Matrix Homeserver Moderation

At etke.cc we provide managed Matrix servers, but we do not own or control our customers’ servers.
This means that we take care of the technical side (installation, updates, backups, monitoring), but your data stays yours, and we never restrict or moderate what happens on your homeserver.

Because of that, you as the homeserver owner are responsible for moderation. This guide will help you understand:

• Why moderation matters
• What exactly needs moderating
• Which tools can help
• Where to turn for help and community support

Do not worry, you are not alone.
We have teamed up with Muninn Hall, a Matrix community made up of experienced developers, moderators, and community managers who share best practices, tools, and guidance. They have seen everything from small trolls to large-scale spam waves, and their knowledge is available to you.

Why moderation is important¶

Without moderation, a server can quickly become unpleasant or even unsafe. Here are some threats you may face:

• Spammers: flood chats with unwanted ads or nonsense
• Phishers and scammers: try to trick users into giving away personal data or money
• Abusers and trolls: harass users, spread hate, or create unsafe spaces
• Illegal content: from pirated material to child abuse, which can bring real-world legal risks
• Unwanted bots: create noise, fake activity, or amplify harmful content

Moderation is not only about rules, it is about keeping your community safe, welcoming, and enjoyable.

What to moderate¶

Open registration servers¶

If your instance is public and anyone can sign up, make sure to:

• Protect registration (for example, use email verification or CAPTCHAs)
• Keep an eye on new accounts (they can upload harmful avatars or spam)
• Check new rooms (users can create spaces with illegal or unwanted content)
• Watch out for inactive accounts that may suddenly start abusing the server

Closed or invite-only servers¶

If registration is restricted, moderation is simpler, but public rooms and invited users still need oversight.
We strongly recommend running Draupnir in either case.

How to moderate¶

There are several methods which help you to moderate your communities.

Admin dashboard¶

Your Synapse Admin dashboard (installed by default) lets you:

• Suspend (make read-only), ban, or shadowban (users actions ignored by others) users
• Redact messages or uploaded media
• Remove problematic rooms

This is your “control center” for quick moderation.

Moderation bot¶

Matrix does not come with built-in moderation, so you will need a bot.
We recommend Draupnir. It works well for both small servers and large communities.

See our quick start guide for an easy setup with safe defaults suggested by Muninn Hall and Draupnir developers.

Knowledge¶

Tools are powerful, but knowing how to respond is equally important.
For example:

• What to do if your server sends spam
• What to do if your server receives abuse

The Matrix Community Help guides are an excellent starting point.
For deeper insights, see the Muninn Hall docs.

Coordination¶

No homeserver owner can fight abuse alone. The best approach is to coordinate with others.
Muninn Hall offers:

• Active Threats list (automatically integrated with Draupnir if you follow our guide)
• Alerts room for early warnings — you’ll get a notification for global spamming activities or ones on your homeserver
• Announcements for policy and tooling updates
• Discussion rooms for questions and experience sharing
• Off-topic chat for everything else

Muninn Hall cannot be joined directly. It is a focused community for server admins and moderators, with a short screening process before joining. Once you are in, you can invite your moderation team as well.

👉 How to join Muninn Hall

Conclusion¶

As running a Matrix homeserver gives you freedom, it also requires you to bear the responsibility for moderation. Moderation protects your users, your community, and even your server’s reputation from malicious actors, and keeps the experience on Matrix safe and pleasant for all of us.

The good news is:

• Tools like Synapse Admin and Draupnir make moderation practical and much easier to manage
• Communities like Muninn Hall make sure you are never alone in this work

We would recommend you to start small: secure registrations, set up Draupnir, and read the basic guides. Proceeding step by step, you will gain confidence in moderation and can become part of the global network of responsible Matrix admins.

Moderation is an unfortunate cost of self-governance in the end — it is necessary to keep your community free and pleasant. We’ve got you covered with the powerful tools and experienced team, so that moderation can be conducted pretty easier than otherwise.

Together we can keep Matrix safe, open, and welcoming for everyone.