5-Minute Setup

Get Started

Prerequisites Checklist

  • [ ] WordPress 5.0+
  • [ ] BuddyPress 6.0+ installed and active
  • [ ] PHP 7.4+ (8.0+ recommended)
  • [ ] Admin access to WordPress

Step 1: Installation (2 minutes)

Auto Installation

  1. Go to Plugins → Add New
  2. Search "BuddyPress Profanity"
  3. Click Install Now
  4. Click Activate

Manual Installation

  1. Download plugin zip file
  2. Upload to /wp-content/plugins/
  3. Extract files
  4. Activate in Plugins menu

Step 2: Basic Configuration (2 minutes)

  1. Navigate to BuddyPress → Profanity Settings
  2. Go to General tab

Essential Settings

  • Blocked Keywords: ✅ Default list loaded automatically
  • Filter Scope: ✅ Select content types to filter
    • Status Updates
    • Activity Comments
    • Messages
    • bbPress Content (if using bbPress)
  • Word Rendering: ✅ Choose "First and Last letter retained" (recommended)
  • Filter Character: ✅ Keep default asterisk (*)
  • Case Matching: ✅ Select "Case Insensitive" (recommended)
  1. Click Save Changes

Step 3: Test & Verify (1 minute)

Quick Test

  1. Post a test activity with a blocked word
  2. Verify it appears filtered (e.g., b***d instead of bad)
  3. Check messages/comments if enabled

Verify Privacy Features (Optional)

  • Email Masking: Test with email addresses
  • Phone Masking: Test with phone numbers

⚙️ Advanced 5-Minute Setup

Custom Keywords

  1. Go to Bulk Save tab
  2. Add comma-separated custom words
  3. Save settings

Privacy Settings

  1. Enable Mask Email Addresses: ON
  2. Enable Mask Phone Numbers: ON
  3. Save settings

🔧 Common Issues & Quick Fixes

Issue: Content Not Being Filtered

Quick Fix: Check Filter Scope settings – ensure relevant content types are selected

Issue: Too Many False Positives

Quick Fix: Switch to "Case Insensitive" and disable "Strict Filtering"

Issue: Settings Not Saving

Quick Fix: Check user permissions and disable conflicting plugins temporarily

📋 Installation Checklist

Pre-Installation

  • [ ] Backup website
  • [ ] Verify BuddyPress is active
  • [ ] Check PHP version compatibility
  • [ ] Review server requirements

Installation Process

  • [ ] Download/install plugin
  • [ ] Activate successfully
  • [ ] No error messages
  • [ ] Settings page accessible

Configuration

  • [ ] Access BuddyPress → Profanity Settings
  • [ ] Configure blocked keywords
  • [ ] Set filter scope
  • [ ] Choose word rendering
  • [ ] Set replacement character
  • [ ] Configure case matching
  • [ ] Enable/disable strict filtering
  • [ ] Save settings successfully

Testing

  • [ ] Create test content with blocked words
  • [ ] Verify filtering works on activity updates
  • [ ] Test activity comments (if enabled)
  • [ ] Test private messages (if enabled)
  • [ ] Test bbPress content (if enabled)
  • [ ] Check email masking (if enabled)
  • [ ] Check phone masking (if enabled)

Optional Features

  • [ ] Import bulk keywords
  • [ ] Configure privacy settings
  • [ ] Test multisite (if applicable)
  • [ ] Review performance impact

Documentation

  • [ ] Review FAQ section
  • [ ] Bookmark documentation links
  • [ ] Note support contact information
  • [ ] Document custom settings

🎯 Recommended Settings

For Community Websites

Filter Scope: All content types
Word Rendering: First and Last retained
Case Matching: Insensitive
Strict Filtering: ON
Email Masking: ON
Phone Masking: ON

For Business/Professional Sites

Filter Scope: Public content only
Word Rendering: All letters removed
Case Matching: Insensitive
Strict Filtering: OFF
Email Masking: OFF
Phone Masking: ON

For Educational Sites

Filter Scope: All content types
Word Rendering: First retained only
Case Matching: Insensitive
Strict Filtering: ON
Email Masking: ON
Phone Masking: ON

📞 Quick Support

🔄 Regular Maintenance

Weekly

  • [ ] Review filtered content for false positives
  • [ ] Check for blocked terms that need adjustment

Monthly

  • [ ] Update keyword list if needed
  • [ ] Review spam/abuse reports
  • [ ] Check plugin updates

Quarterly

  • [ ] Performance review
  • [ ] Settings optimization
  • [ ] Documentation updates

Quick Start Guide for BuddyPress Profanity v2.0.1

Last updated: May 19, 2025