Short answer
A safe event social wall uses pre-moderation (nothing shows until approved), a unique hashtag, an allow list for organizers and speakers, reject rules for spam phrases, hold rules for links, and at least one person watching the queue the whole time. Keep a fallback slide ready so you can switch away from the live feed in seconds.
Key takeaways
- On a big screen in a room full of people, hold everything by default.
- A specific hashtag (event plus year) attracts far less spam than a generic one.
- Allow-list organizers, speakers and sponsors so their posts flow without delay.
- Name one person whose only job during sessions is the approval queue.
- Rehearse switching to a fallback screen before doors open.
Which hashtag should we use?
Use one that's specific to this event and year, short enough to type, and not already in use.
Search X for your candidate hashtag before printing it on anything. If it's already used by a sports team, a TV show or a meme, pick another. Adding the year (#ExampleConf26) keeps last year's posts and unrelated chatter off your wall. Generic tags like #marketing are an open door.
What rules should the wall start with?
Hold everything by default, then add rules that approve your trusted accounts and reject the obvious junk.
| Rule | Action |
|---|---|
| Authors: organizers, speakers, sponsors, official accounts | Approve |
| Authors: accounts removed earlier in the event | Reject |
| Phrases: "free followers", "check my bio", "dm for promo", "seed phrase" | Reject |
| Hashtags: known spam tags (#followback, #nsfw) | Reject |
| Any link | Hold |
| Your official hashtag | Approve (only if the text passes the reject rules) |
| Everything else | Hold |
Load the example in the rule builder, change the names, and test it on posts from a similar past event. Then export the CSV or plain lists for your wall software.
Who should staff the queue?
At least one person whose only job during sessions is approving posts, plus a second person who can take over for breaks.
The moderator needs the wall software's queue open, a phone with the event's X account logged in (to hide replies or report accounts), and a direct line to whoever controls the screen. Write a one-page brief: what's always fine, what's never fine, what to escalate. Our policy template works as a starting point.
How do we handle a raid?
Switch the screen to the fallback first, then deal with the accounts; never try to clean up a live wall while the room watches.
- Switch the display to the fallback slide or freeze the wall.
- Reject everything pending from accounts that aren't on the allow list.
- Copy the incoming posts into the spam scorer. Duplicates reveal the campaign phrase.
- Add that phrase as a reject rule, and report the accounts on X.
- Resume the wall with pre-moderation on and a slower rotation.
Run sheet
- Hashtag checked for existing use two weeks out
- Rules built and tested on past posts
- Allow list includes every speaker's handle (check spelling)
- Moderator and backup named, brief printed
- Fallback slide loaded on the display machine
- Switch to fallback rehearsed before doors open
- After the event: export what you rejected and why, for next year
Common questions
How fast does the queue need to move?
Fast enough that people see their post while they're still looking at the screen, which in practice means within a few minutes. If the queue backs up, approve trusted accounts first and let the rest wait.
Should we show posts with photos?
Photos make walls far more engaging, and they're also where most of the risk is, since no text filter can read an image. Have the moderator look at every photo before approving it.
What if our hashtag starts trending?
Expect spam accounts to pile in. Tighten the rules (hold everything, even from unknown accounts with clean text), slow the wall's rotation, and switch to the fallback screen if the queue gets out of hand.