By Maddie Lukes, Senior Communications and Campaigns Officer, Wandsworth Council
Social media is a key tool for local councils, helping us connect with residents, share updates quickly, and respond to concerns. However, it also comes with challenges, such as keeping discussions respectful and stopping the spread of misinformation.
Moderation allows council pages to defend against negativity, spam, or off-topic discussions that make it harder to engage with residents. By enforcing rules, councils can remove inappropriate comments, block repeat offenders, and ensure their social media remains a welcoming space for productive conversations.
Why moderation matters
LGcomms Executive Committee member Sophie da Silva’s recent Zero to Hero social media session showed the risks of ignoring toxic comments online:
- 35% of users avoid clicking on ads after seeing hate speech.
- 40% leave a platform after encountering toxic language.
- 19% feel less positive about an advertiser when their ad appears near negative content.
- 50% reduce time on social media pages that allow hateful comments.
- 67% say a safe online space is key to whether they engage with content.
These numbers show why councils must take moderation seriously. If negativity is ignored, residents may stop engaging and lose trust in the council. By taking a proactive approach, councils can create a safer, more positive online space that encourages real conversations and builds stronger relationships with their communities.
What does it mean to me?
Social media moderation is something I’m always willing to stand on a soapbox about. In various roles I’ve seen the impact that exposure to repeated negative content can have on colleagues, and I’ve seen the impact that a well moderated platform can have on users.
In 2023, I successfully lobbied councillors at my previous council to let me deactivate our Twitter/X account. My argument was that repeated exposure to the radical opinions, gore and extreme content was having a detrimental effect on my working day, and it was getting harder and harder to see content from, and reach people in our community.
In tandem with suspending our Twitter/X, I also launched a series of social media ‘house rules’ which enabled me to start work on cleaning up our other platforms – notably Facebook. By removing comments, explaining to residents why their comment had been removed, blocking repeat offenders, and generally creating a nicer online space for our residents to inhabit, I noticed a gradual positive change in the tone of voice. Residents were supportive of each other, they asked reasonable questions, and they thanked the Council when their problems were resolved.
What are the implications?
Any social media guidelines will need to be heavily scrutinised, to make sure residents are not having unfair expectations imposed on them, and that the ‘crime and punishment’ is proportionate. It is good practice to keep a record of comments that have been moderated, along with which rule has been breached. In case of a resident complaint, this information is crucial to defend the position of the council. Council officers should also be aware that residents are fully allowed to express their frustration, as long as they are doing it within the guidelines (no profanity, no doxing, etc). Council officers are not being permitted unlimited moderation powers, just enough to keep the platform clean and safe.
Setting social media rules for a safer, more positive space
Once guidelines are in place and regularly followed, councils can manage their social media more confidently. This allows communication teams to focus on answering real questions, and instead of just posting updates, councils can build real conversations with their communities, strengthening trust and encouraging people to take part in local discussions.