# Can moderators and administrators see what you are searching? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 2, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718 "2015-09-02T16:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arrogant\_B\_st\_rd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cdc98d/32.png) [@Arrogant\_B\_st\_rd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogant_B_st_rd)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/1 "2015-09-02T16:55:18Z")
On message boards, I want to search some things that I would be very self-conscious if someone was viewing the words. Do mods and admins have the power to look up what a member has searched? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/2 "2015-09-02T17:00:23Z")
Not that I am aware of. It’s not part of the moderator notes I got briefed on. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/3 "2015-09-02T17:04:40Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Not that I am aware of. It’s not part of the moderator notes I got briefed on. It’s on page 6, paragraph 3, right after the bit about how to control members’ video cams. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/4 "2015-09-02T17:07:23Z")
There are boards that display where a member is, so the question doesn’t display paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/5 "2015-09-02T17:17:18Z")
No, we can’t see what you’re searching. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/6 "2015-09-02T17:37:58Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Not that I am aware of. It’s not part of the moderator notes I got briefed on. > [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > No, we can’t see what you’re searching. I just tested it with a search of my own, and actually we can, at least while the search is current. On the my profile line for Current Activity, my search for “able baker” appeared as: > [@](#): > > Current Activity: Searching Forums Query: able baker I think this actually might be visible to any logged in user, not just moderators, but am not sure. (If I log out, I can’t access profiles at all.) ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/7 "2015-09-02T17:47:28Z")
> [@Arrogant\_B\_st\_rd](#): > > On message boards, I want to search some things that I would be very self-conscious if someone was viewing the words. > > Do mods and admins have the power to look up what a member has searched? We can see it if you’re currently searching for a word or words and we’re currently looking at your profile, but there’s no way to look up past search history, no. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/8 "2015-09-02T17:50:51Z")
Whew! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/9 "2015-09-02T17:56:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I just tested it with a search of my own, and actually we can, at least while the search is current. > > On the my profile line for Current Activity, my search for “able baker” appeared as: > > I think this actually might be visible to any logged in user, not just moderators, but am not sure. (If I log out, I can’t access profiles at all.) That’s weird, because I don’t see that. I’ll have to try again. I can see if someone is searching forums etc but not the query. ETA: When i do the same thing on mine, I only see “searching forums”, and not the query… UPDATE: This time I was able to see them- but it must be very transient since the terms appear and disappear very quickly. Interesting question! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/10 "2015-09-02T18:27:22Z")
As has been indicated, the ability to see the search terms is very transitory. While I was aware of the function, I have never used it to see what someone is looking for. (It would be tough, even if you wanted to.) It’s obviously easy to overlook. At any rate, I don’t know why we as moderators would care about what someone was searching for except maybe in the case of a troll. As far as being embarrassed, like priests hearing confession (or hookers) no matter what it is, you can be confident we’ve seen worse.😉 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/11 "2015-09-02T18:32:07Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > At any rate, I don’t know why we as moderators would care about what someone was searching for except maybe in the case of a troll. As far as being embarrassed, like priests hearing confession (or hookers) no matter what it is, you can be confident we’ve seen worse.😉 You misspelled “done worse” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/12 "2015-09-02T18:42:47Z")
They can’t see what you’ve searched, but we all know anyway. But we’re a tolerant bunch, your fish fetish will never leave this board ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/13 "2015-09-02T21:44:00Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > We can see it if you’re currently searching for a word or words and we’re currently looking at your profile, but there’s no way to look up past search history, no. This is why each member must add a link to See’s chocolates to his profile. It distracts the mods sufficiently to disorient them. Except for **Loach** , you need to link to Dunkin’ Donuts for it to work with him. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/14 "2015-09-02T21:46:04Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > You misspelled “done worse” Speak for yourself, **Denizen**!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/15 "2015-09-02T22:09:04Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > They can’t see what you’ve searched, but we all know anyway. But we’re a tolerant bunch, your fish fetish will never leave this board Whew! ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-moderators-and-administrators-see-what-you-are-searching/729718/16 "2015-09-04T05:00:44Z")
Moderators see what you’re searching for? Sometimes I can’t see what **I’m** searching for.