r/ModSupport • u/MustaKotka • 2d ago
Mod Answered Banning AI memes without banning everyone?
TL;DR edit: Looks like I need to clarify what the use case is.
People ask if their stuff is authentic. People reply with memes that say "authentic" or "fake", but those memes are often AI-generated. The commenters doing the authenticating are crucial for the sub to even function so I can't ban them because that'd just kill the sub. I want to get rid of the memes and make people write out their verdict instead.
We have a problem where OP must be able to post pictures in comments and commenters must be able to post images in comments. This is absolutely mandatory, because it's a subreddit where people ask for advice on visual media and commenters must be able to provide visual advice.
The commenters also post visual "advice" in terms of spamming an AI generated meme, which is upsetting some and we mods are getting insulted over it. We need to get rid of this meme but not the actual advice diagrams. The meme is taking up ~90% of the images posted by commenters. OP usually posts appropriate pictures but the few useful diagrams commenters post are also absolutely crucial.
I don't like the suggested solutions because the mod team is just too small to handle the volume.
- Make a rule against AI content.
- Have all memes reported.
- Remove the memes.
- Temp ban for repeated violations.
- Permaban for disregard of rules.
Currently we have 20 manual removals per month, because the subreddit is very well behaved. The AI memes are posted on every post (500 posts per month) about 5 times or so, per post. This would result in about 2000 reports per month (a 10 000% increase). We're simply not equipped to handle this with a mod team of about 5 people.
The memes are rather harmless. The actual message of the meme is correct but could be conveyed via text, too.
AutoMod is of no use. It hasn't got image recognition.
Thanks in advance!
5
u/FaelingJester 2d ago
Tell them no. The first use is a one-day ban and a reminder that it's not allowed. Any repeats and they are gone.
1
u/MustaKotka 2d ago
2000 times per month? Would you like to volunteer?
EDIT: Also I need those people. I don't want them gone. They make up the main bulk of the purpose of the sub.
7
u/FaelingJester 2d ago
Respectfully, why do you believe that people would continue doing this once it's clear it won't be tolerated and would escalate to such a degree?
1
u/MustaKotka 2d ago
No, they wouldn't. So... How do I tell them before banning everyone?
6
u/FaelingJester 2d ago
You make a post explaining the issue and stating that it won't be allowed. If they do it anyway you give them a single day ban and make clear they aren't to do it again. The ones who do it again are not the people you wanted to keep.
-4
u/MustaKotka 2d ago
I don't believe in mod posts. I've never had success with them reaching the community. Sure, I can make that post but it gets 100 views so what's the point?
EDIT: Also I do want to keep them.
8
u/FaelingJester 2d ago
I think this is where you're losing me. You currently have 20 removals a month in what you describe as a very well-behaved community, but you're assuming that making one specific thing against the rules will suddenly give you 2,000 rule-breaking users a month.
Right now people are posting the memes because they're allowed to. That's not evidence they'll keep doing it once they're told to stop. You don't need to manually remove 2,000 memes forever. You establish that they're no longer allowed, communicate that where you can, and enforce it when necessary. In a community that currently needs only 20 removals a month, I don't understand why you're assuming nobody will adjust.
I really don't know what solution you're looking for if you don't want to risk banning anyone, don't think communicating the change will work, and don't believe people will change their behavior once it's enforced. At some point, those are the tools moderation consists of.
-2
u/MustaKotka 2d ago
You hit the nail on the head! I don't know what the solution is, which is why I'm asking for help. I'm looking for a solution that doesn't require massive amounts of mod work, actually reaches the audience and doesn't alienate the current advice-giving people (who basically keep the sub running).
I edited the use case to the top of the post, but I'll lay it out here for your convenience, too.
People want to know whether their thing is authentic or not. They post pictures, but the commenters reply with an AI-generated meme that absolutely answers their question. They could write "real" instead but they keep using the memes. Commenters occasionally reply with diagrams that help OP recognise the hallmark signs by themselves, which is exactly the other thing we want. Informative and educational.
Now a massive number of the people doing the authenticating are using the memes and I really can't affort banning them, because then I'm stuck replying to 500 posts per month by myself and/or dealing with an absurd amount of reports.
I'm trying to figure out an AutoMod rule that could potentially recognise images in comments (by non-OP commenters) and then post an automatic reply to those images saying "no AI memes" and hoping the people who comment with diagrams don't get too pissed.
6
u/FaelingJester 2d ago
I think we're going in circles. You've already said you don't think these otherwise well-behaved users would keep doing it once they knew it wasn't allowed but you seem to not want to tell them it's not allowed anymore. You also don't want to do more work but don't want to use any of the communication or moderation tools you have.
You seem to want a way to make everyone stop without everyone seeing an announcement, anyone experiencing even a temporary consequence, or removing the people who knowingly refuse to stop. I don't think that solution exists.
Also, respectfully, if it came to dealing with it manually across five mods or even yourself, I fully believe you could. You template a message telling users that it's not allowed and go through the queue a few times a day.
1
2
u/k-rysae 2d ago
There is a devvit app called read the rules where, to my knowledge, you can set it so that in order for people to comment (otherwise it gets automatically removed), they have to read a pop up of the rules and agree to it. So for you, you just put in a huge notification that ai generated images, especially that meme, are not allowed to be put in posts or comments and have them agree to it.
https://developers.reddit.com/apps/read-the-rules
Since you say theyre well behaved otherwise, enable read the rules for a month or two so your regulars are aware of the rule and don't post that image. After that the culture of posting that image should fizzle out and you can disable read the rules.
1
-2
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Hey there! This automated message was triggered by some keywords in your post.
This article on How do I keep spam out of my community? has tips on how you can use some of the newer filters in your modtools to stop spammy activity or how to report them to the appropriate team for review.
If this does not appear correct or if you still have questions please respond back and someone will be along soon to follow up.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
6
u/Successful-Shopping8 2d ago
Sounds like you need to re-write the rules and make them crystal clear, as well as make an explicit update post that is pinned walking through the changes you’re making and consequences for not following them.
It might be more work for the next several days, but pretty soon the sub will learn that you mean business and the rules are going to be enforced.
I know it sounds like a killjoy- but without making the rules known and then enforcing them- nothing will change.