How moderation works
A human-first approach to keeping AntiCirc safe and constructive — here’s exactly how it works.
A human-first approach
AntiCirc covers sensitive, personal topics. Moderation here is done by people, not algorithms — every report is read in context by a human, and our first instinct is always to educate rather than punish. The goal isn’t to police opinions; it’s to keep the space safe enough that honest, evidence-minded conversation can happen. Read the rules themselves in the Community Guidelines.
1 Review
Reports and flagged content are read by a person.
- Every report is looked at by a human moderator — nothing is actioned automatically.
- We read the content in context: the thread it sits in, who it’s replying to, and what was meant.
- Trusted members and above can flag content, which routes it into the same review queue.
2 Action
We may edit, remove, or move content and issue warnings.
- The lightest action that resolves the issue is the one we take — usually a friendly reminder.
- Content may be edited (e.g. to redact private details), moved to a better category, or removed.
- Authors are told what happened and why, so an action is always a chance to learn the guidelines.
3 Enforcement
Repeated or severe violations may restrict or remove access.
- Most issues never get this far — they’re settled with a reminder or a single content action.
- Repeated or serious violations escalate: temporary restrictions, then removal if needed.
- Safety-critical cases (threats, doxxing, illegal content) skip the ladder and are actioned at once.
What we moderate — and what we don’t
Moderation targets harm, not viewpoints. Here’s the line we hold.
We take action on
- Harassment, hate speech, slurs, or demeaning language
- Personal attacks, threats, or attempts to intimidate
- Doxxing or sharing anyone’s private, identifying information
- Spam, advertising, or repeated self-promotion
- Misleading medical claims presented as fact without sources
- Illegal content or anything that endangers a member’s safety
We never moderate
- Honest, respectful disagreement — even on heated topics
- Personal stories about health, trauma, or restoration
- Unpopular but well-sourced views you’re willing to defend
- Posting anonymously — it’s the default and always welcome
The enforcement ladder
We start at the lightest rung that resolves the issue, and only climb when behaviour repeats or a violation is severe. Most members never see past the first step.
- 1
Friendly reminder
A note pointing back to the guideline that applies.
- 2
Content action
Content may be edited, moved, or removed.
- 3
Temporary restriction
Access may be limited for a period of time.
- 4
Removal
Severe or repeated violations can lead to removal.
Think we got it wrong?
Moderators are people, and people make mistakes. If a decision feels wrong, you can ask us to take a second look — calmly explain what happened and we’ll review it again. We’d rather correct an honest mistake than defend it.
- Reach out through the support page and reference the post or action.
- A different moderator reviews appeals where possible.
- Safety and legal actions (threats, doxxing, illegal content) are final.
See something that breaks the rules?
Report it and a moderator will take a look. All reports are confidential.