Content Moderation and Disagreements

What is content moderation?

Content moderation is the practice of reviewing content either before or after it is published online to ensure that it doesn't violate your community guidelines.

Where can I find my community guidelines?

While there are many similarities between communities, we also recognize there are some very important differences too. Out of respect for these differences, we have refrained from creating a list of standard community guidelines. Each community is responsible for developing their own guidelines that support the values of their community. We understand that this can feel ambiguous, especially if your content was removed by a community moderator and you don't understand why, or if you feel it should not have been removed. In these cases, we recommend you reach out directly to your community moderator, property manager, or HOA board member. It's important that you voice your opinion if you feel like your content should not have been removed. 

Will my comment, post, or other content be reviewed before it is posted?

In most cases, no, your content will not be reviewed before it is published. By default, content moderation is turned off for all eNeighbors websites. This means that your posts will be published immediately without a pre-review. It's our view that community discussions work best when neighbors can post freely and immediately. However, content moderation has its place and may be turned on as a way to help support a productive discourse between neighbors when needed. The decision to enable content moderation is that of your HOA board of directors.

Who is the moderator in my community?

It is only necessary to identify a moderator if the content moderation feature is turned on in your neighborhood. The moderator is selected by your board of directors and is often a member of the board, but may be anyone with a stake in the community, such as a resident volunteer or property manager. Only one moderator is allowed per neighborhood. Even if content moderation is not turned on, your content may still be reviewed and deleted after it's published.

Who can delete my content?

Of course, you can delete your own content. Additionally, any account with administrative privileges can delete your content as well. Typically, this includes board members, property managers, and eNeighbors staff members.

Why was my content deleted?

Sometimes it may have been deleted by mistake. This happens from time to time. But in many cases, it was deleted because a moderator, board member, or property manager made the determination that it needed to be removed. This could be because it was considered inflammatory, inaccurate, misleading, or any number of things.

Moderation disagreements
We encourage neighbors to work directly with their site moderator, board member or property manager to understand why your content was removed. Respectful, one-on-one communication can often help to resolve these issues or allow for a better understanding of each other’s perspectives.

Do:

• Privately message your moderator, a board member, or property manager with questions or concerns about why content was removed.
• If you disagree with the assessment, find a respectful way to explain why you disagree.
• Be respectful, even if you don’t reach an agreement.
• If you can't find a resolution, take your concerns to the board. Ask for time on the agenda during the next HOA board meeting.
• Respect the governing process of your neighborhood.
• If you absolutely cannot find a resolution, and you feel that your posts are being unreasonably moderated, please email eNeighbors Support. Be sure to include examples of the content that was moderated. It is also helpful if you can forward your communications with your moderator so we may review it.

Don’t:

• Don’t post concerns about moderation on the bulletin board. Public conversations about moderation detract from the intended purpose of connecting neighbors. They are almost always counterproductive.
• Don’t attack, berate, belittle, insult, harass, threaten, troll, or swear at anyone for any reason. This is a violation of the eNeighbors Terms of Use and will lead to the permanent removal of your account.

What is eNeighbors' role in content moderation disagreements?

eNeighbors goal is to support all of our users - including neighbors, board members, and property managers. Unless there is a violation of our Terms of Use, eNeighbors will generally not take action to remove or restore content as the result of a disagreement between a user and a moderator. However, we will work with moderators to help guide them to develop a set of guidelines from which to make moderation decisions that support their community values.