moderation api
**Moderation API** is the **service interface for classifying text or media against safety policy categories before or after model generation** - it enables automated enforcement of content standards in production systems.
**What Is Moderation API?**
- **Definition**: Programmatic endpoint that returns category flags and confidence signals for policy-relevant content classes.
- **Pipeline Position**: Commonly used on inbound prompts and outbound model responses.
- **Decision Use**: Supports block, transform, warn, or escalate actions based on detected risk.
- **Integration Requirement**: Must be paired with clear policy logic and incident handling workflows.
**Why Moderation API Matters**
- **Safety Automation**: Provides scalable content screening at low latency.
- **Risk Reduction**: Prevents many harmful requests and outputs from reaching end users.
- **Policy Consistency**: Standardizes enforcement across applications and channels.
- **Operational Monitoring**: Moderation outcomes provide telemetry for safety analytics.
- **Compliance Enablement**: Supports governance requirements for controlled AI deployment.
**How It Is Used in Practice**
- **Pre-Check and Post-Check**: Apply moderation both before generation and before response delivery.
- **Category Mapping**: Translate model categories into product-specific action policies.
- **Fallback Handling**: Route uncertain or high-risk cases to human review or safe-response templates.
Moderation API is **a core safety infrastructure component for LLM applications** - reliable policy enforcement depends on tight integration between moderation signals and downstream action logic.