---
title: Moderate your community
sidebarTitle: Moderate your community
description: >-
  Review what members report, decide on posts held for review, and mute, remove
  or welcome back members, with a record of every action.
audience: luminary
feature: community
type: guide
availability: live
last_verified: '2026-10-13'
keywords:
  - moderation
  - report a post
  - mute member
  - remove member
  - post approval
  - audit log
  - ban
url: 'https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/moderate-your-community'
---

# Moderate your community

> Review what members report, decide on posts held for review, and mute, remove or welcome back members, with a record of every action.

[Community → Moderation](https://portal.bringsoul.life/community/moderation) shows _"What members have flagged, and a record of every action you take."_ The number next to Moderation in the sidebar tells you how much is waiting.

## When to use this

- A member has reported a post, reply, question or answer.
- You want new posts checked before they reach everyone.
- Someone needs to cool off, or leave.

## Hold new posts for review

**Step 1: Write your policy**

Go to [Community → Settings](https://portal.bringsoul.life/community/settings) → Content
moderation and describe what doesn't belong (for example *"No profanity, sexual content,
harassment, or self-promotion. Keep it kind and on-topic."*). Up to 500 characters. Click Save
changes.

**Step 2: Let Soul check new content**

New posts are quietly checked against your policy. Anything that may cross the line waits in
Moderation instead of going live. Leave the policy blank to publish everything immediately.

**Step 3: Decide on held items**

In Moderation, held items are grouped as Held posts, Held replies, Held questions and Held
answers. *"Held posts are hidden from the community until you decide."* Click Publish post (it
goes live) or Remove post (it never reaches the community).

## Handle a report

**Step 1: Open the report**

Reports from members appear under Reports, with what was reported, who reported it and why.
Flagged questions have their own group, with Review on the board.

**Step 2: Resolve it**

Click Resolve… and choose: Dismiss (*"No action needed."*), Remove Content (*"Hide the flagged
post or question from members."*) or Mute Author (*"They can read but not participate."*).

**Step 3: Add a private note**

Add *"A note for your own records…"*. *"Only you can see this."* It's kept in your audit log.

Dismissing a report doesn't publish held content, and publishing held content doesn't close a report. They're separate decisions.

## Choose the lightest action that works

| Action                                   | Where                             | What happens                                                                             | Undo          |
| ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
| Remove a post, reply, question or answer | The item's menu                   | Hidden from members. The author and your reason are kept.                                | No            |
| Block from the question board            | Report & block asker on Questions | Can't ask, answer or upvote on the board. Everything else works.                         | Unblock asker |
| Mute                                     | Member's page → Moderation        | _"They won't be able to post, comment, or ask while muted."_ They can still read.        | Unmute        |
| Remove a member                          | Member's page → Moderation        | _"They'll lose access immediately; their existing posts stay."_ They leave every circle. | Restore       |

Restore brings a removed member back into the community, but not into their old circles. Add them again if needed. If a removed member asks to come back, the request appears under Requests on Community Members.

## The audit log

Every moderation action is recorded in the Audit log at the bottom of Moderation. Filter by All actions, Members, Content, Reports or Other, search it, and open any entry for detail.

## Tips

- Start with mute. It's reversible and lets someone stay connected while they cool off.
- Keep reasons specific and kind. Write them as if the member might one day read them.
- Removing a member doesn't clean up their posts. Remove posts separately if needed.
- Need a pause for everyone? Set [Community → Settings](https://portal.bringsoul.life/community/settings) → Lifecycle to Read only. Members can read, but no new posts or joins.
- Anonymous isn't anonymous to you. You always see who wrote something, for safety.

**Warning:** 
Moderation notes and your private host notes are for you only. Never paste them into a message or
answer to a member.

## What your members see

Members report content with Report, choose a reason, and click Send to the host. Removed content disappears from their view. A muted member can still read but can't post, comment or ask. A removed member loses access to the community.

## Related

- [Care for your members](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/care-for-your-members)
- [Run a Q&A board](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/run-a-qa-board)
- [Your community](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/introduction)