Comments in the Bin you did not delete
You can see what removed a comment and change the rule that did it.
On this page
Before you start
- Every row names what deleted it.
- A rule set to Delete removes matches for good.
- Hiding is the reversible alternative.
Read the Bin.
InboxBin
You will see The cause of every removal.
Change the rule that did it.
The pageModerationthe ruleHide
You will see Future matches are hidden, not removed.
Test the change.
Playgroundpaste the comment
You will see The new verdict for that comment.
If something is off
- Can I restore a deleted comment
- No; the Bin keeps the text but not the comment.
- The label says Post cleanup
- A sweep did it; the task shows which.
- It says You
- Someone deleted it by hand; the row records who.
Common questions
Can the commenter still see a comment a rule deleted?
No. Deleting removes the comment from the post. Hiding is different: on Facebook a hidden comment stays visible to the person who wrote it and their friends and is hidden for everyone else, which is why Hide is the reversible alternative.
Can I keep a rule but stop it deleting comments?
Yes. On the page Moderation tab set that rule to Hide instead of Delete, or add the words that must survive to the Whitelist; future matches are hidden rather than removed. Test it in the Playground with the comment that was deleted.
Does the Bin show which rule deleted a comment?
Yes. Every row in the Bin names what deleted it: the label of the rule, the person, or Post cleanup, in the same place as the text. The Bin is a tab in the inbox.
For agents: plain text of this guide · all guides
For agents
Guide: Comments in the Bin you did not delete
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/troubleshooting/comments-in-the-bin-you-did-not-delete
Topic: Troubleshooting
Time: about 2 minutes
Who can do it: Anyone on your team
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox?tab=bin
Result when done: You can see what removed a comment and change the rule that did it.
Context: The Bin holds every deletion with its cause. A comment you did not delete was removed by a moderation rule set to Delete, or by a post cleanup sweep.
Before you start
1. Every row in the Bin names what deleted it.
2. A rule set to Delete removes matches permanently.
3. Hiding is the reversible alternative.
Steps
Step 1 of 3: Read the Bin.
Where: The Bin tab in the inbox. Each row carries the label of the rule, the person, or Post cleanup.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox?tab=bin (Open the bin)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox-bin.en.webp (The Bin, with the rule that deleted each one.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox-bin-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The cause of every removal, in the same place as the text.
Step 2 of 3: Change the rule that did it.
Where: The page Moderation tab: set that rule to Hide instead of Delete, or add the words that must survive to the Whitelist.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation.en.webp (Hide instead of Delete on that rule.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Future matches are hidden rather than removed.
Step 3 of 3: Test the change.
Where: The Playground, with the comment that was deleted.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-playground.en.webp (Test the change.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/moderation-playground-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Would be hidden, or would be left alone, depending on what you changed.
If something is off
Problem: Can I restore a deleted comment
Fix: No. Deletion is permanent on both platforms. The Bin keeps the text so you can answer the person.
Problem: The label says Post cleanup
Fix: A sweep deleted it. The task shows which one and when.
Problem: It says You
Fix: Someone on the team deleted it by hand; the row records who.
Common questions
Question: Can the commenter still see a comment a rule deleted?
Answer: No. Deleting removes the comment from the post. Hiding is different: on Facebook a hidden comment stays visible to the person who wrote it and their friends and is hidden for everyone else, which is why Hide is the reversible alternative.
Question: Can I keep a rule but stop it deleting comments?
Answer: Yes. On the page Moderation tab set that rule to Hide instead of Delete, or add the words that must survive to the Whitelist; future matches are hidden rather than removed. Test it in the Playground with the comment that was deleted.
Question: Does the Bin show which rule deleted a comment?
Answer: Yes. Every row in the Bin names what deleted it: the label of the rule, the person, or Post cleanup, in the same place as the text. The Bin is a tab in the inbox.
Related guides
Delete a comment, and what the Bin keeps: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/delete-a-comment-and-what-the-bin-keeps
Hide or delete, per rule: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/hide-or-delete-per-rule
Which rule caught a comment: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/moderation-rules/which-rule-caught-a-comment
Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/troubleshooting/comments-in-the-bin-you-did-not-delete.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt