I've Seen It (Almost) All

In Internet communities, I've seen it almost all: people saying horrendous things to strangers, posting private information about those who aren't strangers, posting threats to track another member down and beat them up (or worse), posting spam to try and block normal interaction, attempts to hack the community software platform, and much more. 

I have even seen members set up communities just for planning ways to attack and disrupt other communities. Though it's primarily a site to poke fun, Deadspin is a good example of a site going after ESPN.

After more than 20 years of managing online conflict in just about every type of community you can imagine, one might think that I would be cynical about the ability of Internet communities to have a positive impact on society. Actually, though I'm seldom surprised by what I see each day, I have never been happier, as I have also seen large groups of community members helping each other solve problems, answer questions, discuss common interests (yes, even politics and religion), and even come together to help resolve some of the conflicts mentioned above. Some members have fallen in love while others watched; some have exchanged marriage vows while their friends posted congratulations. And after working on the communities of several dating sites, I can definitely say that Internet dating *does* work.

What differentiates a community full of abuse, disruption, and spam, and one full of dynamic and vibrant interaction? It's tools, management, and moderation. The tools automate some of the management (word filters, a place for members to report violations), management provides the vision and keeps the community heading in the right direction, and moderation encourages members to keep their conduct within the forum usage guidelines. Choose the right set, and you're in for an exciting and rewarding ride.

I started my long community management career because I had a vision of people using the Internet to enhance their interactive skills, applying what they learned online to their real world day-to-day lives. Despite the acrimonious political climate that causes me to still spend way too much time resolving conflicts, I do see empathy and compassion on the rise. I've seen it almost all, but I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.