Managing Facebook Groups in 2020

 

During 2020 many Admins are posting concerns about their groups being shut down.  Be aware that during this horrible pandemic, folks have been displaying very vicious behaviors in social media.  The behaviors have gone beyond trolling and fighting.  The behaviors have been ramped up to assault and harassment.  The attacks have been so full of hate and anger.  It has been unbearable!

Consequently, Facebook has appropriately taken great actions to update and enforce their Community Standards... Thank Goodness.   Facebook has been progressive and NO NONSENSE with enforcement. As Admins of groups in social media, folks are responsible for ensuring decency in their groups. This responsibility is not to be taken for granted. 

I manage many Facebook Groups. My groups have always been decent.  I walk a fine line to stimulate engagement with overbearing censorship.  It is doable.  Groups have to be implemented the right way starting Day One.  My biggest group is with 23K members.  Its a great group!!!  Here is how I manage my awesome groups...

• Manage the vetting process to prevent accepting fake profiles. Members in my groups must have experience in social media.  So, I usually require at least 3 years in Facebook.

• Members must answer questions.  Most "bots" will not engage in this selective process.

• Members need to have some type of image on their profile.  Don't be lazy!!! Insert an image!!

• All posts must be approved!  Members are only interested in themselves.  Will post scams, schemes, and porn to manipulate members.  Hence, my discussion board is great!

• Comments and replies must be monitored!!!  This is where the fights, hates and attacks take place. Deep threads  can be horrible!!!!  This is often the location where violations in Community Standards take place.  Comments and replies can be full of hate and very vile.  

• I act FAST on violations.  I do not engage with offensive members because there are too many of them. I learned the hard way back in March 2020 to NOT FIGHT WITH MEMBERS!!!  So, I will quietly remove the comment / reply.  Usually members get the hint / message.

• When comments / replies are extremely vicious, I will delete to comment, remove the member and block the member from my group. 

• If Facebook catches a violation before me, I ALWAYS take an additional step to BAN the offensive member. 

• So, Group Admins who state that Facebook abruptly deleted their groups are not being honest. Facebook gives warnings and they watch the subsequent action by Admins.  So, folks really need to be truthful.  

• We all need to be decent.  No need for hate, fights, trolling and other nastiness that takes place in Facebook Groups.  If you cannot effectively manage your group... SHUT IT DOWN!

• Finally, as an excellent Admin, I never provoke, challenge, intimidate or threaten members.