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'Moderated' means that all postings to the newsgroup go to a mail address (e.g., comp-std-unix@uunet.uu.net) instead of appearing in the newsgroup directly. The postings are then forwarded via email to a moderator, or group of moderators, or even an automated program, who decides whether to actually inject the article into the newsgroup or to reject it as not meeting guidelines spelled out in the group's charter.
The main purpose of newsgroup moderation is to prevent inappropriate posts to the newsgroup. For example, moderation can prevent discussion or requests for software from appearing in groups dedicated to posting source code. It can also be used to facilitate discussions, to create a forum for announcements, to prevent repeated posts of the same information, or to cut off endless uninformative arguments. Some groups, e.g., <html><a href=“news:rec.humor.funny”>rec.humor.funny</a></html> and some source groups, also use it to control the traffic volume.
Moderation should not be used to censor unpopular viewpoints, or those that the moderator simply disagrees with. It is best to have a very clear charter and moderation policy for the newsgroup, so that newsgroup readers and posters can tell which topics are, or are not, appropriate for discussion on the newsgroup.
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<small> <em>NetNews Moderator's Handbook</em> © <a href=copyright.html>Copyright <strong>The Landfield Group</strong>, 1996-2001</a> <br>All rights reserved </small>
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