Moderation playbooks · Checked October 12, 2026

Fair, consistent punishments

Choosing an escalation system and applying it the same way every time.

Open in Kipp’s docs

1. 1. Pick a system

   Discord describes three: case by case (flexible, harder to hold to account, fine for small servers), infraction-based (simple, but ignores severity) and points-based (weights severity, and needs a reason for any adjustment).

2. 2. Escalate for small things, act fast on bad faith

   Warnings and timeouts for mistakes; an instant ban can be right for doxxing, scams or evading a punishment. Talk to the member first where you can.

3. 3. Know the tools

   Timeout (up to 1 week in the app, 28 days through bots), kick (they can rejoin with an invite) and ban (they can’t).

   Learn more

4. 4. Record every action the same way

   Every action needs a reason and a record. Kipp gives each one a numbered case, DMs the member and logs it, and warning thresholds can escalate automatically.

   Dashboard: Moderation › Cases · Kipp guide

5. 5. Don’t make punishments public

   Public infraction logs can turn into a “witch hunt”. Don’t tell members how close they are to a ban; give them a private way to ask questions.

6. 6. Hold staff to a higher standard

   If someone breaks the wording of a rule but not its intent, discuss it as a team and consider rewording the rule.