SOP: Community Moderation
This Standard Operating Procedure outlines how Clarksville Furs maintains safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces across all community platforms. Moderators are expected to understand and follow these guidelines to ensure consistent and fair enforcement.
1. Purpose & Scope
This SOP governs moderation activities across all Clarksville Furs community spaces, including the website (clarksvillefurs.com), Discord server, Telegram group, and in-person events. The goal is to maintain a safe, respectful, and enjoyable environment for all members while enforcing community standards consistently and fairly.
2. Moderator Roles & Authority
| Role | Platform Access | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | All platforms | Full authority. Sets community policy. Can appoint/remove Admins. Final escalation point for all disputes. |
| Admin | All platforms | Manage moderators, issue permanent bans, handle escalated cases, configure platform settings. |
| Moderator | Assigned platforms | Issue warnings, mute/timeout users, issue temporary bans (up to 7 days), delete inappropriate content, escalate serious issues. |
| Member | All platforms (standard) | Participate in community. Report violations to moderators. No enforcement authority. |
3. Monitoring Responsibilities
Active moderation is essential to maintaining community standards.
- Daily Checks: Review all active chat channels on Discord and Telegram. Check website comments and forum posts. Review any flagged content or reports.
- What to Watch For: Harassment, bullying, or targeted attacks. Hate speech, slurs, or discriminatory language. NSFW or inappropriate content. Spam, scams, or phishing links. Doxxing or sharing personal information without consent. Discussions promoting illegal activity.
- Report Review: All member reports must be acknowledged within 4 hours and resolved within 24 hours.
4. Handling Violations
Follow this step-by-step process for every violation:
- Step 1 - Document: Screenshot or save the offending content before taking any action. Record the date, time, platform, user involved, and nature of the violation.
- Step 2 - Assess: Determine the severity of the violation. Is it a first offense? Does it pose an immediate safety risk? Refer to the Warning & Ban Process below.
- Step 3 - Act: Take the appropriate action based on severity. Remove the offending content. Apply the correct consequence per the escalation table.
- Step 4 - Notify: Inform the violating member of the action taken and the reason. Provide this via direct message, not publicly. Reference the specific rule violated.
5. Warning & Ban Process
| Offense | Action | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Offense | Verbal Warning | N/A | Friendly reminder of community rules via DM. Document the warning. |
| 2nd Offense | Written Warning | N/A | Formal written warning via DM. Explain that further violations will result in a ban. Log in moderation records. |
| 3rd Offense | Temporary Ban | 7 - 30 days | Ban from the platform where the violation occurred. Duration based on severity. Notify via DM before ban takes effect. |
| 4th Offense | Permanent Ban | Indefinite | Permanent removal from all Clarksville Furs platforms. Requires Admin approval. May be appealed after 6 months. |
Note: Severe violations (threats of violence, illegal activity, doxxing) may result in an immediate permanent ban, skipping the progressive steps. This requires Admin approval.
6. Escalation Procedures
- When to Escalate: Threats of self-harm or violence. Illegal activity. Situations involving minors. Disputes between moderators. Any situation you are unsure how to handle.
- Who to Contact: Escalate to an Admin first. If no Admin is available, contact the Owner directly via Discord DM or the Contact Us ticket system.
- Crisis Situations: For immediate safety concerns, refer to the SOP: Crisis Intervention document.
7. Documentation Requirements
- What to Log: Date and time of incident, platform, users involved, description of the violation, action taken, moderator who handled it.
- Where to Log: All moderation actions must be logged in the moderation log channel on Discord and/or submitted as a ticket via Contact Us.
- Retention: Moderation logs are retained indefinitely. Warning records are kept for a minimum of 12 months.
8. Moderator Conduct Standards
- Lead by Example: Moderators must follow all community rules themselves. Your behavior sets the tone for the community.
- Do Not Abuse Powers: Never use moderation tools for personal disputes. Never share private moderation discussions with non-staff members.
- Remain Impartial: Enforce rules consistently regardless of personal relationships. If you have a conflict of interest, recuse yourself and ask another moderator to handle the situation.
- Confidentiality: Details of moderation actions, user reports, and internal discussions are confidential and must not be shared outside the moderation team.
9. Regular Review Cycle
- Monthly Review: Review all active bans. Determine if any temporary bans should be lifted early or extended. Review pending appeals.
- Quarterly Policy Review: Review moderation policies for relevance and effectiveness. Discuss any recurring issues. Update this SOP as needed.
- Moderator Feedback: Quarterly check-in with all moderators to discuss challenges, share best practices, and address burnout.
10. Revision History
| Revision | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-05-16 | Moko Consulting | Production release |