Facebook pages allow administrators to add moderators to help manage the page. Moderators have limited rights compared to administrators, but they can still perform important moderation tasks. Here is an overview of what rights moderators have on Facebook pages.
Posting and Deleting Content
One of the main jobs of a moderator is to post content and engage with users on the Facebook page. Moderators can create new posts, upload photos and videos, and post comments on the page. They have the ability to delete any content on the page, including posts, comments, and photos. This allows them to remove inappropriate or irrelevant content.
Responding to and Deleting Comments
In addition to managing posts, moderators can also respond to, edit, hide, report, and delete comments left by other users on the page. This allows them to have conversations with commenters, while controlling discussions. Moderators can delete abusive, offensive, or spam comments to maintain a positive environment.
Issuing Warnings and Banning Users
If a user repeatedly violates the page rules or posts inappropriate content, moderators can ban them from commenting on the page. They can issue warnings first or ban them immediately depending on the severity. Banned users are unable to comment, react, or share page posts until a moderator lifts the ban.
Promoting and Demoting Other Moderators
Pages with multiple moderators often have a hierarchy. Senior moderators can promote other moderators to give them more abilities or demote them to limit their permissions. Promoting a moderator may allow them to invite other moderators, for example. Demoting reduces their capabilities.
Editing Page Settings and Information
Moderators have the ability to edit some of the page settings and information. This includes changing the page category, adding useful information to the “About” section, and adjusting notification settings. However, they cannot change major settings like the page name, username, or admin roles.
Advertising and Analytics Access
Depending on the page role, moderators may be able to view page analytics to see engagement and traffic data. They can also manage ad campaigns associated with the page, like promoted posts. The admin determines their level of advertising and insights access.
Limitations of Moderators
While moderators have a diverse set of abilities, there are some key things they cannot do on a Facebook page:
- Edit core page information like name, username, business category
- Transfer ownership or request verification
- Add or remove page admins
- Delete the page
- Change page roles and permissions
- View page message requests
- Add new page analytics features
- Monetize the page, like adding a shop
Only page admins have full access to make major changes. Moderators have limited privileges by design to focus on community management and content moderation.
Moderator Guidelines and Best Practices
To ensure moderators use their abilities properly, Facebook provides guidelines on appropriate moderator behavior. Here are some key things for moderators to keep in mind:
- Act respectfully and impartially when engaging with the community.
- Clearly explain any comment removals or user bans.
- Do not delete comments simply because you disagree with them.
- Handle conflicts calmly and contact admins if issues escalate.
- Regularly consult with admins on how to improve moderation.
- Ask for clarification if you are unsure about content policies.
- Avoid sharing personal information or opinions.
The goal is to maintain a respectful, engaging space for the Facebook community. Moderators should enable conversations, not limit them unnecessarily. Transparency and open communication with administrators is key.
Moderator Permissions for Different Page Roles
Not all Facebook page moderators have the same abilities. Page admins can assign custom roles with different levels of access. Here is an overview of common moderator roles and their permissions:
| Moderator Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Editor | Can edit page info, post as page, respond to comments, create ads |
| Advertiser | Can manage ad campaigns, view page analytics |
| Analytic | Can access page insights, but not post or comment |
| Moderator | Can remove posts/comments, issue warnings, temporarily ban users |
| Live Contributor | Can post live videos but not delete content |
So an Advertiser may have analytics access without moderation abilities. And a Live Contributor can post videos without removing comments. Custom roles allow granting specific privileges.
Adding and Removing Moderators
Only Facebook page admins can add new moderators or remove existing ones. To add a moderator:
- Go to the Facebook page and click “Settings” then “Page Roles”
- Enter the name or profile of the user you want to make a moderator
- Select a role for them and click “Add”
- The new moderator will get a notification of their access
To remove a moderator, go to Page Roles, click the “X” next to their name, and confirm. Their privileges will be revoked immediately. You can also change a user’s role rather than removing them entirely.
Maximum Number of Moderators
Facebook limits the number of moderators that can be added to a page to prevent abuse. Here are the limits based on the page’s number of “likes”:
| Page Likes | Max Moderators |
|---|---|
| 0 – 10,000 | 50 |
| 10,001 – 100,000 | 100 |
| 100,001 – 1,000,000 | 200 |
| 1,000,001+ | 400 |
So a brand new page with no likes can have up to 50 moderators. And a popular page with over 1 million likes could have 400 moderators. This prevent pages from being overwhelmed by too many unlabeled moderators.
Moderator Badges
Facebook displays small badges next to the names of official page moderators when they make comments. This allows users to identify them as moderators. There are two types of badges:
- Admin – Blue badge for page admins
- Mod – Green badge for page moderators
Users can hover over the badges to see the moderator’s specific role. The badges also link to a list showing all the page moderators. This brings some transparency to who has moderator abilities.
Moderator Integrations
There are third-party platforms like Social Moderator that integrate with Facebook to provide enhanced moderator tools. These include:
- Moderation queues to easily manage pending posts/comments
- User reputation scores to identify potential troublemakers
- Filters to auto-hold inappropriate content
- Alerts for review when set rules are triggered
- Diaries to track moderation actions over time
Integrations like Social Moderator allow teams of moderators to collaborate and moderate efficiently at scale.
Appealing Moderator Actions
If a moderator deletes your content or bans you from a page, you can appeal the action in certain cases. Here is how:
- Click “See More” on the notification saying your post was removed
- Select “I think this shouldn’t have been removed”
- Choose a reason your content should be reinstated
- Facebook will review your appeal and contact you
Keep in mind appeals should explain how the content did not violate standards rather than attacking the moderator. Repeated appeals without merit may result in your account being banned from the page entirely.
Moderator Rights on Facebook Groups vs Pages
The moderator abilities described above refer specifically to Facebook pages. Moderating Facebook groups works a bit differently. Here is a comparison:
| Right | Facebook Page | Facebook Group |
|---|---|---|
| Post as Group/Page | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit Settings | Limited | ✅ |
| Delete Posts/Comments | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ban Users | ✅ | ✅ |
| Add Admins | ❌ | ✅ |
| Delete Group | ❌ | ✅ |
As this shows, group moderators have more extensive powers like adding other admins and deleting the group entirely. Page moderators have a more narrowly focused role.
Conclusion
Facebook page moderators serve an important role in maintaining positive communities. Their main responsibilities include removing inappropriate content, banning abusive users, and generally fostering constructive discussions. Moderators have a diverse set of permissions, but not as much influence as page administrators.
When granted moderator access, it is critical to follow Facebook’s guidelines. Act in an unbiased manner, communicate transparently, and collaborate with administrators. With great power comes great responsibility. Moderators should enable free expression as much as possible within Facebook’s rules.
In summary, moderators keep conversations productive by gently steering them in positive directions. They help create the welcoming environments that allow Facebook pages to thrive as hubs for meaningful connections.