Everything in Moderation 1 Everything in Moderation: A case for the balanced moderation of user-generated content on news sites

Moderation of user-generated content on news Web sites is an increasingly relevant and pertinent topic for online news entities. The quality and quantity of user-generated content can either help or hinder the number of audience members a news outlet receives. Considerations such as the amount of resources that can be given to moderation, the types of moderation, the types of usergenerated content allowed and the wording of the Terms of Conditions page all account toward the meaningful and responsible use of moderation to create a community space dedicated to furthering the conversations that inevitably arise with the news of the day. Too much moderation drives users away, but too little leads to inappropriate content. Terms and Conditions should be clear and concise. The allocation of resources should be assessed for every publication’s wants and needs. Publications should decide what mediums for user-generated content will work best with their platform. For example: Polls, blogs or simple comment areas. Fair and consistent moderation also should be practiced in order not to leave users feeling frustrated. Many considerations should be taken before adopting a moderation system at an online news publication, but doing so will ensure a better overall product and experience for both the user and the