Sections in this article

  1. How Chat Roles Work
  2. Changing a Member’s Chat Role
  3. Role Types and Permissions
  4. In-App Moderation
  5. Admin Channel Management
  6. Stream Dashboard Access
  7. Common Moderation Tasks
  8. Troubleshooting
  9. FAQ

How Chat Roles Work

Chat roles define what a member can do in the chat feature.

Roles are assigned by the 2Way backend when a member logs in and receives a Stream Chat authentication token. This means the role is controlled from the 2Way Admin Panel and cannot be changed from inside the mobile app.

If a member’s role is changed, the member must log out and log back into the app before the new role takes effect.

Changing a Member’s Chat Role

To change a member’s Stream Chat role:

  1. Log in to the 2Way Admin Panel.
  2. Go to Members in the left sidebar.
  3. Find and select the member you want to update.
  4. Click Edit.
  5. Scroll to the General section.
  6. Locate Stream Chat Role.
  7. Select either:
    • User
    • Admin
  8. Save the changes.

Important: The member must log out and log back into the app before the role change becomes active.

 

Role Types and Permissions

Main role types

Role Description
Admin Organization administrator with elevated chat privileges.
User Standard member with basic chat capabilities.
Owner The creator of a specific channel. This is a channel-level role.
Moderator A channel-level moderator assigned to a specific channel.

Key permission differences

Capability Admin User Channel Owner
View and send messages Yes Yes Yes
Create new channels Yes No -
Create group chats Yes Yes Yes
Ban or unban members in own channel No No Yes
Remove members from own channel No No Yes
Delete own channel No No Yes
Leave a channel Yes Yes Yes
Mute channel notifications Yes Yes Yes

 

Note: A Channel Owner is the member who created a specific channel. This is separate from the organization-wide Admin role.

In-App Moderation

Some moderation actions can be handled directly inside the app.

For Channel Owners

If you created a channel, you have owner permissions for that channel.

Remove a member from a channel

  1. Open the channel.
  2. Tap the channel name or header to open Channel Info.
  3. Tap the member you want to remove.
  4. Select Remove from Channel.
  5. Confirm the action.

Ban a member from a channel

  1. Open the channel.
  2. Tap the channel name or header to open Channel Info.
  3. Tap the member you want to ban.
  4. Select Ban User.
  5. The member is banned for 1 hour by default.

Unban a member

  1. Open the channel.
  2. Tap the channel name or header to open Channel Info.
  3. Tap the banned member.
  4. Select Unban User.

Delete a channel

  1. Open the channel.
  2. Tap the channel name or header to open Channel Info.
  3. Scroll down and select Delete Channel.
  4. Confirm the action.

Warning: Deleting a channel is permanent and removes the message history for that channel.

Admin Channel Management

Admins can create organization-wide channels from the app.

To create a channel:

  1. Go to the Chat tab.
  2. Tap the + button or New Chat.
  3. Select Create Channel.
  4. Choose the channel type.
  5. Add members.
  6. Create the channel.

Note: The Create Channel option is only visible to members with the Admin role.

 

Troubleshooting

Member cannot see the Chat module

Check the following:

  • The client has the Chat feature enabled in their profile.
  • The chat authentication token was generated successfully.
  • The member has logged out and back in after any role or access change.

Member cannot create channels

Possible reasons:

  • Only Admin role members can create organization-wide channels.
  • Regular members can create group chats only with existing contacts.
  • The member may need their role changed to Admin in the 2Way Admin Panel.

Banned member still appears in a channel

Possible reasons:

  • Bans are time-limited by default, usually 1 hour.
  • For permanent removal from a specific channel, use Remove from Channel.
  • For organization-wide restriction, use the Stream Dashboard.

Messages are not syncing

Try the following:

  1. Check internet connectivity.
  2. Force close and reopen the app.

FAQ

What is the difference between an Admin and a Channel Owner?

An Admin is an organization-wide role assigned through the 2Way Admin Panel. A Channel Owner is the member who created a specific channel and has permissions only within that channel.

 

What is the difference between a Group chat and a Channel?

A group chat is member-created, informal, and usually smaller.

A channel is admin-created, more official, and used for structured communication.

Group chat - Members or admins can create - Conversation between selected members - Small working group, informal discussion, coordination

Channel - Admins can create- Official or semi-official communication space - Announcements, committee updates, group-wide discussions

Can a member’s chat role be changed inside the mobile app?

No. Chat roles are controlled through the 2Way Admin Panel and assigned server-side when the member logs in.

Why does a member need to log out and back in after a role change?

The chat role is included in the authentication token created at login. Logging out and back in generates a new token with the updated role.

Can regular members create channels?

No. Regular members can create group chats, but only Admin role members can create organization-wide channels.

Can an Admin delete any message from inside the app?

No. Advanced moderation, such as deleting any message across all channels, must be done through the Stream Dashboard.

Can a Channel Owner delete their own channel?

Yes. A Channel Owner can delete a channel they created. This action is permanent and removes the channel message history.

Is banning a member permanent?

Not by default. In-app bans are time-limited, usually 1 hour. For stronger or organization-wide action, use the Stream Dashboard.