Organizing Case Groups

How to Think

About this Space

The easiest way to understand how everything works here is to think of it like a school.

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Case Groups = Classrooms

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This is where the actual work happens.

Each case group is a space to:

– build timelines
– organize documents
– ask questions
– contribute research
– and think things through

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These are meant to stay structured, focused, and useful over time.

Think: collaborative brainstorming, not noise.

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Watercooler Group =

Lunch / Break Room

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General true crime discussion, missing persons cases, thoughts, and conversations that don’t belong in a specific case group.

Still respectful, but just general conversations. 

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Announcements & Updates

Group = The Office

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If you need something:

– request a new feature
– suggest or clean up topic tags
– report an issue
– or just see what’s new

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This is where to go.

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Topic Tags

(Think Filing Cabinet)

Topic tags are how everything stays organized.

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Think of them like drawers:

– timeline
– documents/files
– media/updates
– evidence

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Use the tag that best fits your post so it can be "filed" and found later.

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The community may request to have whatever tags they think will help organize their research for that case group

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If a tag doesn’t exist or one needs to be deleted:

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👉 request new tags or removals in the Announcements group. (or message Admin)

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They’ll be reviewed and updated promptly.

Case Caretaker

If you have a strong interest in a particular case and enjoy organization, timelines, documentation, and structured discussion, you may request to become a Case Caretaker for that group.

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Case Caretakers help maintain the organization and long-term usability of research groups as they grow.

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This may include:

• organizing tags and topics

• helping maintain timeline structure

• identifying duplicate or misplaced posts

• helping preserve research clarity

• assisting with organization of documents, media, and resources

• Helping maintain respectful and productive discussion

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Case Caretakers are focused on archival stewardship and group organization rather than traditional moderation.

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To request consideration as a Case Caretaker, message The CaseDive through the on-site chat system and include the case(s) you are interested in.

Timeline Organization

Each case group is designed to maintain one primary timeline whenever possible in order to keep information organized, searchable, and easy to follow.

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When new developments, records, or updates relate directly to a timeline event, members are encouraged to add supporting discussion, sources, or updates within the related timeline post whenever appropriate.

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This helps:

• reduce duplicate information

• preserve long-term readability

• keep developments connected to the correct events

• maintain organized archival structure across the platform

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Case Caretakers and contributors may assist with maintaining timeline clarity and organization as cases continue to develop.

Moderator Team

Moderators help maintain platform safety, enforce community guidelines, and assist with larger platform or behavioral issues across The CaseDive.

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While Case Caretakers focus on archival stewardship and group organization, Moderators help oversee platform-wide standards, safety, and community integrity.

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This may include:

• addressing harassment, targeting, or intimidation

• removing spam or disruptive content

• responding to rule violations

• assisting with conflict resolution when needed

• reviewing reports from members or Case Caretakers

• helping maintain platform safety and research-focused discussion

• assisting with platform policy enforcement

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Moderators may oversee multiple groups and work directly with The CaseDive regarding platform concerns, safety issues, or ongoing community problems.

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This role is focused on maintaining platform integrity, safety, and overall community standards as the archive continues to grow.

Badges

Badges are used to recognize how people contribute within the community.

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They aren’t based on volume, they’re based on how you show up.

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• Moderator Team → Helps maintain platform safety, enforce community guidelines, address behavioral or rule-related issues, and assist with overall platform standards across The CaseDive.

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• Case Caretaker → Helps maintain organization, timelines, tags, research clarity, and long-term usability within specific case groups through archival stewardship and structured discussion support.

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• Timeline Keeper → Helps maintain, organize, and update case timelines to keep information accurate and easy to follow.

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• Research Contributor → Provides consistent, thoughtful contributions through research, sourcing, document sharing, or case analysis.

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• Community Author → Writes structured, case-focused articles, summaries, or deep dives for the community.

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• Family Contributor → A verified family member or individual directly connected to a case who has chosen to participate or contribute materials to a case group.

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• Case Explorer → Actively participates in discussions, asks questions, and helps explore case details and timelines.

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• New Diver → New to the community and beginning to explore cases, timelines, and research discussions.

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Badges help highlight the role someone plays within a case or across the platform.

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They aren’t required, and they aren’t permanent. They reflect ongoing participation.

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Additional badges may be introduced over time as the platform grows and new roles naturally develop.

Duplicate Posts

Before posting a link, document, or article:

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👉 do a quick check to see if it’s already been shared

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Duplicate posts will be removed by Case Caretakers to keep things:

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– organized
– clean
– easy to work through

Case Article Authors

Case Article Authors are long-form contributors who help expand and preserve case information through structured written pieces connected to the larger archive ecosystem of The CaseDive.

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Unlike traditional blog-style content, Case Articles are intended to function as research companions to existing case materials, timelines, discussions, files, and investigative resources already housed within the platform.

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Articles may include:
• case overviews
• timeline breakdowns
• investigative summaries
• archival deep-dives
• media analysis
• missing persons coverage
• contextual research pieces
• historical background
• document-focused analysis
• ongoing case updates

The goal is not sensationalism or “content creation,” but thoughtful long-form contributions that help organize, contextualize, and preserve information surrounding important cases.

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Author Profiles

Approved contributors receive a public author profile connected to their published Case Articles and related contributions across the platform.

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Profiles may include:
• contributor bio
• published articles
• research interests
• connected case groups
• contribution roles and badges

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Case Article Authors are encouraged to maintain a respectful, source-conscious, and research-oriented approach consistent with the broader goals of The CaseDive.

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Submission & Review

At this stage, Case Article submissions are reviewed prior to publication to help maintain consistency, structure, sourcing standards, and archival quality across the platform.

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The CaseDive reserves the right to decline or request revisions for submissions that:

• contain harassment or targeted attacks
• present unsupported accusations as fact
• rely heavily on misinformation or unverifiable claims
• prioritize sensationalism over research value
• conflict with broader community standards\

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The long-term goal of the Case Article system is to create organized, searchable, and lasting research resources that remain connected to the broader archival ecosystem surrounding each case.