Post by ProBoards Help Guide on Jul 7, 2016 11:29:22 GMT -8
This article was revised on 2022-12-12
Preventing Forum Content Deletion
ProBoards Policy on Content Deletion - At this time ProBoards does not offer restoration for user deleted content. Content lost due to system related issues is eligible for restoration.
Preventing Accidental User Deleted Content:
Built-in Safeguards
It is impossible to delete content without encountering a built-in safeguard. There are 3 levels of safeguards depending on the severity of the deletion:
Build Your Own Safeguards
By implementing the following you can minimize accidental and purposeful deletion of forum content.
The above recommendations are not a guarantee as there is no way to account for every possible situation. However with some careful planning your forum’s content should be safe from accidental loss.
Preventing Forum Content Deletion
ProBoards Policy on Content Deletion - At this time ProBoards does not offer restoration for user deleted content. Content lost due to system related issues is eligible for restoration.
Preventing Accidental User Deleted Content:
Built-in Safeguards
It is impossible to delete content without encountering a built-in safeguard. There are 3 levels of safeguards depending on the severity of the deletion:
- A popup asking if you are sure you wish to delete the item(s).
- A popup requiring you to type in the word “delete”.
- A popup requiring you to type in the word “delete” AND check a box acknowledging that the deletion is unrecoverable.
- Categories: Deleting a category will display a popup displaying the number of boards, threads, and posts that will be deleted; as well as requiring you to type in the word "delete" AND check a box acknowledging that the deletion is unrecoverable.
- Boards: Deleting a board will display a popup displaying the number of boards (the current board plus sub-boards, if applicable), threads, and posts that will be deleted; as well as requiring you to type in the word "delete" AND check a box acknowledging that the deletion is unrecoverable.
Build Your Own Safeguards
By implementing the following you can minimize accidental and purposeful deletion of forum content.
- Account Access: Never share accounts or account login information.
- Staff:
- Never add or promote a member just for the sake of helping you with an administrative task or support related issue.
- Never add a member that solicits for a moderator or staff position. You should develop a policy on how moderator and staff positions are filled.
- Themes: Export a copy of your themes and save to your computer.
- Member Groups: Leave the following group powers permissions disabled (set to NO):
- Threads, Posts, and Shoutbox section
- Delete (See Deletion Powers below)
- Admin Area section
- Categories and Boards
- Custom Pages
- Custom Fields
- Manage Attachments
- Critical Powers section
- Member Groups
- Ad-Free
- Custom Domains
- File Storage
- Delete Members
- Delete Staff
- Forum Clean-Up
- Threads, Posts, and Shoutbox section
- Deletion Powers
- Do not give deletion power to any member or staff.
- Instead create a hidden or staff-only board that administrators/moderators of your forum should use to move threads and posts to for review by you prior to deletion. Utilize this board yourself and then give the threads and posts a second review before deleting.
- Create a main admin only (or staff only) archive category to move boards to rather than delete them.
- Role Play: For role play (or similar) forums where removing posts can adversely affect the context of a thread or story, using a plugin such as the “ Disable editing after a set time” will prevent a member from deleting their posts after a set interval has passed. This is not absolute as plugins do not work on the mobile version of the forum or in cases where JavaScript is disabled.
The above recommendations are not a guarantee as there is no way to account for every possible situation. However with some careful planning your forum’s content should be safe from accidental loss.