Forums » Smalltalk » AMA - I'm an RPR mod

Any advice for anyone interested in applying to be a mod next time Kim accepts applications?

What's something that users can do that would make mods' lives a teeny bit easier?

E.g. you mentioned earlier that you have to review every single image uploaded to character profiles.. so I assume being sure about which pic I want instead of uploading a ton of them and then changing my mind, and then uploading some more is going reduce that queue a bit?

Anything like that?

Take your time on the answers, and be honest. Some of the questions are very hard, and that's on purpose. These questions are based on real moderation situations that we have encountered in the past (or still do often), and we're looking to see if someone approaches community management the same way that we do. I encountered one question where (at the time), there was no official rule posted anywhere (I spent 20 minutes looking), and so I may have written a small essay out of nerves. I ended up saying, "There is no rule, but this is what I would personally do..." We want to know how you would handle these scenarios, so really think on it and don't rush through the application. If there doesn't seem to be a "right" answer for a question, it's because issues are rarely black and white. Just take it one step at a time and do your best.

Being especially thoughtful is a trait that we look for in particular.

You should also try to get really involved with the community. Get to know us, but also get to know the people around you. This is one of the best ways to show us who you are. It's important to remember that moderators are also members of the site, and being in touch with community members is very good for us, so being willing to engage with others is another big thing!

Try not to sweat it too much if you've been spoken to for minor things in the past. I definitely wrote a friend kudos in trigedasleng one time, totally forgetting they have to be in English and was amused to see it on my record when I became a mod. We do look at records of applicants to see if there are past infractions, and if so, how long ago they were. If you did something small years ago, it's not a huge stumbling block, but obviously try not to add to that record because it does still matter!

I wish you luck if you apply next time!

Just be kind, or at least civil. No one likes to have a conversation when a rule is broken, and I promise you we don't enjoy having to reprimand people. It's all around not a fun time. I know it's hard to respond calmly when you're upset or angered by a correction, but we're not just text on a screen. If you wouldn't yell at a stranger in person, please try not to yell at us on the internet. The Be Nice rule applies to interactions with mods as well.


Don't sweat the volume of images! My discomfort is with some of the content itself, not the number of images we have to review. I'm sorry if I worded that poorly. You go ahead and max out that gallery. Live your best life!

Do you ever have to hand a case/situation over to another mod because it makes you too uncomfortable?

If so, how do you treat yourself for respecting yourself and your boundaries rather than giving into the feeling of failure?

I hope yall don't mind me hopping in to add my thoughts! :>

We do this a lot and it's why we like to have a healthy number of mods on the team with a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. You'll notice that, for example, I'm not the most active of mods on the forums (I do my best!) The team keeps me around, even though my schedule doesn't allow me to be as active daily, because I'm very good at "tanking" sensitive subject matter or stepping in as a pinch hitter when folks are running low on energy.

One thing to keep in mind is that in almost all non-routine mod actions (and many routine ones), the entire team, or a majority of us, have discussed the case and we've chosen the person who we think best to "represent" the team to actually deliver our decisions. But you're rarely speaking to a mod in a vacuum.

We do this both for accountability and so that everyone knows the history of a case if we need to switch up who's handling it.

We are very team oriented and no one on the team is made to feel bad for bowing out of any individual case. If a mod feels like they failed by handing a case to someone else their team members will be the first to remind them that it's not true.

get out of my thread.

(jk jk you're way more eloquent than I am)


I'd like to expand upon this a bit though!

Not only do we have a huge, supportive team that can step up to help out, we also take great care around subjects we know to be troubling. In mod chat, we will frequently use spoilers for potentially triggering or upsetting details, subjects, and images so that people who aren't comfortable with said subjects don't have to be exposed to them. We also use CW for them in many cases or begin the conversation with one so that you know to maybe mute the open cases channel for a little while.

What I said about needing a strong stomach holds true, but if you personally have discomfort for a particular subject, then we will at least accommodate where we're able in discussions, even if we can't do that with the queues.

I won't speak for the team, but there are certain topics that I can't handle on cases unless I'm in a good brain space to begin with. It's not a lot of them, but they do exist. If I'm low on spoons, I can't cope -- and that's okay. There's plenty of other subjects that someone else may not be up for handling that I can wade right into without a second thought. We don't shame each other on this team, and we all try to work to our strengths.

Also, to belatedly expand upon this bit as well from the other side of things:

You can always request a mod change on your case one time if you're uncomfortable speaking to a particular mod for whatever reason, and someone else will take over. You can also block mods (though you can't use this to avoid disciplinary actions by blocking all of us), and we will no longer act as a point of contact with you moving forward. We will most often still be contributing to the discussion about your case, however. You shouldn't expect to get different answers from your newly assigned moderator because as Ben said, these are decisions that we've made as a team.

Great additions!