Community-Based Moderator System for Online Content

1 . A community-based moderation system for online content comprising:

a computerized server connected to the Internet network and executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium;

a queuing function of the SW for queuing items for moderation;

a recruiting function of the SW for recruiting potential moderators from an online community via the Internet;

an interactive interface generated by the SW and displayable on computer appliances of recruited moderators, for displaying items for moderation and controls for carrying out moderation; and

a reporting function associated with the interactive display enabling the moderator to report results of moderation.

2 . The moderation system of claim 1 wherein the online community comprises members of a game site.

3 . The moderation system of claim 1 wherein the items for moderation include games, objects, images, and text.

4 . The moderation system of claim 1 wherein a number of moderators moderate one queue item at a time, the results reported as moderation is completed.

5 . The moderation system of claim 4 further including a higher level of moderation for items that are neither allowed nor banned during a lower level of moderation.

6 . The moderation system of claim 1 wherein the interactive interface function provides moderation dashboard views that include a moderator panel for visual moderation of items.

7 . The moderation system of claim 1 wherein the recruiting function is an invitation campaign inviting persons from a list of pre-qualified members.

8 . A method for moderating online content comprising the steps of:

(a) executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium by a computerized server connected to the Internet network;

(b) queuing items for moderation by a queuing function of the SW;

(c) recruiting potential moderators from an online community via the Internet by a recruiting function of the SW;

(d) providing an interactive interface generated by the SW and displayable on computer appliances of recruited moderators, displaying items for moderation and controls for carrying out moderation; and

(e) reporting results of moderation through a a reporting function associated with the interactive display.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the online community comprises members of a game site.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the items for moderation include games, objects, images, and text.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein a number of moderators moderate one queue item at a time, the results reported as moderation is completed.

12 . The method of claim 11 further including a higher level of moderation for items that are neither allowed nor banned during a lower level of moderation.

13 . The method of claim 8 wherein the interactive interface provides moderation dashboard views that include a moderator panel for visual moderation of items.

14 . The method of claim 8 wherein the recruiting function is an invitation campaign inviting persons from a list of pre-qualified members.

16 . In an online community, a method for establishing a user as one of a pool of community-based moderators, comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the user and collecting data about the user;

(b) processing the data against a set of rules;

(c) comparing the processed result against a pre-set threshold value;

(d) depending on the results of (c) either inviting the user to be a moderator or ignoring the user; and

(e) if the user is invited at step (d), receiving acceptance of the invitation from the user.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the online community is made up of members of a game site.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein step (a) is ongoing for every community member considered for moderator.

19 . The method of claim 16 wherein in step (d) inviting the user to be a moderator is accomplished by pushing a message to the user when the user logs into the community Website.

20 . The method of claim 16 wherein in step (c) the processed result is a percentage average.