other moderators time to chime in. It’s also helpful to practice the principles and styles of Non-Violent Communication.

What do Moderators do most of the time?

Review Posts

We use the Unmoderated Queue to collaboratively review new posts to ensure they are on-topic and following the subreddit rules.

Moderators are not shown which users have submitted a report. This is a standard Reddit behavior to protect users and prevent mods from singling them out, but can be a frustrating aspect of moderation if a user mass-reports content unnecessarily.

General Advice

If multiple moderators are working in the modqueue simultaneously items will not dynamically be removed as they are actioned. Due to this, you should regularly refresh the page as you are working through them to ensure you’re not doing redundant work alongside another moderator and stepping on each other’s toes.

Occasionally removals will occur with no reason listed and just say ‘removed’. This indicates Reddit has removed the content themselves based on either the subreddit’s spam filter (which is trained by how we use it) or on Reddit’s internal filters. Sometimes these removals can be reversed and sometimes not, but it’s just worth knowing why this occurs so you aren’t confused when first starting to work in the modqueue.

Working through the modqueue can be nuanced since it requires you to be versed in both the sub rules and Toolbox to do effectively. Take your time and ask questions as you need to in the Mod Discord!

Expectations for Moderation

We understand that we all have lives and cannot devote 100% of our time to moderation activities on r/ufos; however, we do expect some level of activity to ensure ongoing moderation.

On average, we expect about 100 actions per month or 25 actions per week. This includes:

• Approving/removing comments
• Approving/removing posts
• Answering modmail
• Answering questions on r/ufosmeta
• Banning users

On average, we expect to see discord activity from every mod on the team. This helps morale and ensures that other moderators understand the moderation style of other moderators on the team (as this may become pertinent during probationary periods or during moderator evaluations).

We understand that there is a lot of activity on discord and we don’t expect every mod to participate in every conversation. At the VERY least though, we expect Moderators to check the #actionvotes channel to vote on items at least once per week.

Types of Removals

There are three main types of actions which can be taken on posts or comments by users, automoderator, or Reddit’s own systems. Understanding the differences between these is extremely important to knowing how our tools work and is one of the most frequently misunderstood aspects by moderators and users.

Removed Content

When automod or Reddit’s systems automatically remove a post or comment without placing it in the modqueue or requiring moderator review

Removing Posts & Comments

Moderators are expected to leave a public removal reason anytime they remove a post or comment. We make this as easy as possible by having templates in Toolbox for each rule and the other most common reasons for you to select from whenever you perform a removal.

Dissenting opinions are not grounds for removing posts or comments. They should only be removed if they are direct violations of the subreddit’s rules or Reddit’s rules. We aim not to stifle discussion even if we personally disagree with the underlying perspectives of users or content being shared. If you’re conflicted about something, reach out to other moderators if you’re unsure about something before removing it.

Thousands of comments are made each day on the subreddit. As a result, we do not aim (nor do we intend ever) to review or moderate each of them consistently. Based on this, Rule 3 as it pertains to comments is the most loosely enforced of our rules.

If a post or comment has been removed by another moderator and you disagree with the action do not re-post the content or share it on the subreddit, even if it is edited. You should discuss the removal with the moderation team and the moderator who took the initial action first.

Locking Posts & Comments

As moderators we are able to lock posts and comments, which prevents users from responding to them. Removed posts generally do not get locked, but occasionally you may encounter a very active and/or problematic post which warrants locking. We encourage moderators to use their best judgement in determining where this is necessary, but it is not a common occurrence.

Nuking Comments

In certain circumstances, it may make sense to use the Comment Nuke option via Toolbox. This allows moderators to remove an entire comment tree at once. This should only be used in posts wherein all the comments break our rules and this action is actually more efficient. This is a last resort and is only used in rare instances with some form of consensus among the moderation team since it results in many removals without a removal reason being cited for each. Usually, we can achieve the same result by simply manually removing and/or locking comments.

Banning Users

Rule breaks should result in a warning, followed by a temporary ban, then an extended or permanent ban. There is no strict formula for ban length which can be applied to all situations. Particularly offensive or belligerent users can be banned permanently without warning. Bans are generally taken on a case-by-case basis. Before banning you should consider a few factors:

1. How serious is the rule which was broken?
2. How severely was the rule broken?
3. Does the user have a pattern of rule-breaking behavior?
4. How new is the account (to Reddit or r/UFOs)?

Accounts less than thirty days old are judged more harshly. If a user is engaging in rule-breaking behavior with a newer account, we assume this pattern will likely continue and/or they are likely the alt of a previously banned user. If you’re unsure when to ban someone or for how long you can ask in #bans for advice. 

Crowd Control

New Reddit has a unique filter called Crowd Control which causes comments from specific users to initially be collapsed when other users come across them. There is a separate setting for posts which filters them. There are three levels of settings for posts and comments which are subreddit-specific. It’s important to understand how this feature works and affects users on the subreddit.

Maximum

Collapses comments from new accounts, with negative community karma, and who have not subscribed.

We currently have this set to Maximum for posts and Moderate for comments. The comments it affects are collapsed, but can still be clicked and expanded manually, but this only expands them for the user doing this. You’ll see a small Crowd Control flair to indicate when items have been collapsed this way.  

Contributor Quality Score

Contributor Quality Score (CQS) is an internal classification used to filter or flag users who are potential spammers and less likely to contribute positively to the subreddit. Reddit assigns an internal CQS to each user based on past actions taken on their account, network, and location signals, and steps a user has taken to secure their account (e.g. email verification). Users are placed into tiers and the lowest may have some of their submissions filtered by our automoderator rules. You can check your personal CQS status here. 

Usernotes & Mod Notes

Toolbox allows for the creation of usernotes for users which are shared between moderators only and appear next to usernames when reading the subreddit. These are kept short and used to mark a user in good standing (eg. ‘Good Contributor’) or bad, based on specific events (eg. ‘R1 – Abuse Warning).

To add one, click the ‘N’ icon to the right of a username, select from the colored labels to indicate the type, and then write your note. The most recent note is always displayed, but notes can be continually added and are logged by Toolbox. This allows for a sort of history for user behavior or mod interactions. They are extremely useful for quickly judging reports in the modqueue! You can view the list of notes for a user by clicking on the current one at any time. If you’re adding a note as a result of a rule being broken, it’s best to prepend the rule number before your note title (e.g. R1 – Rude).

If you are using New Reddit, you may use Reddit’s form of usernotes which are called Mod Notes. Usernotes and Mod Notes are technically independent systems, but we use a bot which syncs any notes made both ways, so you may use whichever you prefer. These are accessible by hovering over a username and selecting Add mod note.

Communications

We use a number of different platforms, tools, and subreddits to communicate in specific ways. It is important to be aware of each.

Private Communications

You should avoid engaging in private conversations or DMs with users related to moderation. Users will occasionally reach out, but all communications should be held in the subreddit comments or through modmail to ensure transparency and consistency amongst the team. If a user wants to escalate their objection, ask them to message the mod team via modmail so that the entire team can see it and respond accordingly. We recommend disabling the Reddit Chat feature (Settings > Privacy > Allow chat requests from Nobody) as it most often leads to unnecessary pings from users you take action on.

Public Communications

As a moderator, you now have the option to ‘distinguish’ your comments on the subreddit. This button will appear next to them once you’ve posted them. Doing so will highlight your name in green and indicate to other users you are speaking in a moderator capacity. You should do this whenever you are commenting from this position. If you are commenting from the position or perspective of a user, you do not need to distinguish your comment.

You should not speak on behalf of the moderation team or the subreddit unilaterally without an action-vote. This includes reaching out to individuals or organizations for AMAs, communicating with Reddit admins, media organizations, and engaging with other subreddits. Speaking on behalf of the team unilaterally can have serious repercussions and may result in demotion or demodding. You’re still allowed and encouraged to speak personally on the subreddit, just be aware of this distinction and don’t distinguish your comments when doing so.

If another mod has already communicated about or acted upon a developing situation, you should aim to present consensus in public comments or modmail. The public appearance of disagreement among mods is something which can easily be exploited and exacerbate situations. If you have disagreements, take it up internally first. Allowing yourself to be drawn into debates about moderation policy in the open gives the impression we are disorganized and unaligned.

Best Practices

Stay Healthy

A clear, cool, rational headspace is essential to moderating effectively. Don’t moderate under the influence, without enough sleep, or if you’re feeling emotionally dysregulated.

Responding to Personal Attacks

When confronted with a personal attack from a user be mindful that, as a moderator, you are the one with power in the situation. You can remove their submissions, mute them, and restrict their access to the subreddit. In most cases, the only emotional leverage a user has is to say mean things to you in an attempt to make you reactive. If you can resist entering a reactive state, validating these forms of lashing out, or the desire to get the last word in then you are far more likely to help de-escalate the situation and avoid further confrontation.

Users will occasionally attempt to (consciously or unconsciously) provoke you into removing their comments, banning them, or exercising your powers in some way to highlight the power disparity, claim censorship, or prove you are or were acting reactively. Be mindful of your options in these scenarios.

Issue a Warning

You can choose to communicate to a user they are breaking the rules without immediately or eventually enforcing them. This is not a perfect solution since you may be leaving rule-breaking comments or insults up for other users to see, but it forces the discussion forward, absolves claims of censorship, and their submissions can always be acted upon later if they continue to break the rules or respond negatively.

Ask Why They Are the Exception

Asking the user why they feel they might be an exception to the rules can be perceived as confrontational, but can also force the conversation forward and expose the user’s reasoning for their actions. This also forces the user to acknowledge the existing rules and address and demonstrate how they understand it (correctly or incorrectly). Asking questions is also an effective way at furthering dialogue, versus simply stating rules as facts in a declarative way.

Let Them Vent

Users do not have the level of agency as moderators. In many ways, this disparity can be extremely frustrating if they see us as all-powerful and/or acting in bad-faith. Many forms of dialogue can be potentially cathartic, help them remember the human, or allow their feedback to be heard. We do not always have the full context of the nature of anyone’s situation or feelings online, nor should we assume they know exactly how the subreddit or Reddit functions.

Kick it sideways

Be mindful of your investment in the ruling, conversation, or nature of conflicts with users. If you become reactive or suspect you might become so, kick the situation sideways toward another moderator by asking for help or a second opinion before taking further action. Be prepared to hear your fellow moderators out as well, as not every solution proposed may be satisfactory to all parties. Do your best not to let the negative momentum or emotional context from the conflict with the user carry over to the rest of the moderation team.

Suicidal Content

Instances of suicidal content on the subreddit or users exhibiting risk of self harm are exceptionally rare on the subreddit. We still take these instances very seriously and you should be aware of how we approach them so you understand how best to handle these situations. If a user is encouraging another user to commit suicide that should result in an immediate permaban.

We filter all instances of the word ‘suicide’ on the subreddit. This means Automoderator removes all posts or comments with the word ‘suicide’ and places them into the modqueue until they can be manually reviewed. Meta discussions regarding suicide are allowed. We remove all instances of safe or unsafe suicidal content. You should review the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA) Guidelines regarding suicidal content to understand the difference between safe and unsafe content.

You are not required to be a suicide counselor or act in the place of a hotline. You are still welcome to engage in dialogue with suicidal users, but understand (assuming you are not trained) that you are not a professional or able to act as one. When you do encounter a suicidal user you should remove their comment, notify the other mods in the Mod Discord, and then respond to them privately with the suicidal content template.

Bad Faith Arguments

Bad faith is a sustained form of deception that consists of entertaining or pretending to entertain one set of feelings while acting as if influenced by another. It’s akin to arguing for the sake of conflict, as opposed to resolving conflict. We assume all users are acting in good faith initially, so shifting to identifying them as acting in bad faith requires a significant amount of repeated context. If someone is engaging with you or the community with an eye towards determining the truth, acting in kindness, and showing respect they are likely acting in good faith. If they appear to be engaging more towards it being a game they can win by deploying a set of specific talking points, wasting time, or undermining discussion, be wary. Here are some of the most relevant signals which may indicate a user is acting in bad faith.

Sealioning

I think there’s enough credible evidence to take UFO sightings seriously.
Oh, really? Can you show me exactly what evidence you’re talking about? I haven’t seen anything convincing.
Well, there are declassified military reports and pilot testimonies that suggest unexplained aerial phenomena.
Hmm, but how do you know those reports aren’t just misidentified aircraft? Can you prove those pilots weren’t mistaken? Can you link me to all of those reports and explain them in detail?
I mean, the reports are public. You can look them up.
I just want to understand. Why can’t you just provide all the proof right now? If it’s so obvious, it shouldn’t be hard for you to explain every case to me.

Interjecting a stream of polite, reasonable questions and demands for answers, usually of entry-level topics far below the actual conversation with the goal of derailing the conversation. Should not be mistaken for genuine curiosity or the willingness to ask serious, foundational questions.

No True Scotsman

Some military pilots have reported seeing unexplained flying objects during their missions.

Well, no trained pilot would mistake something ordinary for a UFO. If they did, they’re clearly not a competent pilot.

Involves responding to an argument with a generalization by changing the definition of a group to exclude the counterexample, rather than addressing the argument. It’s a way of protecting a universal claim from criticism by making it unfalsifiable.

AMAs (Ask Me Anythings)

We often host AMAs on the subreddit where we feature a notable guest and invite users to ask them questions. Facilitating AMAs can be extremely rewarding and a great opportunity for you to contribute. If you’re interested in hosting one be sure to review our documentation and discuss who you’d like to approach in the #amas channel before taking any first steps.

Get Consensus

Check with the mod team before making any substantive changes to automod.

Reddit Apps

Access the list of Reddit apps we currently use along with links to edit their settings.

Modmail Quick User Summary

Automatically provides an overview of a user’s account whenever they send a modmail.

Modqueue Tools

Generates a statistics page which allows us to track the size of the modqueue and our response times

Toolbox Notes Transfer

Syncs Toolbox usernotes and Reddit Mod Notes. Makes it so moderators can use both interchangeably.

Additional Resources

What makes a good mod?

Informal survey showing what users look for in subreddit moderators.