For charities, toxicity on social media can silence supporters, spread harmful misinformation, and undo weeks, or even months, of hard work in just minutes.
At Social AF, we understand the unique challenges of managing digital spaces in 2025: from AI-powered spam to platforms scaling back moderation and fuelling divisive conversations, to the rapid spread of sophisticated misinformation.
Here’s a practical guide to help you safeguard both your community and your team.
Understand the challenge
Social media has the power to connect, mobilise, and inspire, but it can also open the door to harmful comments, harassment, and misinformation. The reality in 2025 is that many platforms have scaled back their investment in moderation. This has created space for AI-generated spam and more divisive, polarising content.
Toxicity can affect more than just your community – it can deeply impact your staff too. Recognising this dual challenge is the first step toward tackling it effectively.
Plan proactively
A strong moderation and content plan must work hand-in-hand. Be prepared for issues before they happen: set up monitoring systems for sudden surges in AI-generated spam, deploy dynamic keyword filters that evolve to catch new types of harassment or scams, and align your content calendar with moderation capacity so that you aren’t launching campaigns at times when your team can’t respond effectively.
For example, teams using adaptive filters and careful scheduling of content might notice a reduction in spam or unwanted comments, showing how proactive moderation can help maintain a healthy community. Being proactive protects your community and stops toxicity from spiralling.
Foster positive engagement
Fostering positivity is not just about community wellbeing – it also supports your team’s mental health.
Highlight and thank supportive voices, share positive stories, and show appreciation for constructive contributions. This helps build a culture where community members feel valued and empowered to counter negativity themselves.
When problematic comments appear, use them as opportunities to restate your organisation’s values and calmly correct misinformation.
In a typical scenario, highlighting supportive contributors and positive interactions can encourage more constructive comments and gradually reduce negativity within a community. This approach also gives your staff confidence, making challenging conversations less personally draining.
Share the load
Protecting your online community shouldn’t come at the expense of your team’s wellbeing.
Social media never sleeps, and neither does toxicity – so no single person should carry the burden of constant moderation. Rotate duties, build downtime into the schedule, and encourage honest conversations about the emotional impact of moderation.
Some teams have trialled rotating moderation duties and peer debriefs, which can help reduce emotional fatigue and support staff wellbeing when handling challenging content. Sharing the load strengthens both your community and your staff.
Reach out for help
You don’t have to face toxicity alone. Be honest with your line manager or colleagues when moderation feels overwhelming, and don’t underestimate the value of external support.
Organisations like Mind and Samaritans can provide essential resources. Workshops where teams share experiences of moderating difficult comments – without naming specific individuals – can help staff feel more confident and less isolated when dealing with toxic interactions. Whether through internal networks, professional moderation support, or external wellbeing services, reaching out can make all the difference.
The bottom line
Toxicity online isn’t going away, but charities don’t have to face it passively. With proactive planning, positive engagement, shared responsibility, and external support, it is possible to protect both your online communities and the people who look after them.
If toxicity is holding your comms team back, you don’t have to face it alone.
