Protect Your Space on Social Media with Community Guidelines
What are community guidelines?
Community guidelines are rules that ensure users can interact within a safe environment by outlining the acceptable standard of behavior. They might also be called rules of engagement or a moderation policy.
Social media platforms and other interactive online communities have their own community guidelines, often linked to or outlined within their Terms of Service. These rules clarify what sorts of behaviors can get you suspended or even banned. On the flipside, you can also report others for making the space unsafe by engaging in one or more of these behaviors and expect support from the platform moderators.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of “allowed” behaviors that can make a space feel unsafe. When these behaviors take place on your account, in the comments on your posts, or in your inbox, you might feel powerless in your own corner of the internet. What can you do when the powers that be determine a troll is technically allowed to spam you with hurtful messages?
Create and enforce your own community guidelines.
Why should you make your own?
Depending on the platform, you might be able to hide, edit, or delete comments written by other users. The question of whether you should is an ethical concern for many. The people behind the comments you might want to delete often believe they have a right to post whatever they want. Having their content removed can lead to censorship accusations.
Here’s the thing: if a platform gives you tools to moderate your comments, you’re allowed to use them. However, what they won’t do for you is set the rules for the environment you want to maintain. They also won’t enforce your rules for you.
The only way to maintain the environment you want is to create your own moderation policies and enforce them consistently.
What should be included?
Start with setting the example for gold-star behavior. Let people know what is allowed and encouraged within your community.
Outline the purpose of your community with a sentence or two. Help people see your vision of the bigger picture you’re asking them to be a part of.
Welcome different viewpoints and opinions, civil disagreements, and healthy debate. Be specific about what is not included and won’t be accepted.
Provide examples and be as explicit as possible. Leave as little room for interpretation as possible.
Clarify who has the final say on what is or isn’t acceptable. It could be you, designated moderators, or admins.
If you’re not able to moderate much due to concerns about what content is protected by the First Amendment, educate yourself on what the First Amendment does and does not protect. Keep in mind the First Amendment is written to stop the government from infringing on the freedom of speech.
When in doubt, consult a legal professional knowledgeable in media law and social media communication to ensure your community guidelines are enforceable and don’t violate the First Amendment or any other laws.
Where to post them?
Your website is a great place to make your community guidelines available to the public. You could have them listed alongside your other legal pages (like disclaimers and your privacy policy). You could also include them as part of your Terms & Conditions.
What if you don’t have a website, just social media? Most platforms let you add links to your bio. You could use this feature to link to a view-only page, like a PDF or Google Doc, to outline your policy. Or, if you already use one of the many link-in-bio tools, you can make your guidelines accessible from there.
Final Thoughts on Community Guidelines
If you have any kind of forum where other users can contribute content—like comments on your social media or blog posts or discussions within a Slack or Discord community—you should create your own community guidelines.
It’s not just about protecting your own peace from toxic people. You’re also protecting the other people welcomed into your online space.
