1. A method comprising: generating, by a computer system, an average message rate for messages originated by an active user that is one of a plurality of users of a computer-based service, wherein the average message rate is derived from inter-message time gaps of the messages of the active user; assessing user activity of the active user based on the average message rate without human intervention; and providing notification to at least the one active user of the computer-based service, from the computer system, without human intervention, of an effect of the average message rate on the active user's privileges in the computer-based service.