Moderation Procedure: Issuing Warnings¶

This guide outlines the standard procedure for handling most rule violations. Our philosophy is corrective, not purely punitive. The goal is to educate users and maintain a positive community environment.

The 'Verbal First' Approach

For most first-time, minor infractions, the initial response should be a simple verbal warning in the chat. This is a soft, public reminder to guide the user's behavior.

"Hey, just a friendly reminder to please keep religious discussions out of the general chat."
"Let's move this conversation over to the #channel-name channel, thanks!"

The Warning & Escalation Procedure¶

Before taking any formal action, you must check the user's history. This is a critical step to ensure fairness and consistency.

Step 1: Check the User's Warning History

Use the following command in #🔒┐bot-commands to see if the user has any prior formal warnings:

-warnings <User ID>

The output will show you a list of their past offenses. Review these carefully before proceeding.

Step 2: Take the Appropriate Action¶

Based on the user's history, follow the appropriate path below.

Action: First-Time or Unrelated Offense

If the user has no history, or their previous warnings are for completely unrelated rules:
1. Issue a formal warning. This logs the offense and serves as their official "first strike" for that specific rule.
2. Use a clear, concise reason that includes the rule number.
Command:
```
-warn <User ID> <Reason for warning>
```
Example:
```
-warn @User#1234 Rule 7.1 - Discussing religion in general chat
```
Action: Repeated Offense

If the user has already been formally warned for the exact same rule they are breaking again, they have demonstrated a clear disregard for our guidelines. This requires immediate escalation.
1. This is grounds for a ban. A user who is already aware of a specific rule and chooses to break it again is acting in bad faith.
2. Issue a ban with a clear reason referencing the repeated offense.
Command:
```
-ban <User ID> <Reason for ban>
```
Example:
```
-ban @User#1234 Repeatedly breaking Rule 7.1 after a final warning
```

Quick Reference Guide

Use this table for quick decision-making.

IF a user breaks a rule and...	THEN you should...	Example Action
They have no prior warnings for this rule.	Issue a formal warning using the `-warn` command.	`-warn @User#1234 Rule 4.2 - Do not ask to DM`
They have a previous warning for a completely different rule.	Issue a new formal warning for the new violation.	`-warn @User#1234 Rule 8.3 - Spamming images`
They have already been warned for the exact same rule before.	Ban the user for repeated violations.	`-ban @User#1234 Repeated violation of Rule 7.1 after warning`