Moderating comments

Make comments undergo a review before they are visible to others. Enabling comment moderation on a Channel requires all new comments on that Channel's content to undergo a review by assigned moderators. These moderators can approve or reject comments. Comment moderation can be useful with Anonymous Commenting, or when there is a want for more controlled discussion.

Considerations and caveats

Moderators Access Level

Making a member a moderator creates an Access Rule, with Edit Access, on the Channel for that member. Removing this member from being a moderator does not automatically remove this Access Rule. However, removing this rule while the member is still a moderator will remove them as a moderator.

Non-moderator moderation

In addition to assigned moderators, administrators can action comments that are awaiting moderation from the Manage page of a Channel. This ability can be useful if a moderator is away, and some comments must be actioned.

How to enable the moderation of comments and add moderators

1. Go to the Channel where you want to enable the moderation of comments.
2. Click the Channel's Action Button, and select Settings.
3. Scroll down the Settings page until you reach the Moderation section.
4. Under "Moderate comments submitted to the items in this channel?" select Yes to enable the moderation of comments.
5. If the Channel doesn't already have any moderators, you can add them by clicking the plus button next to Channel Moderators. Use the provided search box to find and select workplace members, and then click Add to assign them as moderators. Any member of your digital workplace can be made a moderator.
6. (Optional) Check "Send email to moderators when new comment needs to be reviewed" to send notifications to moderators when there is a moderation action needed. If not selected, moderators will need to manually monitor their To Dos or the comment's section of the content.
7. (Optional) Check "Make the author of the item a moderator by default." to allow content's authors to moderate comments made on their content. This option provides an alternative, or supplement, to having dedicated Channel moderators.
8. Click Save at the bottom of the Settings page to apply these changes.

To disable comment moderation, select No in step 4.

How to moderate comments

Where to perform comment moderation

You can moderate comments from these locations:

• Moderating from the comments section: Get to this location by going to the content and scrolling down to the comments section. Alternatively, clicking the link in the moderation email notification also brings you to this location. Click the Notes speech bubble to expand additional actions. This speech bubble will contain ellipses if there are notes on the comment.

• Moderating from the To Dos page:  Get to this location by going to User Menu > To Dos > Approvals. Click the downward arrow next to the comment to expand additional actions.

• Moderating from the Manage page: Get to this location by going to a Channel, then Action Button > Manage > In Review tab. Click the downward arrow next to the comment to expand additional actions.

Actioning comments that are in moderation

When viewing a comment that is awaiting validation, you can perform the following actions: 

• Approve the comment: Click the checkmark to approve the comment. You can also approve a comment by clicking Publish when viewing its notes. Approving the comment publishes it and allows other members to see it. The commenter will receive a notification that their comment was approved.
• Reject the comment: Click the x to reject the comment. You can also reject a comment by clicking Reject and then Delete when viewing its notes. Rejecting the comment, after confirming this action, deletes the comment.
• Add a note to the comment: Enter text in the Note field and then click Add Note. This note is only visible to other moderators and will send them a notification.
• Assign the comment to another moderator: Click Send to and select the moderator who should action the comment; moderators can assign the comment to themselves. This action removes the comment from other moderator's To Dos page but notifies them of this assignment. All moderators will still receive notifications for additional notes. Additionally, if an unassigned moderator publishes the comment, the assigned moderator will receive a notification of it being approved.
• Add a new moderator to a specific comment: From the To Dos page, moderators that also have Full Access to content can add a new moderator to a comment that is awaiting moderation. This list also contains the content author if authors can moderate their own content. These moderators can be removed by hovering over their name in the moderator list and clicking the x. The act of adding and removing a moderator this way sends a notification to existing moderators. Similar to Channel moderators, adding a moderator this way creates an Access Rule, with Edit Access, on the content for that member.