Comment moderation policy template.

Comment moderation policy: [Organisation name]

Last updated: [Date]. Contact: [moderation@example.com].

1. Purpose and scope

This policy explains how [Organisation name] moderates user contributions on [list the spaces: article comments, debates, forums, social channels]. Its goal is to keep discussion useful, respectful and lawful, so that everyone can take part. By posting, you agree to these rules and to our [Terms of Use] and [Privacy Policy].

2. What is allowed

• On-topic contributions that add information, perspective or genuine questions.
• Disagreement and criticism of ideas, arguments and public actions.
• Sources, evidence and links that support your point.
• Plain, respectful language that the rest of the community can read.

3. What is removed

We remove contributions that fall into the categories below. The list is illustrative, not exhaustive.

• Incivility: insults, harassment, threats, trolling and bad-faith disruption of the conversation.
• Hate speech: content that attacks or demeans people on the basis of origin, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or any protected characteristic.
• Personal attacks: targeting other users or named individuals rather than addressing the argument, including doxxing or sharing private information.
• Spam: repetitive posting, advertising, link farming, scams and automated content.
• Illegal content: anything unlawful under [applicable law], including defamation, incitement to violence, copyright infringement and content harmful to minors.
• Off-topic content: contributions unrelated to the discussion they are posted under.

4. How moderation decisions are made

We use a combination of automated tools and human review. Automated moderation flags or filters content against the rules above; trained human moderators review edge cases and handle reports from the community. Final decisions on contested content rest with a human moderator.

When we remove a contribution or restrict an account, we tell the affected user what happened and why. This statement of reasons names the rule that was applied and, where relevant, whether automated tools were used in the decision, in line with Article 17 of the EU Digital Services Act.

5. Appeals and redress

If you believe a moderation decision was wrong, you can appeal. To do so, contact [appeals@example.com] or use [the appeal link in the notice you received] within [number] days. We will review the appeal and respond at [appeals@example.com]. Our statements of reasons follow Article 17 of the EU Digital Services Act, which gives users a clear, specific explanation of decisions that affect their content. You also keep any rights to other remedies available to you under applicable law.

6. Bans and sanctions

We apply measures in proportion to the behaviour and its frequency:

• Removal or hiding of the contribution.
• A warning to the account.
• A temporary suspension of [number] days for repeated breaches.
• A permanent ban for serious or persistent violations, or for illegal content.

Serious breaches, such as threats or illegal content, may lead to an immediate ban and, where required, a report to the competent authorities.

7. Transparency

We aim to be open about how moderation works at [Organisation name]. We publish this policy, keep it up to date, and report on our moderation activity [frequency, for example annually] in line with the transparency expectations of Article 24 of the EU Digital Services Act. Questions about this policy can be sent to [moderation@example.com].