Being a good Moderator is just like being a good community member. We set our guidelines out as best we can and apply them in the fairest way possible, and in most cases the call will be clear cut, but it's impossible to eliminate the need for interpretation on occasional case-by-case bases. What makes this more complicated is that the intent of a post can affect that interpretation.

This article by The Conversation talks about people who feel they’re helping the world by sharing fake news. A scary thought. If the same article was shared on The Onion, a well-known satirical news outlet, then it would read as a funny, if scary, reflection on the state of the world. This is true of satire, parody, memes, roleplay etc, for which tone and intention are key to the message.

How can we know the intent behind a post? This makes moderation a difficult role to perform, but it’s one with the power to shape entire platforms. As the old saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility (thanks, Uncle Ben!), so how can we, and you, ensure moderation is effective and responsible?