GUIDE · MODERATION

Discord AutoMod Rules Guide: Word, Link and Spam Filters That Work

Good filters stop spam before staff wake up; bad ones delete legitimate posts and teach members to evade them. ARK Bot applies configurable word, link, and spam filters per channel, with responses that escalate from delete to timeout, tuned in /settings. This guide shows how to scope each filter, set the escalation ladder, and review what the filters catch.

By ArkFlame · Published 2026-10-13 · 5 min read

Start with the three filter types

Word filters catch slurs, scam phrases (“free Nitro”, “airdrop claim”), and server-specific problem terms. Link filters block untrusted URLs where newcomers post — the classic phishing vector. Spam filters catch repetition: duplicated messages, mention floods, and wall-of-emoji bursts. Enable all three, but tune each separately: a word list that is perfect for general chat is wrong for a debate channel, where heated-but-legitimate language belongs.

Scope filters per channel, not server-wide

Newcomer-facing channels (introductions, general, help) get the strictest link and spam rules, because scammers and flood bots land there first. Resource, announcement, and creator channels get lenient link rules or trusted exemptions, because that is where legitimate links live. Staff tune this sensitivity per channel in /settings — one global setting either over-blocks your resource library or under-protects your front door.

Build the delete-to-timeout escalation ladder

First offense for mild matches should be a silent delete: no drama, no public shaming, and the member can rephrase. Repeated matches within a short window escalate to timeout, which stops flood bots cold. Reserve bans for humans who evade repeatedly — a bot account hit by delete-then-timeout is already neutralized, and banning it immediately just tells the operator to rotate accounts faster. Document the ladder where staff can see it so every moderator enforces the same steps.

Exempt trusted roles explicitly

Staff, long-standing regulars, and announcement bots need exemptions from link and spam filters, or your own event post with five links gets eaten. Grant exemptions by role, review the exemption list quarterly, and never exempt @everyone “temporarily” during an event — that is exactly when spam operators strike. Exemptions are part of your attack surface, not a convenience shortcut.

Review catches weekly to fight filter drift

Every filter drifts: scammers rephrase, members invent slang that collides with block words, and yesterday's tuning blocks today's legitimate post. Once a week, sample what the filters deleted. False positives mean narrowing a rule or adding an exemption; missed spam means adding a phrase — never duplicating whole rules. Log each change with a date so you can trace which edit caused a later complaint.

Pair filters with human process

Filters handle volume; humans handle judgment. Route filter alerts to a private staff channel, check a flagged member's history with /warnings before escalating, and use /clear for the bursts that slip through. Tell members how to appeal a wrongly deleted post — a filter with no appeal path converts one false positive into a lost regular.

FAQs

Why are legitimate links being deleted?

The link filter is scoped too broadly or the poster's role lacks an exemption. Narrow the rule to newcomer channels in /settings and exempt trusted roles instead of disabling the filter entirely.

Should filtered messages be announced publicly?

No. Silent deletes plus a private staff alert keep the channel clean without giving spammers feedback on what tripped the filter. Public “message deleted” notices just help operators probe your rules.

Conclusion

Strict at the front door, lenient in the library, escalating from delete to timeout, reviewed weekly. Filters tuned this way protect newcomers without annoying regulars.