# How does a moderator moderate? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 5, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070 "2000-12-05T03:12:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/1 "2000-12-05T03:12:51Z")
Are you online “live”? I’m guessing you must be, since I’ve never had a reply or thread rejected outright. (then again, I don’t usually start or reply in an unpleasant way). Ever reject/lock a reply/thread and realize you’ve made a mistake? What then? Ever reject/lock a reply/thread for personal reasons? I don’t expect an answer here, BTW. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/2 "2000-12-05T03:21:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > Are you online “live”? I’m guessing you must be, since I’ve never had a reply or thread rejected outright. (then again, I don’t usually start or reply in an unpleasant way). Yes. All moderator actions are people making judgment calls. There are no (or barely none) automated processes. We generally trust in the goodness of the Teeming Millions 😉 > [@](#): > > Ever reject/lock a reply/thread and realize you’ve made a mistake? What then? Not yet, but I haven’t been a moderator that long. I’m sure it must have happened at one point or another. Sometimes, threads are temporarily locked, pending an answer from the Administration. We can always unlock locked threads. > [@](#): > > Ever reject/lock a reply/thread for personal reasons? I don’t expect an answer here, BTW. No. We carry out a rather defined policy. If things get heated -as they sometimes do- it is important to stay rational. And when things aren’t that clear, we consult each other and the Administration. It’s a peoples business 🙂 And I’m sure a lot of people are going to tell me I’m wrong… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/3 "2000-12-05T03:26:10Z")
Thanks, Coldfire. On the last point about personal reasons for locking/rejecting threads/replies: If you feel the post is hitting you too close to home, would you send it to an administrator or other moderator for a judgement call? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/4 "2000-12-05T04:24:41Z")
Mr. Blue Sky: yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve been thoroughly raked over the coals by some people, and really been mad about it. I generally send a link to the other mods/admins and ask if I’m being too thin-skinned. If I feel that I can’t handle something, I ask someone else to do it. We do talk to each other by email quite a lot. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/5 "2000-12-05T12:28:20Z")
> [@](#): > > We do talk to each other by email quite a lot. Oh yeah. I’ve saved a pretty fair portion of the e-mail from my fellow mods/admins. That folder, as of this moment contains, 5527 items. Since April. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/6 "2000-12-05T13:54:48Z")
Whatever you do, Unc, _don’t dump 'em!_ I have here in my hand a lucrative book contract for the first mod or admin who’s willing to slap his or her name on THE STRATE DAUPE (name not copyright by The Chicago Reader): LURID TRUE CONFESSIONS OF AN INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE MODERATOR. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/7 "2000-12-05T15:22:38Z")
Pssht… I could right a 200 page tell-all just on the underwear (or lack thereof) our mods and admins wear. But then I’d get fired and then I’d **never** get my Official SD mug. _ahem_ Besides, my life is no secret. The movie “Mitchell” starring Joe Don Baker pretty much sums up my life so far. ---
**Author:** ![\_hijack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/c0e974/32.png) [@\_hijack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_hijack)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/8 "2000-12-05T19:49:15Z")
I noticed on the bottom of the page that I’m allowed to reprint my own posts. So I have a book deal in the works- Just in time for Christmas - _**[hijack] Visits The Circus** with a guest intro from The Man In The Yellow Hat._ ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-moderator-moderate/44070/9 "2000-12-05T22:19:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d never get my Official SD mug. _ahem_ Yep. I finally gave up and actually _paid_ for one … and a t-shirt. I gotta say, the t-shirts are really fuckin’ nice and a damned good deal at ten bucks.