RIZZASTERParents’ Questions About Chat Safety
/archive/maps/staff-notes/ · last edited 23 May 2021 · Moderation
Last week, a parent raised concerns about a message sent in the general chat that included a link to an external website. The link was flagged by one of the moderators before any players clicked on it. The message had been sent by a new player who had recently joined the server and had not yet gone through the onboarding process. The link was not harmful, but it was clear that the player had not understood the rules about sharing external content.
The incident highlighted a gap in our onboarding process. While we have a welcome message and a short tutorial, it does not specifically address the risks of sharing links or how to identify suspicious content. We also realized that our chat filters, while effective at catching obvious spam, can sometimes miss more subtle attempts to direct players elsewhere.
As a result, we’ve updated the onboarding experience to include a section on chat safety, emphasizing the importance of not sharing links unless they are approved by a moderator. We’ve also added a simple, visual reminder in the chat interface that appears when a player tries to send a link. Additionally, we’ve scheduled a short training session for all current moderators to reinforce best practices for identifying and responding to potentially unsafe messages.
We’re also considering implementing a more robust reporting system that allows players to flag messages they find suspicious without needing to involve a moderator directly. This should help us respond faster and give players more confidence in the chat environment. Overall, the incident was a useful reminder that even small oversights can lead to bigger issues, and that continuous improvement is key to maintaining a safe space for all players.