Moderating the content

IMU contains many features to help you moderate the content of these messages. In fact, these features are a key advantage of using Pangolin's IMU system for SMS text messaging display.

Automated tools

Some tools work automatically. These include lists of Offensive and Critical Words, and an automatic ban on users who send too many offensive messages.

If you do not need a live moderator, then you can rely exclusively on the automated tools. This might be appropriate in a club setting, where messages are seen in an adult environment. Even if you choose to have a live moderator, the automated tools are very helpful to pre-screen messages. These tools include:

• A list of Offensive Words. These are words that you do not want to appear in displayed messages. The most common use is to block vulgar words. However, you may also want to block the names of competing products.
       If an offensive word is found, it can be passed through, replaced with characters such as "***", or the message can be deleted:

 
The Offensive Words list has features to try to get around people who put hyphens or periods between letters. However, a clever person could use phonetic spelling to get around the Offensive Words list. Plus, if the list is too aggressive, it will block normal words like "associate" or "Sussex". For this reason, we recommend using a moderator when offensive words may be a problem for viewers.
 

• A list of Critical Words. This feature was added after a real-life incident where a club received a threat via text messaging. (It turned out to be a prank; the sender was sentenced to six months in jail.)
       Any message containing words on the Critical Words list will pop to the top of the screen, so the moderator can immediately deal with it. The sender's mobile phone number is also flagged, in case authorities need to be contacted.
   
• An automatic number ban. After a certain number of messages have been flagged (automatically or by a moderator) as offensive, the SMS sender is warned. They are automatically sent text such as "If you keep sending messages with offensive content you will be banned."
          Similarly, if they continue, their number is automatically banned. They are informed as to how long the ban will last:

If you need additional control, cleared messages are put into a "Messages - Inbox" folder, where a live moderator can then use manual tools as well.
 

Moderated (manual) tools

When messages come into Pangolin's IMU system, they first go through any automated filters. If there is a live moderator, the remaining messages then are passed into an Inbox folder for manual intervention. The moderator reviews each message.

• They can approve the Inbox message and send it to the Display Queue folder, to be automatically displayed after any previously-approved messages.
   
• They can edit the Inbox message to "clean it up". Here, an Inbox message is having its spelling corrected, before going to the Display Queue folder.

• They can block the message. The message is not deleted from the database; it goes into the Blocked folder. (This retention is done to help you if there are any legal questions about what was received and what was displayed.) Since the message does not reach the Display Queue folder, it will not be displayed.

Note that the Inbox displays information including the number of messages previously sent by the user, and the number of previous offensive messages. This is a quick way for the moderator to get an indication as to whether the sender is trustworthy, or perhaps needs to have their message looked at more closely.

The moderator can use other tools as well. They configure the system defaults, such as the text sent to banned users. They can edit the Offensive Words and Critical Words lists. They can contact individual users via text messaging, to give them additional warnings or information. They can block numbers from specified exchanges, area codes or countries.

The combination of automated controls and manual oversight gives users the best blend of flexibility and message control.