Guide: The twelve rules, one by one
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/the-twelve-rules-one-by-one
Topic: Moderation rules
Time: about 5 minutes
Who can do it: Owner, Administrator or Manager
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox
Result when done: You know what each rule catches and which ones need words from you.
Context: A page has twelve rules. Each one looks at every new comment and decides whether it matches. Some judge meaning with AI, some match text you supply, and three of them do nothing until you give them your words.

Before you start:
1. Rules run only on comments that arrive after you switch them on.
2. Several rules can match one comment; the label on the row names the first one that decided.
3. A rule that needs your words does nothing until you add them.

Steps:
Step 1 of 4: Open the rules for a page.
Where: Left sidebar, under Pages, click the page, then the Moderation tab. Every rule is a row with a switch, its name, one line of description, and an action.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation.en.webp (The Moderation tab of a page.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Twelve rows, each with its own switch and its own choice of Hide or Delete.

Step 2 of 4: Learn the rules that judge meaning.
Where: Profanity catches offensive language in any language, including creative spellings. Negativity catches negative comments in the context of your page. Custom topics catches topics you describe in your own words. Impersonators catches fake profiles posing as your page or its support. These four use AI, so they read the comment rather than match a list.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation.en.webp (The AI mark on the rules that judge meaning.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Opening a rule shows example comments it would catch, so you can judge it before switching it on.

Step 3 of 4: Learn the rules that match what is in the text.
Where: URLs catches every link, and you add the domains to allow. Emails and phone numbers catches contact details. Mentions catches comments that only tag people. Hashtags catches every hashtag, and you add the ones to allow. Images catches comments that are only an image. Emojis catches comments that are only emojis. Keywords catches the words you add, with an option for single-word comments.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-text.en.webp (The rules that match what is in the text, from URLs down.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-text-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: These rules are exact: they do not guess, so they never surprise you.

Step 4 of 4: Know the last rule, and use it carefully.
Where: Hide all comments hides every new comment until you review it. It is the strongest setting and it is right for a launch, a crisis, or a page you have taken over. Everything still arrives in the inbox; nothing is public until you unhide it.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-whitelist.en.webp (Hide all comments, the last rule.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-whitelist-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Every new comment arrives hidden, with the Hide all label, waiting for you.

If something is off:
Problem: A rule is on but nothing is caught
Fix: The rules that need your words (URLs allowances, Hashtags allowances, Keywords, Custom topics) do nothing until you add them. Open the rule and add your terms.
Problem: Two rules should have caught a comment
Fix: One label is shown, the first rule that decided. The comment was handled either way.
Problem: A rule catches too much
Fix: Add the words that must survive to the Whitelist, and for the AI rules, write the context note so they judge in your world.
Problem: I want a rule on all my pages
Fix: Rules belong to a page. Set one page up, then use Apply to other pages.

Common questions:
Question: Who can switch a moderation rule on or off?
Answer: Owners, administrators and managers. The rules live on the Moderation tab of a page: left sidebar, Pages, the page, then Moderation, where every rule is a row with its own switch and action.
Question: Do the rules go back over comments already on my posts?
Answer: No. Rules run only on comments that arrive after you switch them on. For comments already under a post, Post cleanup fetches every comment and reply on a post or ad link, checks them against your rules, and lets you hide or delete in bulk.
Question: Do I pay more credits when more rules are switched on?
Answer: No. CommentWatchDog counts one credit per incoming comment on live moderation, however many rules are on, and a comment is never billed twice. Keyword, link, phone and profanity rules are on every plan; the AI rules with your own guidance, custom topics and impersonators start on Starter.
Question: Do the rules work in languages other than English?
Answer: Yes. Profanity catches offensive language in any language, including creative spellings, and the rules that judge meaning read every language. The text rules match exactly the words, domains and hashtags you add.

Related guides:
- Hide or delete, per rule: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/hide-or-delete-per-rule
- The whitelist and what to allow: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/the-whitelist-and-what-to-allow
- Test a comment in the Playground: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/test-a-comment-in-the-playground

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/the-twelve-rules-one-by-one.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt