Moderation in Action: Applying Violation Categories in Minecraft and Discord
By Maria Tamellini
New here? See the 20 Core Violation Categories here!
Why This Guide Matters
Moderating and growing Minecraft or Discord communities means handling a wide spectrum of behaviors, from trolling and griefing to attempted exploitation.
The 20 Violation Categories introduced by DefenderNet establish a common language that empowers moderators to act with clarity and consistency.
This guide helps you to:
- Spot violations and choose the right categories with confidence through practical examples
- Use DefenderNet connected tools, GS Bans (Minecraft plugin) and GS Defender (Discord bot) effectively
- Align on consistent and proportional responses as a team
Moderation Mindset: Consistency Over Perfection
You don't have to get every category perfect. What matters most is that your team:
- Identify behaviors that violate your community's guidelines
- Apply the best-fit category for this violation and act in a way that is proportional and consistent
If something falls between two categories, align internally and strive for consistency in how you handle similar cases across time.
11 Violation Examples and Respective Categories
Before we dive in, we believe that Minecraft and Discord are powerful platforms for connection, creativity, and community-building. By providing these examples, we are in no way suggesting that these platforms are problematic. Our goal is to support moderators in identifying and responding to specific harmful behaviors when they occur, so that communities remain positive, inclusive, and safe.
These examples are drawn from real moderation scenarios and mapped to DefenderNet's standard violation categories.
1. Griefing a Build During a Community Stream
Platform: Minecraft
Scenario: A player sets fire to a community structure during a live event.
Category: Anti-gameplay
2. Sharing Inappropriate Anime CSAM
Platform: Discord
Scenario: A user posts illustrated depictions of child abuse.
Category: Child Sexual Abuse and/or Exploitation Material
3. Grooming a Younger Player via DMs
Platform: Discord (linked to Minecraft)
Scenario: An adult builds trust with a younger player and encourages personal and secretive communication through Discord DMs, Telegram, Instagram, WhatsApp, or other private messaging platforms.
Category: Child Sexual Abuse and/or Exploitation
4. Doxing a Player's IP Address
Platform: Discord
Scenario: A user posts someone's IP address and town name publicly.
Category: Exposing Personal Information (Doxing)
5. Posting Gore Images
Platform: Discord
Scenario: A user uploads graphic accident images for shock value.
Category: Explicit Content (porn, gore, etc.)
6. Posting Extremist Propaganda
Platform: Minecraft or Discord
Scenario: A player shares links glorifying terrorist actions.
Category: Extremism
7. Fake Giveaway Scam
Platform: Discord
Scenario: A user impersonates staff and sends Nitro "giveaway" links.
Category: Frauds and Scams
8. Flying in Survival Mode
Platform: Minecraft
Scenario: A player is caught using hacked clients to fly and kill others unfairly.
Category: Hacking
9. Personal Harassment Over Voice Chat
Platform: Discord
Scenario: User targets another repeatedly in voice chat with slurs and threats.
Category: Harassment
10. Mass Lag Exploit on Spawn
Platform: Minecraft
Scenario: Player causes lag spikes using hundreds of dropped items at spawn.
Category: Harming the Server
11. "Just Do It Already" Message After Argument
Platform: Discord
Scenario: A user tells another to kill themselves after a heated discussion.
Category: Promotion of Harm
Taking Action
Your team should work together to define clear guidelines for how to respond to different types of violations, from less to more severe, in a way that is consistent, fair, and aligned with your community's values.
Once you've identified and categorized a violation, the next step is deciding how to respond. This may include:
- Muting or warning the user
- Removing disruptive or harmful content
- Applying a temporary or permanent ban
- Escalating the report for further review or external action
Important: If you encounter severe or sensitive content such as Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) or CSAM, do not save, forward, or investigate it yourself. You can use the free tools provided by DefenderNet (GS Bans Plugin and GS Defender Bot) to apply the appropriate violation category. However, do not store any personal information or private communications related to the incident.
Report directly using Discord's or Minecraft's official reporting mechanisms, or to the appropriate national hotline:
- In the U.S., report via NCMEC's CyberTipline.
- Outside the U.S., report to your country's hotline listed at INHOPE, such as Internet Watch Foundation (UK), eSafety (Australia), or SaferNet (Brazil).
We know that creating and enforcing these guidelines can be challenging, especially for volunteers or small teams. As part of the DefenderNet initiative, we are developing training materials to support you in handling different scenarios with confidence.
Have ideas or feedback? We'd love to hear from you — join us in our discord server and help shape the tools and resources you need most.
Tips for Moderation Consistency
- Use internal notes for edge cases
- Discuss ambiguous or recurring categories as a team
- Regularly review a sample of your recent moderation actions (for example, the last 10 cases you or your team handled in the current month) to look for inconsistencies, bias, or patterns.
- Avoid using the "Other" category unless absolutely necessary and always include a brief explanation when you do so.
Ready to join the movement? Bring DefenderNet to your server. Learn more and start today!
Together, we have the power to transform online spaces into safer, more welcoming communities where everyone can thrive. By working hand in hand, server owners, moderators, players, and organizations, we can create an environment where harmful behavior is swiftly addressed, and trust and connection is strengthened.