# How does one become a SDMB Moderator? How do they do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858 "2010-01-14T00:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/1 "2010-01-14T00:58:58Z")
Now that I’ve been on the SDMB for a while, I’ve seen the hand of the moderator, who swoops in and, e.g., moves comments to another board, or gives someone warnings for ad hominem attacks. I’ve seen this happen, constantly, w/i minutes of the posting of the comment, _24_ hours of the day. (I have weird schedules.) Do they ever sleep? What kind of requirements are required, anyway? Have x thousand postings? Leap tall buildings in a single bound? Receive the chrism from Cecil? (I always want to say “chrism.”) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/2 "2010-01-14T01:10:33Z")
Moved from General Questions to About This Message Board. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/3 "2010-01-14T01:11:57Z")
Can’t speak for the SDMB. I’ve visited other boards for 20 years. I ran my own dial up BBS in the late 80’s. Mods like to invite someone to serve. They watch postings and get an idea of character and how well someone interacts within the board community. Most places I’ve visited it’s a no-no to pester the mods about becoming one yourself. \*_sorry_ didn’t realize this was moving out of GQ ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/4 "2010-01-14T01:15:18Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Now that I’ve been on the SDMB for a while, I’ve seen the hand of the moderator, who swoops in and, e.g., moves comments to another board, or gives someone warnings for ad hominem attacks. > > I’ve seen this happen, constantly, w/i minutes of the posting of the comment, _24_ hours of the day. (I have weird schedules.) > > Do they ever sleep? What kind of requirements are required, anyway? > > Have x thousand postings? Leap tall buildings in a single bound? Receive the chrism from Cecil? (I always want to say “chrism.”) Nah. Sleep is for wussies. Please notice: **Gfactor** who moved your _incorrectly posted post_, took 12 minutes to move this one. He’s in _big trouble_. This is below our currently expected standards and will result in some arcane form of torture. He should be back moderating within a few weeks. ---
**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:** [January 14, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/5 "2010-01-14T01:18:13Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Nah. Sleep is for wussies. > > Please notice: **Gfactor** who moved your _incorrectly posted post_, took 12 minutes to move this one. He’s in _big trouble_. This is below our currently expected standards and will result in some arcane form of torture. He should be back moderating within a few weeks. Damn it-it was _my_ turn on the rack! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/6 "2010-01-14T01:33:40Z")
To actually answer the OP’s question on how to become a Moderator: e-mail TubaDiva for an application form and details. Many, many more people apply than are accepted, as the requirements are high. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/7 "2010-01-14T02:29:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Damn it-it was _my_ turn on the rack! You were supposed to be in the stock this week, in tight bonds. (Dammit, since **Manhattan** left, we haven’t had a Mod. with expertise in stocks and bonds!) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/8 "2010-01-14T02:30:16Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > To actually answer the OP’s question on how to become a Moderator: e-mail TubaDiva for an application form and details. Many, many more people apply than are accepted, as the requirements are high. Sheesh! You’d think from all of the posts in ATMB, the requirements are pretty low. Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/9 "2010-01-14T02:32:09Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You were supposed to be in the stock this week, in tight bonds. (Dammit, since **Manhattan** left, we haven’t had a Mod. with expertise in stocks and bonds!) Ten days on the rack for that one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/10 "2010-01-14T02:40:53Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You were supposed to be in the stock this week, in tight bonds. (Dammit, since **Manhattan** left, we haven’t had a Mod. with expertise in stocks and bonds!) He was a Mod? I thought he was just a hall monitor. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/11 "2010-01-14T03:29:27Z")
Who’s rack, an’ is she purty? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/12 "2010-01-14T03:31:38Z")
In all seriousness, the Mods do have a few factors that work in their favor. First, mods are people, so the times when the most people are on are also the times when the moderators are most likely to be on. And there is actually some effort made to recruit mods from an assortment of time zones, to make sure the wee hours are well-covered, too. Second, they benefit greatly from mere mortals who use the “report this post” feature: That ends up sending an e-mail to all of the moderators of that forum, and while the moderators are not surfing the Dope for all their waking hours, most of them are in e-mail contact for a sizable portion of that time, so they might just take a couple minutes out from whatever they were doing to move a thread or whatever. Third, while individual mods are officially in charge of specific forums, they all have all of their powers in any forum, and they’re not too territorial. So if, say, a GD moderator happens to be reading GQ and notices something that needs to be dealt with, they can just do it themselves, without having to notify the local authorities. They won’t always do this (they’re assigned to specific forums for a reason, of course), but usually will if it’s obvious what needs to be done, or if it’s something that needs to be taken care of quickly, like squishing a spammer. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/13 "2010-01-14T04:10:21Z")
And I would love to thank the mods for doing it … this has to be the most spam and flamewar free board I have ever seen! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/14 "2010-01-14T04:43:03Z")
Oh, just for the heck of it, I’ll go ahead and throw in a serious answer! To become a mod, just do what **Una** said and email **TubaDiva** to get an application. Generally speaking, they’re looking for people who (a) have spent a bunch of time on the SDMB and understand the culture, (b) have done this before, and © have the patience of Job. As to how we do it, there are several factors operating in our favor. One is sheer numbers. All of the staff members are also regular members who love the boards. We enjoy reading them. There are over a dozen moderators, five admins, and the illustrious **Ed Zotti**. If you post something, it’s likely that one of us will see it anyway. We also span nine time zones and work various shifts. We also have some super-special tools that help us. For example, every time someone creates a new thread in a forum I moderate, I get an email telling me about it. Then I can read the email, evaluate the post, decide if it needs action, go to the thread, and discover that **Marley** took care of it 3 minutes ago. Some of us have lives, but **Marley** is actually a brain in a jar full of caffeine, wired directly to the SDMB database. The big factor, though, is that lovely wonderful “Report This Post” button. If a spammer shows up and posts something obnoxious in one of the forums I moderate, it’s likely that several people will report it within minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/15 "2010-01-14T16:12:03Z")
Can’t believe I’m the first to post the link to [How do you become a mod?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=55501) ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-become-a-sdmb-moderator-how-do-they-do-it/524858/16 "2010-01-14T16:16:59Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > And I would love to thank the mods for doing it … this has to be the most spam and flamewar free board I have ever seen! You’re welcome! 🙂