[Part 2 of tips for list moderators] MODERATION [AND PRIVATE-LIST SUBSCRIPTION] REQUESTS ARE SENT TO ALL MODERATORS
Since the request is sent as an e-mail, each moderator receives the same request. The first moderation wins. You'll receive a notice if your moderation arrives when another moderator's action has already been taken. That doesn't happen very often. The moderation request has the message being moderated as an attachment. Be careful with it. I will cover only moderation requests here. Subscription requests for private lists are rather tricky. 1. SPAM DROPPING If the message is clearly spam, IGNORE IT. Using the moderation-request rejection option will send a message back to the original sender. That is undesirable. It confirms to spammers that they've reached a working e-mail address. Don't do that. 2. OFF-PURPOSE MESSAGES As a moderator, I don't make it my job to handle messages that appear legitimate but are sent to the wrong list. List subscribers can do that. And if this is happening too much, it suggests that something needs to be done to help submitters find the correct place more easily. What I do is moderate the message onto the list. I have rarely used the reject option, and only when I am confident the e-mail is from a legitimate sender. There are two basic ways to moderate a message onto the list. 1. The message can be accepted in accordance with the instructions in the moderation-request e-mail. That is a one-time acceptance. 2. Another way is to accept that message and all future messages to the list from that sender. The way to accept all messages from the sender is to make a REPLY ALL to the moderation-request message. That is, your reply to the request is addressed to both the accept and the reject addresses. (This solution is not always listed in the -help message. It works though.) You will have to delete the "non-disclosed-recipients" e-mail address if that appears in your "Reply All" message. 3. An alternative is to send a rejection with explanation. That is probably not great. The messages from the robot are lengthy and cryptic. It may be difficult for the original sender. 4. Finally, you can reply to the attachment and be helpful directly. I've done that. I don't make a practice of it. It moves response and awareness of the kinds of questions from the list to the moderator. If you *do* do this, it is wise to copy <listname>-owner@ so that other moderators will know what happened. It is also good to check the list to verify that some other moderator did not already allow the message through. 3. ON-PURPOSE MESSAGES I recommend the second moderation-in technique for these. This can also happen when a list subscriber uses a different e-mail than the one they have subscribed to the list. Discussion? - Dennis
