When managing a Discord server, you sometimes encounter situations where you must ban (expel) a member. However, carelessly banning members can lead to a bad reputation, such as “that server kicks people out quickly,” which hinders the acquisition of new members. So why do bans lower a server’s reputation?
This article delves into the reasons why bans lead to a bad reputation, the key points for properly implementing bans, and concrete measures to maintain the health of the server while gaining the trust of members. Let’s aim to create a community where everyone can enjoy themselves with peace of mind, and use this article as a reference.
Why Bans Lead to a Bad Reputation: A Chain of Distrust and Dissatisfaction
Fostering Distrust:
- Concerns about “Unjust Bans”:
- Ambiguous Rules and Arbitrary Judgments: If ban criteria are ambiguous or if the responses are based on the moderator’s personal feelings or interpretations, members will feel anxious, thinking, “I don’t know when I might get banned.” For example, situations where the interpretation of a statement differs depending on the moderator, or where only specific members are strictly controlled, amplify distrust.
- Lack of Explanation and Opaque Responses: If the reason for the ban is not clearly explained, or if an opportunity to file an objection is not given, members will feel dissatisfied and increase their distrust. In particular, an attitude where moderators make unilateral decisions and do not try to communicate further strengthens distrust.
- Collapse as a “Safe Place”:
- An Environment Where Members Cannot Speak Freely: A Discord server should be a place where people with common hobbies or interests can gather and enjoy speaking and interacting with each other in peace. However, if unreasonable bans are rampant, members will shrink back and be unable to speak freely.
- Decline in a Sense of Belonging to the Community: When distrust spreads, members lose their attachment to the server and their motivation to actively participate weakens. In the worst case, they may leave the server and move to other communities.
Acceleration of Information Spread: Influence in Modern Society
- Spread on Social Media:
- Amplification of Dissatisfaction: When banned members post messages like “that server kicks people out quickly” on Twitter, Instagram, bulletin board sites, etc., the information spreads rapidly and a negative impression takes hold. Especially in recent years, social media has become more influential, and once information is spread, it can have a long-term negative impact on a server’s reputation.
- Risk of Backlash: Cases where a specific moderator’s inappropriate actions or the exclusive atmosphere of the entire community becomes an issue and escalates into a backlash may occur. Backlashes severely damage a server’s reputation, making it difficult to acquire new members and leading to existing members leaving.
- Hindering the Acquisition of New Members:
- Impact on Search Results: When bad reputations spread, negative information may appear at the top of the search results when searching for the server name. This makes new members hesitate to join, hindering the growth of the server.
- Impact of Word-of-Mouth: Introductions from friends or other communities are also important in acquiring new members. However, servers with a bad reputation are less likely to be introduced, making natural growth difficult.
Community Shrinkage: A Negative Spiral
- Chain Reaction of Existing Members Leaving:
- Transmission of Distrust: When unreasonable bans continue, other members also leave the server out of fear, thinking, “I don’t know when I might get banned too.”
- Decline in Vigor: As the number of members decreases, active interaction becomes difficult, and the overall atmosphere of the server stagnates. This can further accelerate the departure of members and lead to a negative spiral.
- Increase in the Burden and Exhaustion of Moderators:
- Increase in the Number of Responses: When the number of complaints and objections to bans increase, moderators become overwhelmed with the responses, increasing their mental burden.
- Decline in Motivation: In an environment where there are more complaints than appreciation, moderators’ motivation declines, and in the worst case, they may suffer from burnout and quit being moderators. The departure of moderators leads directly to a decline in the quality of server operation, creating a further negative cycle.
Key Points for Implementing Bans Properly: Emphasizing Fairness and Transparency
Establishing Clear Rules and Ensuring Thorough Awareness:
- Specifying Prohibited Items and Giving Concrete Examples:
- Expressing in Easy-to-Understand Language: Avoid jargon and ambiguous expressions, and write the rules in simple language that anyone can understand.
- Providing Abundant Concrete Examples: Abstract rules alone can leave members wondering how to act. By giving concrete examples, you can deepen their understanding of the rules and prevent misunderstandings and differences in interpretation.
- Setting Gradual Violation Levels: Ensure fairness by setting gradual penalties depending on the severity of the violation. For example, set clear standards such as a warning for minor violations, a mute for repeated violations, and a kick or ban for malicious violations.
- Ensuring Thorough Awareness and Accessibility:
- Posting in a Prominent Place: Post the rules in a place where members can check them at any time. It is important to place them in an accessible place, such as creating a dedicated channel or stating them in the server overview.
- Regular Reminders: Rules may be forgotten if they are only communicated once. Send regular reminders and create opportunities to reconfirm the rules at events to raise members’ awareness.
- Multilingual Support: If there are many overseas members, consider writing the rules in multiple languages such as English.
Transparent Responses: Communication and Accountability
- Clearly Stating Reasons for Bans and Presenting Evidence:
- Specifying the Concrete Violation: When banning, specify exactly which statements or actions violated the rules.
- Explaining the Relationship with the Rules: Clearly explain which rule the violation violated and how.
- Presenting Evidence (If Possible): You can show the legitimacy of the ban by presenting evidence of the violation, such as screenshots and logs.
- Accepting Objections and Re-Examinations:
- Establish a Dedicated Contact Point: Set up a contact point to receive objections from banned members and provide opportunities for re-examination. Use DMs or a dedicated form, etc., to create an environment where members can easily contact you.
- Ensure a Neutral Position: Ensure fairness by having moderators or managers who were not involved in the ban conduct the re-examination.
- Rapid Responses: Respond quickly to objections. Leaving them unresolved increases dissatisfaction and leads to bad reputations.
Thorough Moderator Education: Towards High-Quality Moderation
Creating and Sharing Guidelines:
- Specific Case Studies: Create a collection of case studies that summarizes common violations and examples of responses, and share them among moderators.
- Role Play: Conduct role play assuming specific situations to improve response capabilities.
- Regular Updates: When rules are changed or new problems occur, update the guidelines and ensure that all moderators are aware of them.
Regular Training and Feedback:
- Providing Opportunities for Skill Development:
- Improving Communication Skills: Implement training to improve smooth communication with members.
- Improving Problem-Solving Skills: Implement training to improve response capabilities when problems occur.
- Mental Health: Share information on stress management methods and consultation points, etc., to support the mental health of moderators.
- Peer Evaluation and Feedback: Aim to improve the quality of the entire group by having moderators evaluate each other’s responses and share points for improvement.
Measures to Maintain the Health of the Server and Gain Trust: Cultivating Bonds with the Community
Active Communication: Emphasizing Two-Way Dialogue
- Dialogue with Members:
- Regular Opinion Exchange Meetings: Hold online or offline opinion exchange meetings and listen to the voices of members directly.
- Conduct Surveys: Conduct surveys regarding server operation and rules and collect members’ opinions.
- Set Up a Suggestion Box: Set up a suggestion box where members can easily post their opinions and requests and take in the voices of members.