Being a Chat Room Moderator

While you can mod from anywhere, maintaining peace and harmony among community members requires patience, stamina, and above all, a sense of humor.

Have you ever visited a community web site that had a chat room or a message board? Almost every community site has a chat room these days, and they're not exclusive. Chat rooms have been around a very long time, and you can access thousands of them through IRC (Internet Relay Chat). Some rooms are free-for-all where you can express whatever you want, get rowdy, be silly. Other rooms have a set topic that you must stick to. This is where the moderator comes in.

The moderator, or "mod" as they are sometimes called, has the daunting task of making sure everyone in the room is obeying the site's guidelines. They play Host, greeting anyone who comes in, saying goodbye to those who are leaving, answering questions when needed, and helping the members or visitors find their way around the site. Message boards allow members to communicate throughout the day, leaving messages and discussing a variety of topics. These also need to be moderated for advertising, inappropriate posts or links, and other disruptive behavior.

"... be tolerant and respectful, encouraging members and new visitors to come back to the site and voice their opinions, no matter how much you might disagree ... "

In the early days of the Internet, moderators were all volunteers. Today, many sites still have volunteer mods, but the trend is switching to hiring people to host rooms full or part time. The Internet is a 24-hour a day place, and some sites need full time coverage because they are highly interactive and rely on community. Thus, a new job description has been created.

I hosted chats and message boards full time for over a year, working with Blue Barn Interactive. Blue Barn trains and places moderators on assignments to sites such as Martha Stewart, Dreamlife, A&E, CTW, and Office.com. I also hosted chat rooms on IRC servers and on other community sites, as far back as 1994. As the position becomes more demanding and duties are expanded, volunteers find that it is just too much work to do for free. Not every site will want to pay you for your hosting time, but more and more sites are recognizing the need to hire professionals in the field. If you are persistent, you can make a living at moderating.

Moderating appeals to many people because for the most part, it can be done remotely. I hosted all of my rooms and boards from home each day. This is a godsend for parents who want to be home for their children, the disabled who might find it difficult to commute, or those who live in remote areas where there may be no New Media base. Hosting is also appealing because it is fun! Why else would so many people do it for free, right? What's better than to be paid while having a great time communicating with all sorts of people on a variety of topics that interest you?

Not everyone is cut out to be a host, though. It sounds easy, but there are times when your patience is tested and it feels like you're the ringmaster of a three-ring circus. Imagine trying to keep the peace in a room with 20 people in it, all talking at once. If someone violates the guidelines, they need to be warned. If they continue their disruptive behavior, they need to be kicked out of the room. While watching for problems, you also need to be keeping up the topic and chatting. If there is a question, you will need to answer it or let the person know you will find the answer and send it to them after the chat. Visitors will also be coming and going, and you need to greet each and every one. It can get a bit hectic sometimes, but if you can keep your cool in a crowd and organize well, you will have a wonderful time being a host.

There are of course, downsides to hosting. If you get very panicky when a room becomes disruptive, you may have trouble using your authority to calm it down and maintain order. Being the person "in charge" in a room can also make you the "bad guy" to some visitors. Depending on where you're hosting, there can be a considerable amount of resentment from the members at being "babysat." Most of the time, members of a community will be relieved that there is a host to keep order while they enjoy the chat or message board. You might encounter members who will try and make your hosting duties harder for you. There could be times when your nerves get frazzled at having to answer the same question for the 20th time, and sound happy about it, too. It's the little things that mean a lot, as the song goes.

Emergencies may arise if a visitor is depressed or needs help. Always have some support numbers to offer so that the person can get help from a trained professional in that area. Don't try to take care of them yourself. As with any message board, there will be spam to deal with. The conversation could take a turn that you don't personally agree with, but isn't against the guidelines. You need to be tolerant and respectful, encouraging members and new visitors to come back to the site and voice their opinions, no matter how much you might disagree with them.

Chat rooms and message boards are a place where people will feel comfortable sharing information about themselves and their personal lives, but you should be careful of those who share their address, telephone number or other identifying details. Above all, your goal is to create and maintain a fun and safe place to talk about any given topic, and you don't want anyone to be hurt by sharing inappropriate information. If you would not walk up to a stranger and tell them where you live or where your kids go to school, don't do it online.

This is a problem you will see a lot with those who are new to Internet communities. They might scroll a chat screen, TYPE IN ALL CAPS (without realizing that it is considered "shouting"), or not pay attention to the topic. As a host, your job is to be patient and supportive. You were new to the Internet once, too.

Every site has a different flavor, a different theme, and different guidelines. You need to study these carefully and make sure you are performing at the level expected according to the site and its representation. Although it may seem like a day at the beach to work from home, don't forget that it is work, and you are being paid. Take it as seriously as any other job and always act professionally. Don't take insults or complaints from members personally. Be a team player and support your fellow hosts. Above all, have a good time! Moderating isn't about having power over others, it's about fostering open communication and respect. If you are a people person and enjoy interaction in diverse groups, this is a great job for you!

Maureen Bothe is the community manager for Razzberry.com and former host for chats and boards at MarthaStewart, A&E Mysteries, Dreamlife and Office.com. She is currently seeking therapy for a recurring Hanson addiction.

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