Table of Contents
As a moderator, community manager, or service administrator, your account and you yourself are at a heightened chance of incoming attacks, whether that be personal harassment for your actions, your account being compromised, or your personal details being investigated or made public.
Access Now offers a free-of-charge helpline for civil society around the world. They offer real-time, direct technical assistance and advice to civil society groups & activists, media organizations, journalists & bloggers, and human rights defenders, including admins and moderators for independent social media platforms that serve at-risk communities. Available with support in nine languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, Arabic, and Italian. They respond to all requests within two hours. https://www.accessnow.org/help/
Security
Your account has extra privileges and permissions, and is a juicy target for malicious hackers. Your account password should be:
- Long – at least 16 characters
- Complex – it shouldn’t be a known catchphrase or word, mix it up a bit (but memorable and long is better than complex and short)
- Unique – don’t use this password for anything else
Check your account on a schedule to monitor the apps and APIs your account is connected to, and remove anything you no longer need. Set a calendar reminder to do this once a month or once a quarter.
Turn on two factor authentication for your account and for your email.
Also, turn on two factor authentication for your account and for your email.
And finally, turn on two factor authentication for your account and for your email.
Privacy
Create a role-based account e.g. @moderation@yourdomain that has no personal data, and only the permissions needed to perform the moderation activities. If you have multiple moderators on your team, create additional accounts e.g mod1, mod2, mod3…, or consider a shared account.
Use an app that allows you to switch easily between accounts so you can perform your moderation actions with your dedicated moderator account.
Create a new email address to forward email to you or your team, e.g. moderation@yourdomain, or use a free email service that can receive email from the public but only be read by you and your team.
Remove as much of your personal data from the Web as possible. See the Big Ass Data Broker Opt-Out List for help on removing your personal information from online directories and data brokers.
Apple Threat Notifications
Apple’s threat notifications inform and assist people using devices that may have been targeted by mercenary spyware attacks. If you receive a notification from Apple, contact Access Now immediately: https://www.accessnow.org/help/access-nows-digital-security-helpline-and-apple-threat-notifications/
Doxxing
If you feel in immediate danger, call the local police immediately.
If you have been doxxed, use these links to remove your data:
Being doxxed can be a harrowing, traumatic event. Either collect as much evidence as you can, or get a friend or loved one to do this for you. You may also need personal help in contacting institutions that may have been compromised, such as your bank. Screenshot anything related and store securely. Do this at the first sign of doxxing, as these events can spiral and you may not be up for the task later.
