Local-News Discussion Group: Moderation Policy

Added

• An anti-ad bot now removes link spam from brand-new accounts, copy-paste "watch the full video" posts, crypto ads and mass mentions during breaking-news spikes. We use 虾宝 (Xiabao), an anti-ad bot for Telegram groups that is free for group owners: @xiabaotg_bot runs as an admin with Delete messages and Ban users only. Setup steps are in the Xiabao setup guide for group owners.

Changed

• The editor on duty sets slow mode to 1 minute for the...

Added

• Rule: images presented as news must say where they came from. Unsourced "photos from the scene" are removed until a source is given.
• A pinned guide on spotting AI-generated images: odd hands and text, too-perfect lighting, and no other outlet carrying the picture.
• Moderators add a short "Unverified" reply to viral images instead of deleting real members' posts straight away.

Why

• An AI-generated flood photo was shared 400 times from our group before the local fire ser...

Added

• Links to news must point to a known outlet or an official source. Shortened links are removed.
• New members can't post links for their first three days (handled by a bot, since Telegram has no built-in timer for this).
• A read-only Corrections topic where the newsroom posts corrections and debunks.

Fixed

• Removed the old permanent invite link from the website; the group now uses links that expire every month.

Why

• Copycat accounts posted "BREAKING" headline...

Added

• Comments on the channel are handled by a linked discussion group.
• Basic rules pinned: stay on topic, no personal attacks, no ads, no doxxing.
• Moderators from the newsroom get the admin title "Editor"; volunteer moderators get "Moderator".

Why

• Readers asked for a place to discuss local stories, and email comments were impossible to manage.