Request for Moderator setting

Hi Everyone,

Today one of my moderators decided to go into a private group and wish them a Happy New Years. Needless to say, this caused me a lot of grief, since no one but me, is supposed to be able to do that. Is there a way to configure Jamroom, so that we have a moderator setting that allows them to moderate comments but nothing else?
updated by @perrie: 04/02/16 03:32:00PM

I don't think this is possible as profile admin priviledges are part of the Jamroom Core and not easily changable.


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Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist

Hi Paul,

Hope you had a Happy New Years

This is kind of an emergency for me. Maybe there is a way to lock out admin privileges from accessing private groups? Some sort of option for that specific function. That would work.

Hi Perrie,
Though it would be cool if we could micro tune moderator permissions to this degree, I can see why it's not programmed in.
When it comes to my general members, I expect them to not understand all the accepted behaviors that site rules try to regulate. Thus, limitations are in place to prevent them from taking certain software actions on the site.
However, because my moderators DO have certain abilities that normal members do not, I make sure to outline precisely what is expected of them. Perhaps it sounds harsh, but if a moderator will not follow what I've laid out, then I wouldn't consider them to be moderator material. I highly recommend if you have already done so, to have a private moderator Group in place that all your moderators subscribe to in order to keep on the same wavelength when issues pop up, and to advise them of site problems and policies. In my Mod Group, I have info for them in place about what to do if...and also keeping abreast of site issues and behind the scenes stuff.
Forgive me if you already have this all in place. It might be helpful now that you've had this incident that caused a problem, for you to compose a clearly laid out page of moderator dos and don'ts, to maybe post in the private mod group later on once the dust has settled. Doing this can be just as effective as limiting powers...in fact maybe even more effective, as it can stimulate discussion in clarifying what's expected, in a way that may enable the mods to be more intuitive in various future circumstances as well. It also has the benefit of allowing me to organize my governing policies in my own mind. I know this kind of thing really helps things run smoothly on my own site, so i wanted to share what I do with you concerning managing my moderators behaviors.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/02/16 08:27:32AM

Hi Strumelia,

I too, have set strict rules for my moderators and have a moderator's group. We even do conference calls to manage our moderation needs. But our sites are totally different, and therein lies the difference in our needs.

I have a political discussion site which spans the full political spectrum. Thus I have moderators that represent that political spectrum. I also have private groups that span the political spectrum. To say that far ends of both sides don't like each other, would be an understatement. Furthermore, this makes being a moderator a thankless job, so I can't be too picky over who volunteers to be one. The only quality that I look for is fairness and even temper.

I specifically never told them, that they could get into the private groups, as I thought the temptation to read the comments in there was too much. Over the holiday, one of my mods accidently clicked on one of my private groups, and left a comment in there, (thinking they were being helpful and this was still set up like Ning was) to check the settings on the group. Well the group flipped out and now I have a big privacy issue. Furthermore, anyone now coming in as a new mod, will know that they can get into a private group, and I am afraid that human nature will just take over.

Hence, my need to fix this asap.

I hear what you are saying Perrie. It's a dilemma.
I'm wondering however that even if you are able to set things the way you are hoping in terms of private groups and moderators...well any moderator who can't be trusted to follow your simple request to stay OUT of private groups is likely to do other untrustworthy things as well- like maybe inappropriately editing the profile pages, passwords, settings, or posts of members they dislike. There's a point at which a moderator is more problem than they are help. I personally feel that having mods who won't follow my stated guidelines is worse than having no mods at all.

Perhaps you can have a few 'mods in name only' who are NOT Profile Mods with power to edit stuff, but who merely report transgressions to you? Maybe you could call them Deputies or something honorable sounding. Then make a smaller circle of 'real' mods you truly trust to follow your guidelines.

I can understand the members of a private group being distraught about someone waltzing in casually to say happy new year...(lol). But heck unless they are making plans to bomb or assassinate someone, it wouldn't take much wild guessing anyway as to what their group was posting about...? Isn't a simple apology and assurance from you enough for them?


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

I hate to knock down your suggestions, but it is the fundamental differences between our two groups, that makes this a real problem for me. No matter how trustworthy I think a mod is, the temptation to look into an opposing group will always be there, and since now, due to an accident, my group now knows that this is possible, I really need someway to lock out admins from private groups... or maybe all groups, if that would be easier to code.

We do too much moderation to have mods just report. This would load down the few "trusted" moderators to do all the work (we archive all removed comments, incase there is a moderation dispute).

Having levels of moderation was the something that was really good about you know where. I don't see why it can't be done here, in some way, even if it means giving my mods two accounts.. one for moderation, and the other as a member, if it means locking mods out of all groups.