Report Messages
Better Messages includes a user-driven message reporting system — when enabled, any user can flag a message they find inappropriate for moderator review. Reported messages surface in the admin Messages Viewer, where moderators can inspect the content, view the conversation context, and take action (delete the message, warn the user, ban the user, etc.).
What it adds#
- "Report" action on every message in every conversation
- Reported messages appear in the admin Messages Viewer for review
- Moderators see the full conversation context, not just the flagged message
- Mark-as-handled workflow to track which reports have been processed
- Anonymized reporter — the reported user doesn't see who flagged them
- Per-role configurable: control who can report, and whose messages are reportable
How it works#
When a user clicks Report on a message, the plugin stores a report record (reporter_id, message_id, conversation_id, timestamp). The reporter is anonymized in the moderator UI to prevent retaliation.
| Action | Outcome |
|---|---|
| User clicks Report | Report is queued; reporter sees a confirmation |
| Moderator opens Messages Viewer | List of reported messages, newest first |
| Moderator opens a report | Full conversation context shown around the flagged message |
| Moderator deletes the message | Message removed for all participants |
| Moderator dismisses the report | Marked handled; the message remains |
| Multiple users report the same message | Single report record, but report count visible |
When to enable#
| Site type | Why message reports matter |
|---|---|
| Open community / public chat rooms | Members help moderate at scale |
| Marketplace | Catches bad-faith vendor or buyer conduct |
| Dating community | Critical for handling harassment quickly |
| Course / LMS | Students can flag classroom-rule violations |
| Public-facing app | Compliance with app-store moderation requirements |
How to enable#
Navigate to WP Admin → Better Messages → Settings → Moderation.
- Messages Viewer — Enable this first — the prerequisite for the moderator review UI
- Allow Reports — Enable the report action for users
The Messages Viewer must be enabled before the Allow Reports setting becomes useful — without it there's no UI for moderators to review the reports.
Frequently asked questions#
Who can see the report queue?#
Only WordPress users with the bm_can_administrate capability (which manage_options users get by default). The capability is grantable to other roles via your usual WordPress role-management plugin if you want a non-admin "Moderator" role to handle reports.
Can a user be falsely accused via mass-reporting?#
The system stores who reported, so administrators can review patterns. A single user's reports don't auto-delete anything — moderator review is required.
Are reports anonymous?#
The reporter is anonymized in the public-facing moderator UI (admins see "Reported by 3 users" rather than usernames by default). The full record IS stored in the database — accessible to admins if a forensic review is needed.
Does reporting work in guest conversations?#
Yes. Guest users can report messages from other guests or logged-in users. The same moderator queue handles all reports.
What if a user reports a message and then the sender deletes it?#
The report record stays for the audit trail. The message body shows "Deleted" in the moderator view, but the timestamp + reporter info are preserved.
See also#
- Pre-moderation — review messages BEFORE delivery (stronger than reporting)
- Bad words filter — automatic blocking of banned terms
- User-to-user block — let users handle individual harassment directly
- AI content moderation — AI-assisted moderation (WebSocket version)