========================= User moderation in Askbot ========================= .. note:: This is a draft specification Concepts ========= **User status**. The following user status levels are meaningful in askbot: * administrator - user with moderation and administration privileges * moderator - user with moderation privileges * approved - user that can make full use of the forum * watched - like approved user, except his/her contributions are not sent by email * suspended - only can edit own existing posts and own profile, will see suspension message * blocked - can't do anything except send feedback, will see blocking message These status levels are mutually exclusive. **Admin panel**. Each user has a sub/view of his/her account giving tools. Admin panel exposes moderation and administration tools. Note that there are some moderation tools located in other places (e.g. question views). If a user can see own admin panel, the panel will always be restricted in function, because it never makes to communicate by email with him/herself, etc. **Moderation tools**: * change user status in range from blocked to approved * arbitrarily add/subtract reputation and leave a message * send PM to user * merge tags (tags view, ) * merge questions (need special tool - sticky selection in search?) **Restrictions on moderators** * cannot moderate other moderators or admins, cannot access admin tools **Administration tools**: * edit user profiles * change user status to moderators and remove it * merge users * delete accounts * delete user contributions