Online Community FAQ: Groups
By: AARP.org Source: AARP.org Date Posted:
Groups
- What are groups?
- I see discussions going on within different groups. How do I participate?
- How do I find a group that interests me?
- I really enjoy discussing and learning more about “xyz” but there doesn’t seem to be a group for that. What should I do?
- What are the differences between public, request-only, and invitation-only groups?
- What is a group owner? What’s the difference between an owner and a moderator?
- I’ve just been made a group moderator. What next?
What are groups?
Groups provide an online space where people can gather around common interests or subjects. Within a group, users can engage in discussions as well as share personal photos, videos, and/or journals. And because everyone has a variety of interests and opinions, users can join as many groups as they would like.
I see discussions going on within different groups. How do I participate?
You must join a group in order to participate. When you see a group that interests you, check the group's profile page to make sure the group type is public. (This means that anyone can join.) For step-by-step instructions on joining a group, please download our tutorial on How to Join a Group (PDF). Once you’ve joined, you can create new topics of conversation, post replies to current topics being discussed, and upload any photos, videos, or journals you’d like to share with the group.
How do I find a group that interests me?
Go to the Groups tab within the Online Community. To see a master list of all groups, simply click on the red Search Groups button without entering anything in the Search box. If you are looking for something in particular, like gardening, you can type that as a keyword into the Search box. You can also click on the list of categories to browse for groups by topic.
I really enjoy discussing and learning more about “xyz” but there doesn’t seem to be a group for that. What should I do?
This is a perfect opportunity to create a new group! If you like something in particular, there’s an excellent chance that others do, too. Simply go to the main Groups page and click the button next to Search, the one called Create Group.
What are the differences between public, request-only, and invitation-only groups?
- Public Group – Anyone can view a public group’s content and member list, and anyone is welcome to join. You must be a group member in order to participate in group discussions and add personal content (e.g., photos, videos, and journals).
- Request-Only Group – As with a public group, anyone can view a request-only group’s content and member list. Anyone can join, but the group owner or a group moderator must also approve the request. You must be a group member in order to participate in group discussions and add personal content (e.g., photos, videos, and journals).
- Invitation-Only Group - People must be invited to join the group. Only members of the group can participate in group discussions and add personal content. Invitation-only groups do not appear in public AARP.org search results or the main groups directory.
What is a group owner? What’s the difference between an owner and a moderator?
Groups allow for three levels of users: owner, moderators, and members. The group owner is the user who originally created the group. This person has complete authority and is able to:
- Start a new discussion topic
- Reply to discussion topics and posts
- Add personal content (e.g., photos, videos, and journals)
- Remove personal content
- Remove group members’ content
- Approve or deny users’ requests to join group (if the group access level is "request-only")
- Remove group member
- Grant moderator rights to group members
Group owners can promote one or more group members to the status of moderator. At the moderator level, users can perform all of the functions above with the exception of granting moderator rights. Members of a group can start a new discussion topic, reply to topics, add personal content, and remove personal content.
I’ve just been made a group moderator. What next?
Congratulations! You’re now in a great position to help the group grow and prosper. You can start by inviting your friends and family to join the group—the more, the merrier. To stimulate group activity, you may want to keep an eye on daily discussions and weigh in with your own thoughts. When group members share photos, videos, and journals, check to make sure the content abides by the Terms of Service. And if you come across a troublemaker in the group who refuses to play by the rules, you do have the power to remove him or her from the group.
