Problem members

Usually the best way to deal with problem members is politely and diplomatically, for the following reasons:

• As a moderator, you can be seen as being in a position of authority, and some people may resent you for that, or make assumptions about you.
• Problem members won't necessarily go away even if you ban them, so it's better to maintain the moral high ground.
• There are always two sides to every story, and sometimes members who seem difficult might actually just be a bit confused.

How to handle awkward members without confrontation

• Try to work with them - ask for, and listen to, their side of the story before making any assumptions.
• Give them the benefit of the doubt, even if it seems highly unlikely.
• Always be civil.
• Ask all concerned parties to forward the relevant emails to you.
• Acknowledge their contribution to the community, if they've actually made one.
• If a complaint is criminal in nature, don't try to solve it yourself - suggest the complainant contacts the police, and tell them you're happy to be contacted (assuming you are).
• If you're threatened with legal action, try not to worry too much - these are almost always empty threats. You can send them this if you like.
• Don't take the member off moderation until the issues are resolved, if at all.
• If you find a member particularly difficult, ask a co-moderator to take over. This takes the stress off you, and shows the member it isn't just a personal vendetta on your part, because someone else agrees with you.

While doing this, it's best not to

• Allow their behaviour to adversely affect the other members of the community.
• Let the member break any rules.
• Tolerate personal attacks or insults of any kind, whether directed at moderators or members.
• Feel bad or take it personally - it happens to other people too: http://www.urban75.com/Mag/troll.html

Once you've finished investigating, you can just state your position and then drop it - avoid letting them draw you into repetitive or circular arguments. You probably have better things to do with your time.

If a member is getting to you, do seek support from your fellow moderators - you can post on Freegle Central for advice or just to vent your feelings (http://freegle.in/Central), or contact info@ilovefreegle.org for more one-to-one advice or support, or support@ilovefreegle.org if it would help for the support team to view the chat between your members and advise you, if there have been problems.

Making contact with neighbouring community moderators can help too - they may have had dealings with the same member.

Finally, here's a selection of relevant admins you can use if needed, or for very serious issues, this one is worth considering.

Back to Specific Problems or How To Deal With