May 2016 Newsletter

New Accessible List of Recent Chat Flags

Moderators now have access to a list of all recent flags in chat rooms where they’re able to moderate. This list can be found in chat.stackexchange.com/admin/recent-flags (chat.stackoverflow.com/admin/recent-flags for Stack Overflow chat) and offers a list the 100 most-recently flagged messages, along with the number of spam/offensive flags, counter-flags, unsure “flags” and moderator-only flags for each.

Chat flagging has been controversial for years, but it’s hard to prove where it’s failing. We hope this overview will not only be a helpful tool for moderators to manage chat, but also help provide insight that may help identify issues with the flagging system. Moderators are free to peruse this list and observe the sorts of messages attracting flags. They may also take additional action if needed, including imposing longer suspensions on persistently abusive authors or lifting automatically-imposed suspensions where unwarranted. We also encourage moderators to keep the guidelines for moderating chat in mind when reviewing past flags.

Moderator Vacation Notice System Added

It’s now possible for moderators to signal their intention to go on vacation via the moderator history page. There will be a simple text field with a button labelled “Record myself as absent / inactive”. The text field is optional but it is recommended to use it to explain the estimated duration of your absence, and if desired, the reason for absence. You can read more information about it in the moderator help center.

Moderation is, and always will be, a volunteer activity. Whether you’re an elected moderator of a graduated site, or a pro tem moderator appointed by hand, it’s always your time to invest into the site at your own discretion. Always feel welcome, whether you’re feeling generally overwhelmed, or maybe you just need a break, to take time off for yourself. We hope that this tool will help you feel more comfortable in taking such absences to recharge, rest, or simply deal with the many other facets in your daily lives.