IFTAS Launches Moderator Resource Portal
Together, we are stronger.
IFTAS is making good on their promises. Last week, the Trust & Safety organization launched IFTAS Connect, a resource portal and discussion forum for Fediverse moderators.
…one of the most requested items was a way to convene and collaborate with fellow moderators around the world… sharing lessons learned, tips and tricks, technical help with moderation tools, standard terminology, and translation of non-native language content…
IFTAS Blog
IFTAS Connect offers a comprehensive suite of resources, as well as internal communication tools for the community. This launch is a big first step towards ramping up the organization’s efforts to provide high-quality offerings to admins and moderation teams. Rather than simply being a platform, it’s a community effort to share insider knowledge and provide information, guides, and mentorship.
My profile on IFTAS Connect 
The Library of Community Resources 
Each Library page more or less works like a Wiki, which allows IFTAS to crowdsource information and build comprehensive guides. 
IFTAS also has a community news tracker, where some of our articles show up. 
Given that there are so many platforms in the space, IFTAS Connect offers dedicated community groups that specialize in each. 
In addition to Groups, there are also community discussion forums for members to share notes on how they’re doing things.
Efforts like IFTAS Connect are one piece of a larger puzzle, as the organization continues to look into a variety of ways to empower instance admins and moderators to look after their respective communities.
Features
Although the portal is still relatively new, it’s packed full of features specifically purpose-built for a Trust & Safety community. The biggest things that it needs to offer are information, mentorship, and guides. IFTAS Connect accomplishes these things with a Shared Library, Groups, and Discussion Forums. There are also built-in social features, which feels appropriate for a community dedicated to social networks.
Shared Library
One of the biggest resources IFTAS Connect brings to the table is a crowdsourced library, ranging from general concepts to specific advice for different tools and platforms. This library is still taking shape, with some pieces being shorter than others. That being said, I found a handful of topics that go pretty deep:
Given the nature of moderating a federated space, a lot of extra work falls to the people operating individual instances. Not every operator is familiar in dealing with every situation they come across. These resources are incredibly valuable to people building new communities, who need expertise and insight on how to handle difficult situations.
Groups
Another smart decision that went into the making of this portal includes dedicated groups for different Fediverse platforms. As a PeerTube admin, I realized that this was a very useful consideration, as running a video platform has different needs compared to running a microblogging one.
Currently, there are five groups for different platforms: Pixelfed, Mastodon, PeerTube, Lemmy, and Bluesky’s Ozone. It’s likely that more platforms will get added in the near future, especially as other networks take an interest in Trust & Safety measures for their own communities.
In addition to supporting different systems, there are also groups dedicated to Trust and Safety researchers, Non-English-Speaking moderators, Regional Moderators, and a small handful of private groups for internal project initiatives.
Discussion Forums
In addition to topic-driven groups, the portal also offers a more traditional type of message board. These are useful for conversations that are a little bit more broad than what a group covers, such as discussion of emergent topics about spam between different networks, new resources for IFTAS members, or recent controversies.
I myself am more interested in conversations that go on in the IFTAS Matrix Space, but as a medium, a message board can be a much more comfortable pace for sharing insight that others can easily find.
Social Features
One other aspect that’s worth mentioning involves how the portal works: it’s kind of like a social network unto itself. Users are provided with an Inbox, a Profile, a Timeline showcasing their interactions, and a way to request connections with other users.
Overall, this seems like a pretty useful way to stay in the loop with communities and their contributors. It’s not quite a social space like Fediverse platforms are, but it’s not a bad way to keep in the loop.
What’s Next?
The project has a basic roadmap in their FAQ that highlights what IFTAS would like to work on in the near future. Included roadmap items include a community wiki, translation tools, and training materials in an e-learning environment.
The project is also soliciting community feedback for other potential offerings as well. If you have any ideas on what else the platform can offer, feel free to drop a suggestion!
How to Join
While you don’t need an IFTAS Connect account to peruse the shared library entries, further participation and discussion require setting up a free account. There is no cost, and signup is easy. You can do that here.
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