Report offensive messages

Unreal Chat SDK provides a mechanism for users to report offensive content in messages directly from their applications.

In each case, a user must provide a reason for flagging a given message. As a result of flagging, a reported message gets published on the dedicated administrative channel (with the PUBNUB_INTERNAL_ADMIN_CHANNEL ID) and an event of the report type gets created.

As a developer, you can add custom logic that uses the emitted events and defines what an admin can later do with such reported messages. For example, an admin can delete an inappropriate message.

You can use PubNub's functionality via Blueprints or directly in C++ code.

• In Blueprints, the whole SDK is managed by a subsystem, so start by initalizing the PubnubChatSubsystem node. Afterwards, you can use the Pubnub Chat object reference.

Blueprint functions

The Blueprints provided in the documentation show how you can structure your application and may contain utility methods and elements like buttons that are not part of the Unreal Chat SDK and are meant to serve as guidance.

• In C++, you can use the PubNub SDK as any other Game Instance Subsystem.

  #include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"
  #include "PubnubChatSubsystem.h"
  
  
  UGameInstance* GameInstance = UGameplayStatics::GetGameInstance(this);
  UPubnubChatSubsystem* PubnubChatSubsystem = GameInstance->GetSubsystem<UPubnubChatSubsystem>();
  
  
  UPubnubChat* Chat = PubnubChatSubsystem ->InitChat("demo", "demo", "my_user") // config optional

  Chat now allows you to call all Chat SDK functions, for example:

  Chat->DeleteUser("SomeUserID");

Usage in Blueprints and C++

Message Persistence

To work with stored message data, make sure you have Message Persistence enabled for your app's keyset in the Admin Portal.

Flag/Report messages

Report() lets you flag and report an inappropriate message to the admin.

Method signature

Blueprint

C++ / Input parameters

1Message->Report(FString Reason);

* required

Parameter	Description
Report * Type: FString	Reason for reporting/flagging a given message.

Output

This method doesn't return any value.

Sample code

Report a message on the support channel as offensive.

1#include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"
2#include "PubnubChatSubsystem.h"
3

4UGameInstance* GameInstance = UGameplayStatics::GetGameInstance(this);
5UPubnubChatSubsystem* PubnubChatSubsystem = GameInstance->GetSubsystem<UPubnubChatSubsystem>();
6

7UPubnubChat* Chat = PubnubChatSubsystem ->InitChat("demo", "demo", "my_user");
8

9UPubnubChannel* Channel = Chat->GetChannel("support");
10

11FString Timetoken = "16200000000000001";
12

13// Fetch the message
14UPubnubMessage* Message = Channel->GetMessage(Timetoken);
15

16Message->Report("This message contains mentions of sushi with ketchup. Can you remove it?")

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Listen to report events

As an admin of your chat app, you can monitor all events emitted when someone reports an offensive message using the ListenForEvents() method. You can use this method to create moderation dashboard alerts.

Events documentation

To read more about the events of type report, refer to the Chat events documentation.

Method signature

Blueprint

C++ / Input parameters

1Chat->ListenForEvents(
2    FString ChannelID, 
3    EPubnubChatEventType ChatEventType, 
4    FOnPubnubEventReceived EventCallback
5);

* required

Parameter	Description
ChannelID * Type: FString Default: n/a	Channel to listen for new report events. Set this value to a dedicated PUBNUB_INTERNAL_ADMIN_CHANNEL where all report events are sent.
ChatEventType Type: EPubnubChatEventType Default: n/a	Type of events. PCET_REPORT is the type defined for all events emitted when an offensive message is flagged/reported.
EventCallback * Type: FOnPubnubEventReceived Default: n/a	Callback function passed as a parameter. It defines the custom behavior to be executed whenever an invite event type is detected on the specified channel.

EPubnubChatEventType

Value	Description
PCET_TYPING	Indicates a user is typing a message. Displayed as Typing.
PCET_REPORT	Represents an event where a message has been flagged or reported for offensive content. Displayed as Report.
PCET_RECEIPT	Confirms receipt of a message or event. Displayed as Receipt.
PCET_MENTION	Indicates that a user has been mentioned in a message. Displayed as Mention.
PCET_INVITE	Represents an invitation event typically sent to a specific user. Displayed as Invite.
PCET_CUSTOM	Custom event type for specialized behavior or use cases. Displayed as Custom.
PCET_MODERATION	Represents an event related to content moderation actions. Displayed as Moderation.

Each function in the Unreal Chat SDK that takes a callback as a parameter requires you to handle the response type accordingly.

For example, you can bind a callback function for the Channel->StreamPresence method to its handler in the following way:

1// Create a pubnub response delegate
2// you MUST implement your own callback function to handle the response
3FOnPubnubChannelStreamPresenceReceived PresenceResponse;
4PresenceResponse.BindDynamic(this, &AMyActor::OnPresenceResponseReceived);
5

6Channel->StreamPresence(PresenceResponse);

You can implement the callback function to handle the response as follows:

AMyActor.h

1UFUNCTION()
2void OnPresenceResponseReceived(const TArray<FString> &PresentUsersIDs);

AMyActor.cpp

1void AMyActor::OnPresenceResponseReceived(const TArray<FString> &PresentUsersIDs)
2{
3	for(auto PresentUser : PresentUsersIDs)
4	{
5		UE_LOG(LogTemp, Log, TEXT("Present User ID: "), *PresentUser);
6	}
7}

Handle the response

Output

This method doesn't return any value.

Sample code

Print a notification for an offensive message reported on the support channel.

1#include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"
2#include "PubnubChatSubsystem.h"
3

4UGameInstance* GameInstance = UGameplayStatics::GetGameInstance(this);
5UPubnubChatSubsystem* PubnubChatSubsystem = GameInstance->GetSubsystem<UPubnubChatSubsystem>();
6

7UPubnubChat* Chat = PubnubChatSubsystem ->InitChat("demo", "demo", "my_user");
8

9UPubnubChannel* Channel = Chat->GetChannel("support");
10

11FString Timetoken = "16200000000000001";
12

13// Fetch the message
14UPubnubMessage* Message = Channel->GetMessage(Timetoken);
15

16Message->Report("This message contains mentions of sushi with ketchup. Can you remove it?")
17

18// Create a pubnub response delegate
19// you MUST implement your own callback function to handle the response
20FOnPubnubEventReceived ListenResponse;
21ListenResponse.BindDynamic(this, &AMyActor::OnListenResponseReceived);
22

23Chat->ListenForEvents(
24    ChannelID,
25    EPubnubChatEventType::PCET_INVITE,
26    ListenResponse
27);

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