Liz Crocker , a Boston University graduate educatee in ethnical anthropology , spends a lot of metre on reddit . She ’s one of 12 moderators for the 9.8 - million contributor / r / science , the main science subreddit . Crocker has been moderating / gas constant / sciencefor about a year and a half , and she also deals with the pages / r / EverythingScience,/r / BadSocialScience,/r / Anthropology , and / r / AskAnthropology . She spoke toTech Insiderabout what it takes to be the moderator of a major reddit page . Here are a few thing we get a line about the behind - the - scenes globe of the site :
1. SOMETIMES, BECOMING A MODERATOR REQUIRES A JOB APPLICATION.
2. MODERATORS ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NSFW COMMENTS.
During one recentAMA , she had to cancel doubtfulness lobbed at a biological anthropology professor about pubic whisker and bad . Any user can ease up a comment for moderation , but Crocker endeavor to get to the worst I before the AMA host has to see them .
3. THERE’S A BOT THAT SEARCHES FORSTAR WARSSPOILERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
Reddit has an “ automoderator ” that can filtrate out understandably off - subject or inappropriate message . Star Warsspoilers , for instance , mechanically get removed . So do links to specific domains — like porn website and web site known for crying pseudoscience .
4. MODERATORS HAVE AN ARMY OF HELPERS.
Crocker is one of 12 full - time /r / scientific discipline mods ( admit a lead moderator who heads the squad ) , but there are about 900 other part - prison term comment moderators who keep a lookout for assault , though they ca n’t make alteration to the internet site .
5. OFTEN, MODERATORS SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE SITE . . .
" It ’s something I do in between things , like waiting for a class or a meeting to start , " she tells Tech Insider . " It ’s always in the background . " She does a lot of the work while on public transportation .
6. . . . BUT THEY AREN’T PAID.
All subreddit moderators are volunteers , and ca n’t accept any recompense for their work . It ’s a labour of love , and moderators are able to take time aside when their schedules require it .
[ h / tonne : Tech Insider ]
