Dealing with offensive chat

If you're out and about and you don't like the way someone is talking, there isn't much you can do about it other than leave.

The beauty of chat rooms and message boards is that you can control what you see and what you don't see. To keep chat fun and friendly, follow the guide below to dealing with offensive chat.

- Search: Online safety

If you don't like what somebody else is saying to you in a chat room, switch off his or her chat using the Ignore feature. Simply right-click on the user's screen name in the list on the right of the chat screen and select Ignore. Bear in mind that if the user leaves the chat room and comes back later, you'll need to repeat the process.

A similar feature is available on the message boards. To filter out messages from a particular person or topic, click on Settings at the top of the message board and select the Filtering tab. Choose the filter type and enter the term or screen name you wish to filter out. Remember to click Save after you've finished.

If somebody leaves an offensive comment on your AOL Blog, you can choose to either delete it, block them from leaving comments, or both. Open your blog and click either the Delete Comment or Block This Screen Name button. You can also delete all comments from that screen name. If you have a change of heart, you can unblock screen names by choosing Manage Permissions when you edit your blog.

If you believe someone else's behaviour breaches AOL's Conditions of Service, you can report them to the COS team by clicking Notify AOL. Before sending your report, you can even add comments.

Moderators help to minimise disruption in chat rooms and message boards by letting users know more about what's acceptable and helping them find their way around the service. If there is a serious problem in a chat room, summon a guide to help by going to AOL Keyword: Moderator Pager. Please provide as much information as possible and bear in mind that, at busy times, moderators may not be able to respond straight away. If this is the case, the best course of action is to use the Ignore feature, and report the offence using Notify AOL.