Content Moderation EngageBrands

Content moderation involves deciding what user-generated content to publish and what to delete. This process allows a content moderator to essentially keep an eye on content in a space and take action when it's needed to help ensure appropriate content is posted. For example, if discussion posts in the space could become contentious; a content moderator might want to review them before they become visible to other people. The same could be true if content contains sensitive information.

Content moderation involves deciding what user-generated content to publish and what to delete. This process allows a content moderator to essentially keep an eye on content in a space and take action when it's needed to help ensure appropriate content is posted. For example, if discussion posts in the space could become contentious; a content moderator might want to review them before they become visible to other people. The same could be true if content contains sensitive information. A content moderator can undertake moderation of user-generated content and community for the following communication mediums:

(1) Chat Moderation

(2) Blog Moderation

(3) Message Board Moderation

(4) Discussion Board Moderation

(5) Video Moderation

(6) Picture Moderation

(7) Text To Screen Moderation

(8) Live Television Moderation

(9) Live Event Moderation

(10) Multi Language Moderation

Principal Responsibilities of a Content Moderator

(1) View and pore every user-generated contribution

(2) Receive and promptly respond to user activity alerts

(3) Apprise users that their contributions have been moderated

(4) Block users and remove their contributions if they continue to infringe moderation guidelines

(5) Provide comprehensive reports on moderation activity to the client or agency

Use of Moderation tools

Content Moderators employ several moderation tools while going about the moderation process. These tools are designed to rove over the portal and pick up and identify all the objectionable content automatically and flag them for the moderator to view. Moderation tools also allow the community administrators to decide on what types of content must first be accorded approval prior to being displayed. Content Moderators take help of moderation tools such as Radian 6, Jive Software, Pluck, Mzinga etc.

Types of Moderation

There are generally four categories of moderation.

1. Pre-moderation

2. Post-moderation

3. Reactive moderation

4. Distributed moderation.

Pre-moderation: Some sites and mailing lists operate on the principle that every piece of user-generated content that could go up onto a site should be checked by a moderator before it goes live. It's usually used for content that isn't specifically community-based, or content that's potentially dangerous (from a legal perspective). Some message-boards, particular those that concern themselves with topical issues or celebrities, are prone to libel and can be a source of legal anxiety for the organization that hosts them. Pre-moderation is probably a good idea in those cases.

Post-moderation: A moderator checks the user-generated content submitted after it has been posted at certain regular time intervals on an online community forum/chat room/ message-board. If anything dubious is found the suspected material is removed and the offending party is warned, banned or dealt with accordingly.

Reactive-moderation: This type of moderation is fairly passive, and relies on the members of a site to escalate dubious material and alert the moderators immediately to deal with the situation. The moderator may then act by reviewing the material and, if appropriate, delete it.

The advantages of this approach is that it's easier to avoid liability for anything that is defamatory or otherwise unlawful as long as you provide a process for removing offending content expeditiously upon being made aware of it (generally considered to be 48 hours).

The downside of this approach is that abusive content can appear in front of your users, and you're relying on your community to tell you about it, something which might not be acceptable to all organizations, particularly the highly brand conscious.

Distributed-moderation: It allows an online community to regulate and monitor its own online forum/chat room/message board under the guidance of experienced moderators. Distributed Moderation is not something that companies tend to rely on as yet. Fundamentally, the principle that a community can self-moderate and collectively decide what's appropriate and inappropriate behavior for themselves, may not sound acceptable for a company to make, so for the most part, distributed moderation of any kind often consists of content rating schemes and is overlaid with aspects of the other moderation systems. Prime examples of this kind of distributed rating system are Slashdot and Kuro5hin.

Why Content Moderation is needed?

A content moderator seeks to undertake the following:

(1) Protect the image and value of the brand in front of the target audience.

(2) Keep your organization free of lawsuits caused by user-generated content that is defamatory or illegal.

(3) Ensure a positive experience for users that increases the effectiveness of your advertising campaign or marketing initiative.

(4) Create a safe environment for users that will encourage repeated participation.

(5) Provide a sense of recreation to the target audience.

Content Moderators as brand protectors

Content Moderators have a larger responsibility to protect the brand and act as the eyes and ears of the brand in an online community. In fact, the brand-protection, which has always served as a challenge for the content moderators, got a massive boost recently when eModeration, a major player in the moderation of user generation content and community management, and their moderation technology partners, Crisp, in alliance with ReputationShare, a product of LOOKBOTHWAYS Inc, a leading company providing Internet safety technologies, introduced a new system to track and share the reputations of online community users in the UK and US markets.

The adoption of ReputationShare technology is being considered a significant step in increasing the protection of community users from users, who persistently upload abusive or illegal content to websites, or commit online fraud.

ReputationShare provide a more positive and safer online experience for consumers, and improve online safety while rewarding responsible users. It not just helps in deterring cyberbullying and online abuse, but also enables companies identify users who take a positive, active role in their communities.

Finding users with a positive intent can help to reduce costs as companies may find that users with a positive reputation do not need to be moderated as intensively as those with no history or a less than stellar reputation. It's important to note that users will get a seriously reduced rating if he or she abuses the rules of a website ? by uploading offensive or abusive material onto a community which could result in a user's online reputation being tarnished.

The ReputationShare technology is touted as a vital tool in curbing online abuse so much so that major player like eModeration is actively encouraging other agencies and brands to use the system and ensure widespread adoption.

The effectiveness of this technology was accentuated by Tamara Littleton, CEO, eModeration, a leading company which has worked closely with brands such as MTV, ITV and, Nokia. "The ReputationShare system is an incredibly important development in keeping community users safe from abuse, as well as promoting positive use. Online communities have a duty to their users to keep them safe. Sharing reputation information between brands will help prevent persistent abusers from reinventing themselves on other sites. We feel really strongly that this is a system that other moderation companies and brands should take up, and we actively encourage them to do so. The more people that use it, the better it will be for all community users." (Quotes: Courtesy: www.pr-gb.com)

Even, Linda Criddle, President, LOOKBOTHWAYS (which developed the ReputationShare), feels their alliance with eModeration will usher in a new online era. "The combination of ReputationShare and eModeration is powerful. Together we usher in a new online era where consumers are rewarded for positive behavior and held accountable for negative behavior. We enable companies - and individuals - to make informed choices about whom they choose to interact with, and lay the foundation for a safer, socially responsible online environment while maintaining individual's privacy." (Quotes: Courtesy: www.pr-gb.com)

Extensive use of social media by companies is all fine but protecting the brands will be a challenge, feels Lyle Fong, CEO of Lithium Technologies, another important player in providing moderation services. "The largest companies in the world now use social media every day to engage with their customers, but protecting their brands remains a pressing concern." (Quotes: Courtesy: www.lithium.com)

Content Moderators build communities

A content moderator works towards building a community which will not only enhance a brand but also increase customer retention. A content moderator helps in finding the right tone in which to communicate with a community and also find the right tools for the job.

(1) Researching competitors

(2) Looking at appropriate products and help to define the best tools for the job

(3) Recommending moderation tools and methods

(4) Creating user guidelines and House Rules

(5) Creating community Help information

Customer's take on content moderation services

Content Moderation services are considered the most-sought-after by many brand-conscious organizations. Most of these organizations feel that content moderation is the way forward in augmenting their brand in pursuit of future growth.

UK media group News International (Times Online) utilized content moderation services from the leading content moderation service provider, eModeration. Times Online soon found out that the volume of comments being posted on their site began to outstrip their client's ability to handle them in-house, which prompted them to appoint outside moderators (they hired the services of eModeration) and the move paid rich dividends as the number of reader responses increased since the launch of their new website in February 2007. On average, moderators were processing around 3,000 comments a day, and in 2008 they dealt with just over one million comments.

Clearly, Times Online was mighty impressed with the way the content moderation services were handled by eModeration. "Ultimately, eModeration gives us confidence and removes the burden and worry associated with moderation. The company fully understands our needs and has dealt with them in a very efficient and professional manner," Times Online was quoted as saying. (Quotes: Courtesy: http://www.emoderation.com)

Mark Studness, Director of e-commerce at Verizon, couldn't stop raving about the content moderation services they availed from Lithium Technologies, another major player in providing on-demand customer community solutions. "The feedback we've already received shows that our customers value the personalized peer-to-peer advice and feedback they receive from fellow users," he said. (Quotes: Courtesy: http://www.lithium.com)

Virgin Media is another esteemed organization which has been going gung-ho about availing the content moderation services from Tempero, UK's leading interactive community management company that provides 24/7 moderation service for user generated content (UGC), message boards, blogs, social networking sites etc.

Catherine Archer, Community Manager of Virgin Media said, "Tempero are like an internal department that just happens to be an external company." (Quotes: Courtesy: http://www.tempero.co.uk)

Who seeks Content Moderation services?

(1) An organization that is quality-conscious and is concerned about its brand identity.

(2) An organization that believes in providing fairness among users in terms of content moderation.

(3) An organization that clearly understands the true value of quality and professionalism.

(4) An organization that would like to focus on further growth and development, and believes in trust, leaving the worries of protecting the brand identity in the trusted hands of the moderation service provider.

Latest Industry Buzz

Lithium Acquires Keibi Technologies

Lithium Technologies, the leading provider of on-demand customer community solutions for the enterprise, announced that it has acquired Keibi Technologies,Inc., the leader in automated content discovery, analysis, and moderation for online communities. The acquisition extends Lithium's lead in delivering highly successful communities by giving brands the power to immediately discover, analyze, and moderate user-generated content of all kinds that might impact their brands on the web.

Keibi's technology adds to the Lithium application a content analysis platform proven at popular social networking sites like Bebo, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, as well as with leading global brands, including the world's largest beverage company. Keibi's engine quickly processes large volumes of user-generated content - including text, images, animations, and video. "This technology augments our market-leading moderation services by automating the content analysis process, ensuring that inappropriate material doesn't damage a customer's brand, while simultaneously enabling marketers to focus on engaging with customers and deriving critical metrics and insights from their interactions, said Lyle Fong, CEO of Lithium Technologies. (Courtesy: www.reuters.com)

EModeration launches online reputation service

Leading moderation firm eModeration has launched a new reputation-rating service designed to help firms protect themselves from potentially abusive or illegal user-generated content uploaded to their sites.

The ReputationShare technology, developed by internet safety firm Lookbothways, will be offered to all eModeration customers in the UK, allowing them to monitor the reputation of users leaving comments on their sites.

It will also allow firms to identify those users with good reputations, so they can reward those who take a positive active role in their communities, said eModeration. "Online communities have a duty to their users to keep them safe. Sharing reputation information between brands will help prevent persistent abusers from reinventing themselves on other sites," the firm said. (Courtesy: www.emoderation.com)

Lithium Ushers in the Next Generation of Customer Relationships with Social CRM

Lithium Technologies, the leading provider of on-demand customer community solutions for the enterprise, announced the launch of Lithium Social CRM, the first suite to offer businesses a single platform to create a powerful customer network of advocates across the social web. Lithium Social CRM allows businesses to proactively build stronger, deeper customer relationships by integrating social customer conversations into existing CRM business processes and systems. Lithium Social CRM moves well beyond using social media channels to reach individual customers ? instead, it creates a network of customer advocates that is integrated into core business processes, allowing companies to drive millions of dollars in untapped value through amplified word-of-mouth marketing, improved customer service, and accelerated innovation. As a part of the launch, the company is introducing three new products: Tribal Knowledge Base, CRM Connect, and Social Web Connect.

The explosion of social media has forever changed the way companies and customers interact. For every interaction that occurs directly between the company and a customer or prospect through traditional CRM systems, there are hundreds or thousands more that are happening amongst customers and prospects in other places on the social web. Too many companies today are missing these conversations ? and the potential impact on their businesses and brands.

With the launch of Lithium Social CRM, companies now have the ability to use information from social conversations to develop better products, to promote the company by creating incentives for its most valued customers, and to better support customers by answering their questions and concerns no matter where they appear. (Courtesy: www.lithium.com)

LiveWorld Announces Version 2.1 of Flagship Community Center Social Network Platform

LiveWorld, Inc., a leading online social media agency, announced today version 2.1 of its Community Center platform with dozens of new features, user interface updates and greater out-of-the-box flexibility for clients to change design, layout, features, content integration and application extensions.

Built on years of code development and the 48th technology release of LiveWorld's acclaimed social networking platform, this new version is immediately available and can be experienced at these sites:

http://socialvoice.liveworld.com (LiveWorld's Social Voice Community)

www.braveheartwomen.com

LiveWorld first introduced its integrated full social network online community platform in 2003 with MINI Cooper as the first client. Since then dozens of major brands have selected the LiveWorld Community Center as their private label social networking solution. Version 2.1 brings an array of new and powerful features for brands and their customers. "It's a sign of the times - brands want online community and they want it now," said Peter Friedman, LiveWorld Chairman and CEO. (Courtesy: www.liveworld.com)

Tempero wins three retail social media campaigns

Tempero, Europe's largest Social Media Management Company, has been selected by three retailers; Topshop, asos.com and Umbro, to provide online moderation and community management services.

Tempero's role will vary from moderating after-hours community activity on Topshop and asos.com websites to supporting an Umbro campaign competition across multiple user-generated sites including Flickr and Facebook.

"Three new projects in close succession reflects the current interest from retailers looking to reap the benefits from social marketing," said Dominic Sparkes, Managing Director at Tempero. (Courtesy: www.tempero.co.uk)