Automatically prevents GIF spam in Discord channels by rate limiting GIF messages.

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GIF Limiter¶

The GIF Limiter feature automatically prevents GIF spam in Discord channels by rate limiting GIF messages. This helps maintain conversation quality and prevents channels from being flooded with animated images.

How It Works¶

The GIF Limiter monitors all messages in your server and automatically detects GIFs. When a GIF is detected, the system checks if it exceeds configured limits:

• Channel-wide limits: Maximum number of GIFs allowed in a channel within a time window
• Per-user limits: Maximum number of GIFs a single user can post in a channel within a time window

If a GIF exceeds either limit, the message is automatically deleted and a temporary notification is sent explaining why it was removed.

Detection¶

The GIF Limiter detects GIFs by checking if:

• The message contains the word "gif" (case-insensitive)
• The message has embeds (Discord automatically embeds GIF links)

Rate Limiting¶

Time Window¶

GIFs are tracked within a configurable time window (default: 60 seconds). Only GIFs sent within this window count toward the limits. Older GIFs are automatically removed from tracking every 20 seconds.

Limit Types¶

Channel-Wide Limits¶

Prevents too many GIFs from being posted in a specific channel, regardless of who posts them. Useful for maintaining conversation quality in busy channels.

Example: If a channel has a limit of 5 GIFs per 60 seconds, only the first 5 GIFs posted in that channel within any 60-second window will be allowed.

Per-User Limits¶

Prevents individual users from spamming GIFs in specific channels. Each user's GIF count is tracked separately.

Example: If a channel has a per-user limit of 2 GIFs per 60 seconds, each user can only post 2 GIFs in that channel within any 60-second window.

Excluded Channels¶

You can configure certain channels to be excluded from GIF limiting entirely. GIFs posted in excluded channels are not tracked or limited.

Configuration¶

The GIF Limiter is configured through your server's configuration file. See the configuration documentation for details.

Configuration Options¶

Example Configuration¶

```toml
[gif_limiter]
# Track GIFs for 60 seconds
recent_gif_age = 60

# Exclude GIFs from moderation channels
gif_limit_exclude = [123456789012345678]

[gif_limiter.gif_limits_user]
# Allow 2 GIFs per user per 60 seconds in general chat
987654321098765432 = 2

[gif_limiter.gif_limits_channel]
# Allow maximum 5 GIFs total per 60 seconds in general chat
987654321098765432 = 5
```

Behavior¶

When Limits Are Exceeded¶

When a GIF exceeds a configured limit:

1. The message is immediately deleted
2. A temporary notification is sent: -# GIF ratelimit exceeded for channel or -# GIF ratelimit exceeded for user
3. The notification automatically deletes after 3 seconds

Automatic Cleanup¶

The system automatically cleans up old GIF timestamps every 20 seconds. This ensures that:

• Only recent GIFs count toward limits
• Memory usage stays reasonable
• Limits reset after the time window expires

Use Cases¶

Preventing Spam¶

Configure per-user limits in busy channels to prevent individual users from flooding the channel with GIFs.

Maintaining Conversation Quality¶

Set channel-wide limits to ensure GIFs don't dominate conversations in text channels.

Channel-Specific Rules¶

Different channels can have different limits. For example:

• General chat: 3 GIFs per user, 10 total per channel
• Media channel: No limits (excluded)
• Serious discussion: 1 GIF per user, 3 total per channel

Tips¶

For Administrators¶

See the admin configuration guide for detailed setup instructions and advanced configuration options.