# Mapping Community Appeals Systems: Lessons for Community-led Moderation in Multi-Level Governance

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.06557 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.06557/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 8 Sep 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Botender: Supporting Communities in Collaboratively Designing AI Agents through Case-Based Provocations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.25492/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Platforms are increasingly adopting industrial models of moderation that prioritize scalability and consistency, frequently at the expense of context-sensitive and user-centered values. Building on the multi-level governance framework that examines the interdependent relationship between platforms and middle-level communities, we investigate community appeals systems on Discord as a model for successful community-led governance. We investigate how Discord servers operationalize appeal systems through a qualitative interview study with focus groups and individual interviews with 17 community moderators. Our findings reveal a structured appeals process that balances scalability, fairness, and accountability while upholding community-centered values of growth and rehabilitation. Communities design these processes to empower users, ensuring their voices are heard in moderation decisions and fostering a sense of belonging. This research provides insights into the practical implementation of community-led governance in a multi-level governance framework, illustrating how communities can maintain their core principles while integrating procedural fairness and tool-based design. We discuss how platforms can gain insights from community-led moderation work to motivate governance structures that effectively balance and align the interests of multiple stakeholders.