Barreiro's Police for Telegram groups

Your group grows, and so does the number of spammers, shady links and people who argue for sport. You cannot sit in the chat around the clock. Barreiro's Police takes over the routine: it warns, kicks and bans according to rules you set. 👮

The bot is built for admins. It works inside the group, while its settings are changed in a private chat with it.

Three ways to deal with a troublemaker

The bot's profile says it can kick, ban or warn users according to your settings. The difference between the three matters.

• Warning. A mild response to a first offense, showing people the rules are real.
• Kick. The member is removed but can return through an invite link.
• Ban. The member is removed and cannot return until an admin lifts the block.

The choice depends on severity. Spam with ads usually deserves an instant ban, while a sharp word in an argument may only need a warning.

Setup in a couple of minutes

Control comes down to two commands: help and configuration.

1. Add the bot to your group and make it an admin with rights to delete messages and restrict members.
2. Send /help to see what it can do.
3. Send /config and set up the behavior for your group.
4. Test it with a spare account before trusting it with real members.

Without admin rights the bot can neither delete nor block, so do not skip that step.

Which rules are worth setting

Good rules are short and clear. Before you turn on automatic penalties, write the rules in a pinned message so people know what earns a warning.

• Ads and links. Restrict them for newcomers, since that is how spammers get in.
• Repeats. Identical messages in a row usually mean a bot.
• Insults. Decide in advance how many warnings come before a block.

There is a fun side too

Besides moderation, the bot has entertainment commands so the group can unwind. They do not get in the way, and they make the chat livelier. 😉

Do not flood the group with games, though. Too many commands bury the useful messages.

Who is behind it

The profile credits an independent developer, and the project has a support group where you can ask when something does not behave as expected. Early versions of the code were published in open repositories, so the way it works can be studied.

Since it is a small project, do not expect round-the-clock support. If your group matters to you, keep a backup moderation plan and a few human admins.

Avoiding harm to your own group

Automated moderation makes mistakes. Strict filters sometimes ban innocent people, and lenient ones let spam through.

• Start gently. Turn on warnings first and watch how the bot reacts.
• Allow appeals. State in the rules whom to contact after a mistaken ban.
• Check permissions. Give the bot only the rights it needs.

Catalog data puts its audience at tens of thousands of people, so it is no newcomer among Telegram moderators.