[Dailydrool] What Do Mods Do?

[Sandi Wittenberg]

I have received several emails in the last few days asking me "what exactly
do the Mods do?"  So, I thought maybe it would be helpful for everyone to
know.

1.	Before any posts are posted to the archives or digest, a mod has to
check the post.  This involves checking the size of the post, reading the
post and then acting on the posting.  If the Mods aren't working, then no
posts go through!
		
2.	Four options are available for "acting" on a post:  Accept - Reject
- Defer - Discard.   Accept is self-explanatory - the post complies with the
Drool rules and is of appropriate size.  Reject - the post does not comply
with drool rules (the most common cause for rejection is size, often because
pictures are attached or an entire digest is included in the post).  If a
post is rejected, the moderator who rejects it includes the reason for
rejecting and usually a suggestion about how to solve the problem.  The
moderator also signs the rejection.  When someone's account has been hacked,
we reject the posts for a week or two, contact the owner of the account and
notify them of the problem..  Discard - This option is used when automated
"out of the office" notices are sent and when repeated SPAM is sent.   If
the SPAM continues the person is De-Drooled (as has recently happened with
the latest SPAM issue).  Defer - this means a post is left for other
Moderators to look at.  When a questionable post comes in, the moderators
leave the post in "deferred" and send a "red flag" notice to all moderators
notifying them that it is a questionable post.  After the majority of the
mods have read the post, we confer and decide how to handle the post.  There
are maybe one or two posts a week that require this action.  If, after
consultation, the mods decide the post must be rejected, one of the
Moderators is assigned to reject the post and write the explanation.
Usually that is either Sandy G. or Suz G. but it could be any of us.
		
3.	The Drool Rules we follow are at this site:
http://www.dailydrool.com/list.html
		
4.	When a post is rejected, the moderators frequently are contacted
(and often not-too-nicely) and we try to help the poster revise the post so
it can be posted.  
		 
While we have all taken a little break over the past few days, it doesn't
mean we haven't been here.  Remember, if we don't approve a post, nothing
goes through.  So for every post you see, know that someone has taken 5
minutes of their time to sign on, sign in, read the posts, and process them.
What we have been doing over the past few days is checking for size of posts
and not content.  Obviously, you can see the results of that in the content
of the SPAM posts.   Fortunately, the posts over the past few days have been
relatively mild and civil, but sometimes they are not.  We can catch
"flaming" in the posts submitted to the drool, but if someone receives
"flames" via personal email as a result of a post on the Drool, we also need
to know that.  Flaming (on or off list) is cause for De-Drooling . and we do
follow through on those complaints when we get them.  Again, the recent
uproar resulted in person(s) being De-Drooled as a result of off-list
flaming.

I hope this helps folks understand what we do . and the WE is an important
part.  No ONE moderator acts alone, it is a collaborative effort to make the
Drool safe, pleasurable and informative for everyone.  There is no POWER in
being a Moderator . just lots of hours and headaches . but all for the love
of bassets.   We are human, we have feelings, we make mistakes and we do our
best.   We have been flamed (heavily) in this last incident and our asbestos
suits are a bit charred.  As we heal our burns and refresh our spirits, we
will each (as individuals) resume our duties . for the love of the bassets
and Drool.

Sandi Wittenberg
Just one of the Moderators  
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