Moderating Social Media Comments
Review our guidelines for moderating comments as an account administrator of an NC State-owned social media account.
Consistent with section 4.1.2 of REG 08.00.12 – Social Media, account administrators are responsible for managing and monitoring the content of their social media account(s), identifying problems that emerge and taking any appropriate action when necessary. The guidance provided below builds upon section 4.1.2 and answers questions frequently asked by account administrators. Failure to follow university guidelines and regulations could result in reputational issues for the university along with possible legal challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete comments?
In most cases, no. Most speech, including hate speech, is protected by the First Amendment. Deletion is permissible only in limited exceptions. If, after reviewing this page, you believe an account you manage has received a comment that needs to be deleted, contact socialmedia@ncsu.edu for guidance.
What types of comments can I delete?
NC State account administrators reserve the right, but are not obligated, to delete comments that fall into these specific, unprotected categories:
- Comments that contain obscenities, true threats of imminent harm, incitement to imminent unlawful action, defamation, fighting words, false or misleading commercial speech;
- Comments that contain illegal conduct, such as extortion, solicitation to commit a crime or perjury;
- Comments that disclose confidential or sensitive information;
- Comments that are duplicative or clearly spam;
- Comments that are inconsistent with the topic of the post (aka “off-topic”) may be able to be deleted, but should be vetted with socialmedia@ncsu.edu and the Office of General Counsel.
Are there additional actions I should take upon deleting a comment?
Keep records (screenshots, date, time) of any deleted comments. If a comment raises safety or legal concerns, immediately notify your supervisor and socialmedia@ncsu.edu. For direct threats, call 911 or contact University Police immediately.
What should I do if my account receives a comment that is harsh or critical of the university?
Comments critical of the university should generally not be deleted. In some cases, you can attempt to address the commenter’s concerns or refer them to an appropriate person or department. Please connect with University Communications and Marketing by emailing socialmedia@ncsu.edu to discuss potential options. Not every critique requires a response; some users are simply venting frustration.
What resources can I share with commenters who express concerns?
Depending on the situation, you may consider sharing the following resources with the commenter, either in the comments or via direct message. This list is not exhaustive.
What should I do if a student or employee is a target of online harassment on a university-owned social media account?
If a student or employee faces online harassment or bullying in the comments on a university social media account, they should immediately submit a concerning behavior report. As an account administrator, you should also review the comment against NC State’s comment moderation guidelines. If it meets the criteria for removal, you may delete it.
- Best practice: Prior to featuring any student, faculty or staff member, proactively inform them that while we strive for a respectful online community, comments can vary. Emphasize that the university has limited authority to remove comments due to First Amendment protections, but reinforce that they can (and should) report any bullying or harassment via the Concerning Behavior Report.
Can I turn comments off?
Generally, it is recommended to keep comments open to encourage community interaction. Account administrators may choose to proactively close a comments section at their discretion. Comments sections should almost never be closed retroactively, but may be closed if the volume of comments that do not comply with the comments guidelines is at such a high volume that comment moderation is unmanageable. Please consult with colleagues in University Communications and Marketing by contacting socialmedia@ncsu.edu when deciding to retroactively close a comment section.
What should I do if a comment contains an imminent threat?
Screenshot the comment and hide it immediately. Call 911 or contact University Police and notify your supervisor.
Reviewing and Responding to Comments
The decision tree below outlines a three-step process for handling comments and direct messages on social media.
Review, Evaluate and Respond
Step 1: Review
The first step is to identify the type of comment or message. The chart provides a few different categories:
- Feedback: This is a comment or message that shares thoughts, opinions or information.
- Compliment: This is a positive comment.
- Request: This can be a user asking for a promotion or for information.
- Other Issue: This is a broad category that includes rants, rage or bashing; imminent threats; misinformation; or any other concerning comments.
Step 2: Evaluate and Respond
The evaluation and response steps are interconnected and depend on the comment’s category.
- For Feedback: If the feedback is actionable and can help improve services, share it with relevant campus partners and reply to the commenter to let them know their feedback has been shared. If it is not actionable, no response is needed.
- For Compliments: If you can add value, reply to the user and consider sharing the compliment with relevant campus partners. If you cannot add value, simply “like” the comment.
- For Requests:
- If a request for a promotion fits within your strategy, promote it and share it with relevant partners. If it does not fit your strategy, you should ignore it or message the user privately to explain why it will not be promoted.
- If a request is asking for information, you should either answer the question directly or redirect the user to the appropriate area.
- For Other Issues:
- If the issue is a rant, rage or bashing, monitor the comment. If it escalates to unprotected speech, delete it according to the guidelines.
- If it is an imminent threat, do not engage. Instead, call 911, take screenshots and alert your supervisor and University Communications to determine the next steps.
- If the comment is misinformation and is relevant to your area of NC State, reply with the correct information. If it is not relevant to your area, share it with a relevant campus partner.
- If it is an otherwise concerning comment, report it to NC State’s Risk Assessment team via a Concerning Behavior Referral.
Other Best Practices
This decision tree is a general guide but is not prescriptive and may not be appropriate in all scenarios. If you have questions about how to respond to a comment or message, contact socialmedia@ncsu.edu. This guide should be used in tandem with the Guidelines for Moderating Comments.
- You represent NC State and should maintain a professional and helpful tone that reflects NC State’s brand voice.
- Even when responding in a private manner, such as in DMs, remember that your message could be screenshotted and shared widely.
- Respond in a timely manner.
- Never share private information about students or employees.
All comments are subject to the social media platforms’ terms of use. NC State reserves the right to remove comments as permitted by university policy, regulations and guidelines.
Follow the Decision Tree
Additional Resources
The guidance above draws inspiration from a brief by the American Council on Education, along with best practices from our peers in higher education. If you’re interested in finding out more, you can dive into these helpful foundational resources.
