Forum Moderation Guide: Moderation Tasks: General Guidelines
This page is part of the [[Moderating Microsoft Forums]] series.
It is impossible to cover every situation in this document, so this section outlines some general guidelines to consider as you perform your moderation duties. To build on the Rules of Engagement, the following are important general guidelines:
- Everything in a forum is a public, permanent record of every word typed, even if the text is deleted. In forums, even if a post is deleted, it may have been captured by a host of 3rd-party social media monitoring tools, which makes it a permanent record.
- Because all posts are public, they often appear in quoted press articles. Keep this in mind as you post – especially if you have MSFT, Microsoft Support, or MVP affiliations associated with your display name.
- If you are not sure about something – ask another moderator in the private moderator forum or your forum owner. If you receive no response, please escalate the issue.
- Don't engage trolls. Trolls intentionally SPAM forums, intentionally steer topics off track, and a host of other unproductive activities. It is best not to engage trolls, but instead handle them according to policy.
- Never disparage Microsoft, its employees, any Microsoft product, other moderators, or MVPs.
- Do not argue with anybody in the forums.
- Do not make fun of, disparage, put down, or push the buttons of anyone in the forums.
- Do not argue with Moderators about whether a question should be proposed or marked. If you are unable to agree, please escalate the issue.
- Read and follow the posted Microsoft Code of Conduct.
- Read and follow the posted Microsoft Terms of Use.
- Follow approved rules for issue escalation.
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