> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.blacksky.community/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.blacksky.community/info-about-blacksky-the-community/peer-moderator-code-of-conduct.md).

# Peer Moderator Code of Conduct

Last Updated: June 2026<br>

Blacksky is a protected digital space and a sanctuary for Black voices, experiences, and community, built by Black people, for Black people. Our foundation is Ubuntu - "I am because we are" - recognizing that our collective safety, joy, and flourishing require intentional boundaries and fierce protection of our space. This code of conduct is to help guide peer moderators to better support Blacksky’s mission and to clarify expectations of peer moderators while moderating Blacksky-only posts.

### Community first

Moderating Blacksky-only posts is a task that requires you to operate from a community-first perspective. This means that we stray away from punitive judgment (e.g., policing every day disagreements) and focus more on helping identify harmful patterns, rhetoric, or content that might impact the safety or broader experience of our community. The question that anchors every moderation decision shouldn’t be “what rule was broken?” but “how does this impact people in our community?” instead.

In community-first moderation, peer moderators are expected to hold that question gently, but consistently. Not every conflict or discomfort is harmful and requires intervention. They should resist the urge to over-correct or police and instead allow for Black expression to also include complexity, nuance, and disagreement without rushing to judgment. Moderation is not a space for censorship or surveillance. At Blacksky, we moderate with positive intent, making sure that we think critically about every moderation decision we make.

### Guidance > Enforcement

Peer moderators are not expected to function as dispute resolvers or mediators; instead, they are expected to act as community members within Blacksky’s moderation infrastructure, using a predefined set of labels. These may include categories such as anti-black harassment, misogynoir, ableism, fatphobia, violence, internalized antiblackness, synthetic media, non-sexual nudity, and adult content. Our labels do evolve based on the needs of the community. The labels are currently in place to mitigate the listed harms above.

Labels can be appealed and are not always the final decision. They are structured signals attached to content to help community members better understand how that content may be seen as harmful. Peer moderators are responsible for applying these labels accurately, consistently, and without expanding their meaning beyond the agreed definitions. If peer moderators are uncertain or find content that requires a broader and more in-depth review, they should escalate cases to Blacksky’s Trust and Safety team.&#x20;

### Context is key

Blacksky is home to many voices across the diaspora, who all come from different histories, languages, cultures, and walks of life. Although peer moderators aren’t expected to grasp every expression or reference, we expect you to do your due diligence on content you may not fully understand before labeling it (this can look like a Google search or escalating it to the Blacksky Trust and Safety team).&#x20;

Peer moderators should approach every interaction with curiosity and an awareness that moderation is nuanced. This includes recognizing in-group language, reclaimed terms, regional differences in expression, and rhetorical styles that may not translate cleanly across contexts.  If peer moderators are uncertain or find content that requires a deeper review, they should escalate cases to Blacksky’s Trust and Safety team.

### Community means responsibility and trust

To maintain the integrity of moderation, peer moderators are expected to be trusted and responsible members of the community. Their responsibility is to the community and Blacksky itself. Being a peer moderator is a privilege and should never be used to resolve personal conflict, assert dominance in disagreement, or target individuals outside the scope of the current labels. If there is a pattern of potentially harmful moderation practices, peer moderators can be dismissed from their role.&#x20;

If contacted by a community member about a label, peer moderators should point them to the appeals page. That is where they can request an appeal and a further investigation of the label. Peer moderators are not to discuss labeling decisions publicly or with community members. Moderation is not perfect, and mistakes can be made. If a peer moderator has labeled a post by accident, they are to remove the label or escalate the post to the Trust and Safety team for removal.

Peer moderators agree to keep internal discussions about moderation, which includes but isn’t limited to: training material, testing, and other relevant communication between them and Blacksky confidential. Any peer moderator who breaks confidentiality (meaning sharing any of the aforementioned), goes against our code of conduct, our community guidelines, or terms of service, will be dismissed as a peer moderator.

### Moderation resources

If you need any help understanding some of our moderation processes, please use the following documents:

* [Community Guidelines](https://docs.blacksky.community/info-about-blacksky-the-community/blacksky-community-guidelines)
* [Blacksky Moderation and Labeler](https://docs.blacksky.community/info-about-blacksky-the-community/blacksky-moderation)
* [Appeals page](https://blackskyweb.xyz/about/support/moderation-appeal/)
* [Terms of Service](https://blackskyweb.xyz/about/support/tos/)

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