1984 vs Now

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
1984 150x150 1984 vs Now1984 - MGM Studios

Online moderators often get a bad rap.

The “censor” label is often applied to us – sometimes in jest, and sometimes in all sincerity – but the fact remains that moderators protect the public from hateful speech and violence that can extend to sexual violence.

So, why not, then, see us as agents of protection for our clients?  That’s what we are.

Granted, online moderation of content is one of those occupations that needs explaining.  It’s an invisible service, and if done right, people are unaware of what we do; left undone, people are shocked and outraged.

Here’s what good moderators do:

  • Use good judgment and common sense.
  • Remove offensive content from clients’ websites.

Moderators don’t filter out opinions based on their own religious or political views.  They do not change history or alter facts.

Public reaction to moderation as censorship does give me pause to think.  After all, I earn a living from online moderation, but I am clear that the underlying purpose of moderation services is to protect the public – my clients’ audiences – from fringe voices that lash out in anger or even misguided humor.

Deleting hateful images like a swastika or removing a thread of cyber-bullying comments is a good thing to do.  Vicious comments can be hurtful and, if left online, can sour one on humanity.

Heck, I don’t want my rights trampled on, but I think people are unnecessarily worried that their right to Free Speech is being taken away by moderators.

In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith worked for The Ministry of Truth with Big Brother watching over him at all times.  Now, he was a censor.  He deleted details and “corrected” news articles to rewrite history and change facts.  In his job for the Ministry, Winston even altered photographs and documents to fit the party line.

Moderators today don’t share Winston’s Smith’s motivations.  We are defending clients’ rights.  The right to freedom of speech is subject to limitations, as with libel, slander, obscenity and incitement to commit a crime.  When using a business or organization’s website, one enters into an agreement to follow the guidelines of their web hosts.

This doesn’t negate their right to free speech, but it does offer standards on where that free speech is allowed.  The guidelines give site owners some control over what will be published on their website.

The good news for clients – and for those who will defend their right to hateful speech – is that anyone can have a website.

Have something hateful to say?

Get your own site.  I will be busy protecting the others.

 

 

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International Women’s Day

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Alexis Bledel as Rosie the riveter 150x150 International Womens DayCredit: Brigitte Lacombe
This year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8.  As a woman-owned business, we at Scout Moderation feel very inspired by IWD’s initiatives to promote women’s equality and advancement.

Almost everyone knows a red rose symbolizes love, but not many know there is a whole language around flowers, and Vanessa Diffenbaugh is using it to change lives.  A bestselling author, Vanessa is using the release of her new novel, The Language of Flowers, to bring light to the plight of older youths in foster care and to ignite a national discussion. The book tells the story of a girl who grew up in the foster care system and can’t trust or communicate with people, so she uses the Victorian language of flowers to express herself.

We tell you about Vanessa now, on International Women’s Day, because she exemplifies the spirit of IWD.  As a foster mother, Vanessa knows firsthand that when foster children turn 18 and no longer qualify for services, there is no family there to buoy them. Without support, 25 percent face homelessness and incarceration.

Vanessa saw this need and filled it by founding the Camellia Network, a nationwide organization that supports young people who have aged out of the foster care system by helping them to go to college, find an apartment or just get their bearings as they transition from foster care to adulthood.

Through the Camellia Network, emancipated youth across the country have a means to share their stories, dreams and needs. In turn, supporters can purchase supplies and equipment that will best help these young people manage the transition

Here is what the Camellia Network believes in: “It is time for us all to take shared responsibility for foster youth; to stop referring to youth in foster care as ‘those kids’ and start thinking of them as ‘our kids’; to stop waiting for the ‘system’ to take care of the problem and to start working together as citizens to create the change we want to see.”

We think that is well said.

If you know a woman who is raising her voice online and needs a moderator, let her know Scout Moderation supports women. Scout Moderation is here to help enact civil conversations over major change.

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What would Emily say about cyber bullying?

January 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Emily Dickinson1 150x150 What would Emily say about cyber bullying?Emily Dickinson Museum
Scout Moderation is based in Amherst, Massachusetts, birthplace of poet, Emily Dickinson.  At Scout, we are committed to keeping the online conversation civil.  We wonder, what would Emily Dickinson say about using the social network to hurt and bully?  Knowing the power of words to hurt, she once wrote, “We bruise each other less in talking than in writing”.

Emily lived as a recluse for most of her adult life because of a mysterious disorder.  It is speculated that she may have locked herself away from life because she suffered from PTSD or some kind of social anxiety.  From her home in Amherst, Emily carried out her epistolary relationships and sent her poems as holiday notes or birthday cards.  If she were alive today, she would most likely love the positive aspects of social networking; the ability to tweet a poem or post status updates on her Facebook page.

Cyber bullies can ruin your social media project with hurtful words.  In the 1924 edition of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Emily’s verse could be applied to the dangers of cyber bullying:

THERE is a word

Which bears a sword

Can pierce an armed man.

It hurls its barbed syllables,—

Scout Moderation will watch your social network for you so you don’t expose your users to words, “which bear[s] a sword”.  Your online community is a valuable asset and users prefer a presence that will guide discussions, deter cyber bullying or harassment.  Scout’s online community managers will improve your users’ experience by:

  • educating members
  • encouraging participation
  • keeping your site welcoming and safe

An investment in Scout Moderation is a valuable investment in your brand.

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Facebook users exposed to toxic images

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

facebook logo 150x150 Facebook users exposed to toxic images Does the recent Facebook hack have you nervous that it could happen to you?  The idea of porn or violent images next to a Pampers ad – on your site – keeps a lot of social media producers up at night.  If your news or Facebook site gets spammed with porn when you’re not looking, you risk exposing your users to toxic images or spam links that can steal personal information.  If you don’t protect your users, you’ll lose them.

Spammers can always find ways around filtering software.  You need someone there to act quickly before the damage is done to your brand.  The human moderators at Scout are the immediate solution you need.  We monitor sites and catch spammers in the act, and, we’re good at it.  With Scout on top of things, you can focus on what you know best – your business.

Scout provides Facebook moderation services, regularly scheduling checks of your Facebook page to screen for off-brand comments or images.  We’ll keep you apprised of any attacks on your site or on your users.  We’re the partner you need to keep your social sites safe.  You can relax and count on Scout.

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The Internet has killed civility

December 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Internet Killed Civility 300x200 The Internet has killed civilitywww.corbisimages.com
Newsweek recently listed 14 things that are being killed by the internet with Civility ranking fourth.  Citing Matthew Moore of the Telegraph who writes, “The internet has wrought huge changes on our lives – both positive and negative – in the fifteen years since its use became widespread.”

At the top of his list is the loss of: “The art of polite disagreement…the inane spats of YouTube commenters may not be representative, the internet has certainly sharpened the tone of debate.  The most raucous sections of the blog world seem incapable of accepting sincerely held differences of opinion“.

Are your customer service complaints about user infighting reaching a drama of opera level proportions?  If your website wants to embrace the interactivity of the online culture our team of moderators have the strategies and experience you need to avoid the crude behavior displayed in so many of today’s online comments sections.

Don’t let cyberbullies misuse your blog or message board to create a hostile environment for your users.  Delegate your moderation services to the experts at Scout Moderation.  We have the knowhow to protect your online community from bullies, trolls and illegal activity and we are here for you 24/7/365 – keeping a positive environment in the social sphere of your slice of the internet.

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Part 2: A terrible example of why moderation is crucial

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Libel 300x155 Part 2: A terrible example of why moderation is crucial Michaela Ocean Photography
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you know that the cyber bullying controversy is huge – and recently tragic.  People from all over the world have heard about the Phoebe Prince case and are extremely concerned and interested in finding a solution.

 

When social networking sites are being used for good – they are truly amazing. We’ve seen business deals done, old friends reconnected, new companies formed, millions and billions of dollars raised for good causes…to name a few.  But, when social networking sites are being used for bad – in this case, as a tool to publicly shame, bully or harm other people – we have a problem.

We believe that the hosts of these sites need to take immediate action.  Think about it!  If you were hosting a party, and one of your guests was harassing and abusing another in your living room, you would send the bad guests packing, right?  Zero tolerance!  Websites and internet communities should do everything they can to stop internet vigilantism and cyber bullying.  But how?

Scout Moderation couldn’t be more relevant to solving the problem.  What would Scout Moderation’s solutions be?  Here’s a list of the ways that our services can help!

  • We are the eyes and ears on your site 24/7.
  • Scout moderators can quickly identify abusive users and take action according to your Terms of Service.
  • Bullying, threats and any form of violence, hatred or harassment will take the highest priority.
  • Scout moderators will unpublish hate messages swiftly BEFORE they tarnish your brand.


 

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Part 1: A terrible example of why moderation is crucial

April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Libel 300x155 Part 1: A terrible example of why moderation is crucialMichaela Ocean PhotographyMerriam-Webster defines LIBEL as:

1. A written defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression;
2. a) A statement or representation published with just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt; b) defamation of a person by written or representational means; c) the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious or obscene writings or pictures; d) the act, tort or crime of publishing such libel.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the recent story of Phoebe Prince, a young girl that committed suicide as the result of bullying from her peers.  The story is heartbreaking and shoves the issue of bullies into the media spotlight.  We can only hope that some good can come out of this tragic story, that other lives will be saved and protected.

But there’s another issue that’s surfaced: website moderation.  Besides keeping the site clean from any continued negative attacks on Phoebe (which unbelievably have continued), social networking sites are also moderating for any libelous comments about her tormenters.  In defense of Phoebe and in their outrage, the community has posted threats to her tormentors on public message boards which could put any news site/message boards in a libelous position.  In one instance, the information was incorrect and a local woman who shared the same last name as one of the bullies had her address and phone number posted.  This innocent woman soon became the target of vicious taunts and death threats.

I work on the moderating team for a major online news site, and so far, we’ve unpublished many comments that list the bullies’ addresses, personal info on their parents, death threats, slanderous comments aimed at the victim and her family, links to libelous websites created under the names of the accused bullies, obscenity-laced taunts and other hate messages aimed at the bullies.  They’ve been named the “Mean Girls” of South Hadley High School.  We’re seeing many users who are posting the information on unmoderated sites, and then linking back to our clients’ sites where these posts are promptly being unpublished.

This horrible incident has demonstrated yet another reason why site moderation is critical.  But it also opens another debate: Our work protects the website and it protects Phoebe, the bullies and their families…but does it protect the public?  We’ll tackle this in Part 2…stay tuned.

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Protect your brand

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Brand Image 150x150 Protect your brandiStock - oonal
There are a lot of articles written to ease the anxiety people may feel about being publicly engaged and exposed in the social media space. For instance, Christine Pilch wrote a great two part series on the Hazards of Social Media where she discusses what to do when one person goes after you online or when people that you don’t think do good work ask you to recommend them (and possibly tarnish your reputation).

These articles are full of worthy, important information, but they speak to small situations. They help the small business owner or the individual. So what happens when the online business or brand is much bigger – a company like a Sony, a brand like Coke, corporate spaces and big news sites?

These corporations exist in a huge social media space that allows a great volume of user generated content. From their own chatrooms, blogs and interactive web experiences to the seemingly uncontrolled  landscapes of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Digg, YouTube…we could go on and on. How do you know the content your users are contributing is legal, appropriate etc?  How do you enforce your community rules without censoring people?

First, have your eyes and ears open. Scout Moderation helps you do this with listening tools and a team of professionals that are your eyes and ears – handling problems, addressing issues, giving you the information so that you can take action and help unhappy customers or ‘trespassers’ find resolution.

Second, don’t just sit back and let it happen, be part of the experience. We’ll keep you in the know about everything that’s being said about you, your brand and your company, and then it is time for action. Will you share helpful information on your blog? Respond to gripes via your own Twitter account?

Dell has done this successfully. It started when their batteries were exploding and lighting computers on fire. They could have gone down in flames, but they were listening to what people were saying and they immediately took to their blog and took action. By listening and then communicating, they literally saved their company.

Listen, moderate, communicate and flourish.

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Why did we name ourselves SCOUT Moderation?

April 6, 2010 By 2 Comments

Calamity Jane 150x150 Why did we name ourselves SCOUT Moderation? Library of Congress

Frontier Scout Calamity Jane

The internet is the new Frontier, but unlike the Wild West, it is limitless.  There are countless people, groups and websites – sure we could count them today, but the number will just be bigger tomorrow.  The boundaries don’t lie where we can see them, like where California became the Pacific Ocean.  And the boundaries, well, they aren’t really boundaries as technology continues to expand at an accelerated rate.

This is exciting!  The opportunities for business, for reaching customers around the globe and expanding your empire grow with it.  But it’s also a little scary – I mean, there’s so much, how do you keep track of it all, how do you keep track of what people are saying about you, how do you keep track of your brand?

Back in the day, scouts were sent out to explore, to cruise the land and look for trouble.  Basically, they made sure that everything was safe ‘out there’ before the rest of the company traveled through.

We are your scouts.  We look, listen and watch all over the web.  Monitoring your brand, making sure complaints are handled professionally and quickly, keeping a positive environment in the social sphere of your slice of the internet.  We take care of it all so that you can concentrate on what you know best – your business.

 

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