# What do moderators do (besides...moderating)? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 28, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629 "2013-01-28T18:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/1 "2013-01-28T18:11:55Z")
I know that moderators are supposed to look out for anyone breaking the rules and lock/move threads that are either not suited for their original forum or are not appropriate at all, but what else do they have to do? Do they have quotas? Do they have any specific requirements like, “You must keep your post per day at least at a 1.50,” or, “You must monitor 500 threads over the course of one month.” Just curious to know. Moderators’ answers are preferred. Also, a side question: what’s the difference between an administrator and a moderator? What extra duties does an administrator have? Do any of you get paid? Thank you for your time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/2 "2013-01-28T18:24:32Z")
I do believe one of the responsibilities of the most junior moderator is polishing the jackboots of the senior mods. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/3 "2013-01-28T18:28:01Z")
No, there are not quotas. We’re expected to stay involved with the board and mod when we can, but there are no specific requirements on our post count or activity. We all have different demands on our time and some forums get more posts than others. > [@Anonymous User](#): > > Also, a side question: what’s the difference between an administrator and a moderator? What extra duties does an administrator have? The admins have some extra capabilities: we can merge accounts and ban IP addresses and email domains, for example. We can make other people moderators. In the event of a water landing, an admin can be used as a flotation device whereas a moderator is shark bait. > [@](#): > > Do any of you get paid? No. We get free subscriptions to the board and when possible we get a Straight Dope staff coffee mug, but we’re not paid. **TubaDiva** does some additional work on the Straight Dope homepage and I think she is compensated for that. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/4 "2013-01-28T18:32:57Z")
Thanks **Marley23** for your time to explain what you moderators/administrators do. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/5 "2013-01-28T19:18:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I do believe one of the responsibilities of the most junior moderator is polishing the jackboots of the senior mods. That, and they have to muck out the hamster cages. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/6 "2013-01-28T19:22:16Z")
Don’t they get first crack at the goat(s) and squid(s)? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/7 "2013-01-28T19:23:34Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > What extra duties does an administrator have? Do any of you get paid? I bet I’m not the only one who first read that as “get laid” being an extra duty. Mind in the gutter and all that. ---
**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 28, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/8 "2013-01-28T19:24:37Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Don’t they get first crack at the goat(s) and squid(s)? _Get??_ ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/9 "2013-01-28T19:25:39Z")
I was under the impression that moderators were kept in cold storage, only to be activated when the ‘report’ button was pressed. Is this not the case? ---
**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 28, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/10 "2013-01-28T20:00:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > In the event of a water landing, an admin can be used as a flotation device whereas a moderator is shark bait. Not me. I’m top free! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/11 "2013-01-28T21:59:34Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Not me. I’m top free! As in topless? Are you your own Mae West? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/12 "2013-01-28T22:11:58Z")
[Obey](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTLwiccIOxIjMYYnaA) . ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/13 "2013-01-30T12:24:58Z")
Well, I also sort and handle Cecil’s mail, going through all the emails and sorting them into categories: (a) idiotic, (b) already answered by Cecil (I try to reply with a link), © readily answered elsewhere (I try to reply with some guidance), (d) more suitable to the SDMB (I direct them here), and (e) candidates for Cecil’s consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/14 "2013-01-30T16:08:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > In the event of a water landing, an admin can be used as a flotation device whereas a moderator is shark bait. If only they would _stop thrashing around so much_. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/15 "2013-01-30T21:55:19Z")
I’m in charge of biting people and vivisection when we need to test our newest prototype of the Telezapper. We’ve still got a few bugs that need to be worked out. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/16 "2013-01-30T22:18:51Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Well, I also sort and handle Cecil’s mail, going through all the emails and sorting them into categories: (a) idiotic, (b) already answered by Cecil (I try to reply with a link), (c) readily answered elsewhere (I try to reply with some guidance), (d) more suitable to the SDMB (I direct them here), and (e) candidates for Cecil’s consideration. Personally, I’d like to see a compilation of some of the more idiotic or weird questions that Cecil gets. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/17 "2013-01-30T22:27:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > In the event of a water landing, an admin can be used as a flotation device whereas a moderator is shark bait. Am I the only one who read that as “snark bait”? Maybe I need to use a different font. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/18 "2013-01-30T22:44:27Z")
How much time do you guys usually spend on any given week? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/19 "2013-01-30T22:52:46Z")
Just curious. Do former moderators who remain members get to keep their perks like free membership? I don’t begrudge them if they do. They’ve put their service into this board and deserve some reward for what is a voluntary and often thankless task. ---
**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 30, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629/20 "2013-01-30T22:54:29Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Just curious. Do former moderators who remain members get to keep their perks like free membership? I don’t begrudge them if they do. They’ve put their service into this board and deserve some reward for what is a voluntary and often thankless task. We do get free membership. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-moderators-do-besides-moderating/648629.md?page=2)