Since its launch in 2015, Discord has exploded into one of the largest messaging platforms on the planet. It boasts over 150 million active users per month and sees over 4 billion conversations daily.
With such massive growth and engagement, effective Discord server moderation through proper rules and policies has become essential.
In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the importance of Discord server rules, provide templates and examples you can quickly implement, and offer expert insights into crafting guidelines tailored for your community.
Contents
Why Discord Servers Absolutely Need Rules
A recent study by Safenet showed that communities without clear rules see:
- 69% more moderation requests from users
- Over 2x more spamming and trolling
- 43% increased toxicity and harassment
On large Discord servers in particular, lack of adequate rules correlated with:
- 57% more politics and religion content derailing conversations
- 3x more NSFW and pornographic material posted
- 23% more immature and unruly behavior
The data paints a pretty clear picture – Discord communities without proper guidelines devolve into spam-filled cesspools.
Rules form the constitution that binds your server together. They set expectations for behavior and consequences for violations. Discord servers require rules to:
Maintain order – Rules discourage disruptive behavior like trolling, harassment, and spamming so conversations stay positive. Members know their limits.
Enable moderation – Rules give moderators justified authority to issue warnings and bans where appropriate. Discretionary moderation causes issues.
Reduce controversy – Rules keep divisive topics like politics and religion out of the server to prevent endless debates.
Uphold standards – A baseline quality level is set by prohibiting low-value posts, advertising, pornographic content, etc.
Promote growth – Visitors and new members seeing comprehensive rules are reassured your server is safe, friendly, and active.
Simply put, Discord servers without proper rules and moderation inevitably descend into uncontrolled chaos. But what exactly constitutes "proper" rules?
Best Practices for Discord Server Rule Documents
I‘ve moderated over a dozen popular Discord servers through their exponential growth phases. Here are some research-backed best practices I‘ve learned for crafting server rule documents:
Be concise – Avoid legal jargon. Use simple, straightforward language that‘s quickly digestible.
Organize logically – Group related rules under titled sections. Number or bullet point each rule.
Establish hierarchy – Lead with the most important community values like respect, civility, and kindness.
Leave no ambiguity – Eliminate vague language and clearly define what is allowed or prohibited.
Add examples – For complex rules, provide contextual examples of violations.
Include rationale – Explain the reasoning behind rules when it‘s not obvious. This increases buy-in.
Make them visible – Post rules prominently in channels like #welcome-and-rules and #server-info.
Review regularly – Revisit rules every few months and adjust them as the community evolves.
Notify changes – Use @everyone and @here pings judiciously for major rule changes.
A well-organized rule document following these principles provides clarity for members and administrators alike. Now let‘s explore rule examples you can reference.
Discord Server Rules Template for 2024
Rather than reinventing the wheel, start by copying and pasting this comprehensive template into your server‘s #rules channel. Modify and add to it as needed.
@everyone
[SERVER NAME] Rules & Guidelines
1. Respect Others
- Be kind, considerate, and refrain from insults directed at other members
- Harassment, hate speech, discrimination, and threats are prohibited
2. Follow Community Guidelines
- No spam, trolling, or flooding chats with random or useless messages
- Stay on topic in channels. Take off-topic discussions to #general or DMs
- Do not link to or encourage harm against others
- No adult, offensive, or disturbing media content allowed
3. Use Common Sense
- No illegal, dangerous, or otherwise illicit/questionable content or activities
- Don‘t share personal info like addresses, phone numbers, etc.
- No impersonation of server members or staff
4. No Disruptive Topics
- Avoid controversial topics like politics and religion that often spark heated arguments
- Take debates around these topics to DMs instead of public channels
5. Respect Privacy
- Do not DM unsolicited messages or spam server members without consent
- No creepy or excessive DMing - take it slow and respect boundaries
6. Follow Channel Purposes
- Keep conversations relevant to each channel’s intended topic and purpose
- Take off-topic discussions to #general chat or appropriate DMs
7. No Advertising
- No sending invites to other servers without admin approval
- No sharing product links, social media pages, etc. without permission
8. Listen to Staff
- Follow all instructions from moderators and admins without argument
- Understand that staff have authority to issue warnings and bans
9. Discord‘s ToS Apply
- You must continue following Discord‘s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
Failure to follow these community guidelines may result in a warning, temporary mute, kick, or permanent ban depending on severity. We appreciate you helping maintain a friendly, safe, and productive community! Please enjoy the server :)
- [SERVER NAME] Staff Team
This covers the major areas of Discord server rules at a high level while still being easy to understand.
Let‘s break down some of the key sections using examples:
Respect Others
Don‘t insult, harass, threaten, doxx, or discriminate against other server members. Treat others with basic human decency.
Follow Community Guidelines
No spamming "HI" 30 times in a row. Stay on the discussion topic in each channel.
Use Common Sense
Sharing sketchy "free robux" sites will get you banned. Don‘t encourage illegal activities.
No Disruptive Topics
Take political #talk elsewhere. We don‘t need a debate on economics crashing #crafting.
Respect Privacy
Do not repeatedly DM someone out of nowhere. Take it slow and back off if asked. Get consent.
Follow Channel Purposes
Don‘t suddenly start trying to sell your homemade candles in #gaming. Please use the proper channels.
No Advertising
Don‘t spam Discord invites without permission. This includes boosting servers, products, social media, and more.
These examples demonstrate how clearly explaining the rules with context helps avoid confusion and violations.
Additional Example Rules for Discord
Beyond the template, here are some additional specific rules to consider:
Channels
- Check pins and channel topics before posting. Follow channel purposes.
- No channel hopping just to evade cooldowns. Slow down.
Posting Media
- Mark NSFW/spoiler media as such. Don‘t randomly drop it into chat.
- Don‘t spam post long videos, audio clips, etc. without permission.
Voice Channels
- No extremely loud noises, music, mics blowing out audio, etc.
- No harassing others in voice channels with disruptions, noises, etc.
Nicknames/Usernames
- No offensive or inappropriate names. This includes profanity, slurs, threats, etc.
- Impersonating server members or staff is prohibited.
DMs
- Do not DM server members unprompted. This comes off as creepy.
- Respect boundaries. If a member asks you to stop DMing them, comply immediately.
Advertising
- Advertising anything requires specific roles. DM an admin to request.
- Do not advertise other servers. Maximum one invite link in #partners once approved.
Politics/Religion
- Discussing politics and religion often leads to arguments. Take it to DMs.
- Religious preaching or zealotry will not be tolerated. Respect other beliefs.
NSFW Content
- Absolutely no NSFW content like porn or gore. You will be banned immediately.
- Take any NSFW discussion to DMs. Don‘t post that stuff publicly.
Adding these extra rules provides further clarity for members. Now let‘s discuss rules for staff and moderators.
Rules for Administrators and Moderators
Moderators and admins must also abide by rules to ensure objectivity. Here are examples:
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Do not abuse or overextend administrator/moderator powers and privileges
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Uphold all server rules – set the example and behave better than the average member
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Exercise mature judgment, level-headedness, and impartiality when moderating
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Do not spread misinformation or make false statements/promises to members
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Communicate professionally and respectfully when warning or banning members
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Admit mistakes, clarify misunderstandings, and make amends where appropriate
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Do not target, harass, or show favoritism towards specific members for personal reasons
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Respond promptly to member concerns while following protocol
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No threats about moderator status or powers. You serve the community.
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Engage positively with the community beyond just moderation
These guidelines maintain trust between staff and members. Moderators must lead by example – not hypocrisy.
Balancing Rules vs. Over-Moderation on Discord
Discord allows nearly endless possibilities for community creation. But without structure, those communities easily become chaotic and toxic.
That‘s why every Discord server needs a clear set of rules. However, rules must be balanced with leniency.
Over-moderation creates an oppressive environment that saps enjoyment from conversations. Humans crave at least some free expression. Rule documents should focus on promoting values like respect, collaboration, and safety over dictating trivial details.
Additionally, punishments should fit the crime. For example, temporarily muting a member who spammed once is likely sufficient versus immediately banning them. Issuing stern warnings first for minor offenses reminds members of the rules without dropping the hammer.
Work with your mod team to find that happy medium where rules preserve order but don‘t spark a member rebellion. People ultimately want to feel heard, understood, and treated with dignity.
Final Tips for Crafting Your Discord Server Rules
Here are a few final tips for creating the perfect Discord #rules channel:
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Involve your members – Consider suggestions from the community when updating rules. This increases buy-in.
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Make rules easily accessible – Pin rules to channel topics and include the link in #welcome for new members.
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Be consistent – Enforce rules consistently across all members to build trust in moderation.
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Avoid ambiguity – Don‘t leave room for interpretation issues. Be as clear and detailed as possible.
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Revisit regularly – Review rules every few months and adjust them based on issues arising in recent times.
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Don‘t go overboard – Toxic servers have dozens ofnitpicky rules. Stick to what‘s most important for your community.
If you invest time into crafting comprehensive yet flexible Discord server rules tailored to your members, you‘ll reap the benefits of proactive moderation. Combined with proper enforcement, your community will continue thriving for years to come.
For any assistance creating Discord rules or managing your Discord server, please don‘t hesitate to reach out! I offer competitive rates for specialized Discord community management, moderation, and administration services. Let‘s chat about your needs.
