Grace Note http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e1b643b1cabd740a5f4580f365b21407?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Grace Note asked: In your opinion, what do moderators do?
mateo_salta http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/adf708efd8e843f270c3a6f2935e8368?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG mateo_salta answered: Handle the exceptions.
Anna Lear http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/8fac59804fcd73fcce38586ea20ef861?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Anna Lear asked for clarification: Can you expand on that? What kind of exceptions do you think moderators deal with?
mateo_salta http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/adf708efd8e843f270c3a6f2935e8368?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG mateo_salta responded: Suspicious voting, destructive actions that sometimes occur, and then the everyday tasks as handling flags
Journeyman Geek http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e88cb2b3858ca0df735806f1a8476b23?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Journeyman Geek responded to Anna Lear: To an extent, Not an answers, spam, and so on. I believe moderators are an extention of the community, so in general, to me, there's suprisingly few situations I consider an exception. One situation I can think of, and have encountered before, is a user who had just gotten, say editing powers, and goes overboard removing a pet peeve of his. Another might be an intentionally abusive or disruptive user
FEichinger http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/b3c95705dadc56ae2010baf4c122bbad?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG FEichinger answered: That's a question I believe I have partially answered on the nominations already. Moderators should guide the community and support it (and keep it in check a bit), not lead it. A moderator should, in my opinion, mostly act on behalf of the community.
Amith KK http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/17f955dcc67792f420f47dc6471d376a?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Amith KK answered: Moderators help the community handle some exceptions. Like when a user goes rouge or when a user starts using unfair methods to gain rep
Luis Alvarado http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/8d85f84b3c0241ebca2eee5a2552014f?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Luis Alvarado answered: They are the neutral exceptional error handlers. They solve problems which need a "referee" to solve or find an answer. Apart from this the help the site by cleaning, merging and guiding the community. How much time do you have to devote to janitorial tasks? - Well I actually have a lot to spare right now. Normally I dedicate about 4 hours a day (divided of course in 15 to 20 minute pieces).
ObsessiveSSOℲ http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/3d29d26e0b6452a8732390472f59a7b4?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG ObsessiveSSOℲ answered: IMO moderation is a task for keeping a site functioning, akin to the Pipeworks workers and electricians in The City of Ember, or other books of the sort. There is little fun downtime, and one's day is spent reviewing flags, and staying within the NDA. This job requires impartiality, maturity, and time. Also, lots and lots of manual labor.
RolandiXor http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/d629b6ac45d58dbd918c0246b364748d?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG RolandiXor answered: Apart from ruling with an iron fist (just kidding, my fists are titanium :), moderators are here to take care of the less glamorous tasks that may come up on the site, such as turning answers into comments, driving off trolls and spammers, helping users who have lost their way, and in general - doing a lot of behind the scenes work to both keep the peace and the smoothness of the community.
jokerdino http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/8bfa3d624cdb4f087d8d8ffcaf786315?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG jokerdino answered: IMO, Moderators act as the human exception handler, handling flags and doing janitorial work.
Journeyman Geek http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e88cb2b3858ca0df735806f1a8476b23?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG Journeyman Geek answered: Pretty much the same as high rep users. To some extent, flags are a way to speed up the process, but they guide the community, preferably through gentle nudging. I'm a firm believer in soft power over hard power