Chat Moderation 

Introduction

To ensure that every guest at Life.Church Online feels both welcome and safe, Host Team Leaders oversee chat and take action to safeguard it when necessary. 

We do everything to show love to every guest, even those who are challenging to interact with. As you read through the options for protecting the integrity of chat listed in this module, keep in mind that these are meant to be used as a last resort, not as a first response.  

Deleting Comments 

As a Host Team Leader, you have the ability to delete guests’ comments. Comments should not be deleted simply because they are off-topic, distracting, annoying, or even if the guest just has a colorful username. Comments should only be deleted if they:

  • Contain profanity that slipped through the chat censor.
  • Contain inappropriate links, especially to spam or pornography.
  • Are racist or hateful toward a guest or people group.
  • Are intended to threaten or bully someone.
  • Are overly vulgar, hostile, or derogatory.

If you determine that a line of chat needs to be deleted, click the three dots next to their comment and you'll see options to Delete. The line of chat will then be removed from Public Chat.

 How to Mute Guests

When you determine that a guest must be muted, click the three dots next to one of their comments in chat then click "Mute."

On some social media platforms, you may need to select "Ban" or contact your leader about removing that guest from the chat.

 Reminders About Muting

Keep these things in mind about muting in general:

  • Before muting a guest, give them a friendly reminder of our culture in public chat, and then in direct chat if needed. Remind them that this is an open and welcoming space for all. This can be a good reminder for the group as a whole, for example, when there are regular guests asking for someone to be muted.
  • Never threaten to mute a guest in order to get them to behave. We do not want to engage in or instigate a power struggle, but rather, to love them as a hurting guest back into community. Direct chat with a hurting guest is a great opportunity to create a space for them to have a collision with the Holy Spirit.
  • If you do need to mute a guest, it’s always better to do so without announcing it to them or to the rest of chat. Don’t make a scene—just do it and encourage your team to move forward.
  • If you find yourself repeatedly muting the same guest(s) each week, connect with your Community Leader—they can pray with you for perspective and wisdom and help you to find creative and caring ways to address the situation.