‍Editor’s Note: The info in this blog post is outdated! For the latest information on the Discord Moderation and Safety, please visit https://discord.com/safety-library.

Last December, we released the Discord Moderator Academy: a curated collection of moderation guides written by mods, for mods. These cover more than twenty-five different subjects ranging in complexity from how to do basic channel setup to moderation seminars that show you how to use Insights to grow and engage your community, and everything in between.

But as any seasoned community moderator knows, there’s a lot that goes into running a safe, welcoming and successful community — at *least* more than twenty-five things.

And we agree! That’s why we’re excited to announce that the Discord Moderator Academy has been updated with over fifteen new articles — still written by your fellow mods — that go over even more topics to help you bring your moderating game to the next level.

So What’s New in the Moderator Academy World?

The initial offering of Mod Academy guides covered a smorgasbord of substantial moderation subjects, but there’s so much more to learn about moderation practices and community-building strategies on Discord that are just itching to be written about.

It’s the newest semester of the Mod Academy, and some articles will contain a deeper dive into areas that were written about previously, while others will talk about entirely new topics to delve into.

Here’s a preview of some of the fifteen new articles releasing for this new semester:

DMA 110: Moderator Etiquette

Whether you’re a rookie moderator wielding their banhammer for the first time or a seasoned mod who wants a refresher on the best practices for thoughtfully communicating as a person who looks out for your community, this guide is for you. This article covers not just what it takes to be a responsible and respectful moderator to your wider community but also has some great tips on etiquette within communicating with your fellow mods.

DMA 314: Training and Onboarding Moderators

So, your community is the fastest-growing Discord in its server folder and you’ve had to bring aboard a handful of new moderators to help keep things running smoothly. It’s not enough to recruit the right people for the job — it’s also paramount that you give them the right training and tools they need to succeed as a moderator for your community. By reading DMA 314, you’ll be better prepared to lead your newest mods down the path to success.

DMA 531: Parasocial Relationships

Though parasocial relationships are not a phenomenon inherent to Discord, they certainly can occur within communities on Discord. This is especially the case for moderators of large servers and prolific community members within those servers — both situations where mods are likely to be a part of. In this moderation seminar, we’ll break down the definition of what a parasocial relationship is, what it looks like in the context of Discord and moderation on Discord, and what steps can be taken to mitigate the negative effects that can come with the formation of these complex social dynamics.

What’s Next for the Discord Moderator Academy

These three examples are just a small taste of what’s in store for the newest semester of the Discord Moderator Academy. Our newest batch of articles expand our little moderation knowledge library, making it more robust and flexible, and with more specific topics to help folks who may be struggling with a specific aspect of community moderation. The Discord Moderator Exam has also been updated to include questions that cover these new topics.

With every new semester, we hope to expand our collection of moderation guides from which any moderator — aspiring or otherwise — can benefit from. As online communities complexify further, so too does the practice of moderation, and the Discord Moderator Academy wants to reflect this as a living, growing resource anyone can utilize.

We hope to see you next semester, and happy reading!