Moderator

Moderators, basically, are the police force of an Internet forum. They are charged with protecting users from spammers, flamers, and trolls, and keeping order within the forum. Even with their powers, they are not above the rules, and must obey them - as priveleged users, they must set examples for users to follow. The administrator(s) reserve the power to strip any user of their moderator status should the moderator misbehave.

Powers of a moderator

Moderators usually are entrusted with the power to:

• Lock threads, should the discussion veer off topic or break the rules in some way
• Edit posts, to remove inappropriate material
• Move threads from one area to another
• Delete posts or entire threads

Some forums grant the moderator additional abilities. These may include:

• Editing user's profiles, including avatar and signature, to remove inappropriate material
• Banning a user, either temporarily or permanently, from the forums.

Responsibilities of a moderator

With great power comes great reponsibilities. Moderators are expected to:

• Never take sides in flamewars. Flamewars should be locked.
• Help users in need.
• Set an example for others by following the rules.
• Be an active participant of the area(s) they moderate.

How to become a moderator

If you want to be a moderator, there are some steps you can take:

• Uphold the rules at all times.
• Never take part in flamewars.
• Do not ask to be a moderator. This is considered a lust for power, and doing so will tell the administrator(s) that you do NOT deserve said power.
• Be an expert on that particular subject. If the forum is about Pokémon trading cards, being an elite Pokémon TCG will help greatly.
• Use your expertise, helping other users with their problems.
• Be an active member!

Please note that this list is not all-encompassing, and on some forums you have a much greater chance of attaining moderator status on some forums than others.

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