Every quarter ICUC hosts a month long series dedicated to one topic in the social media space. This month we are featuring Moderation Month, and dedicating ourselves to educating the online community about the ins-and outs of moderation services, what they are, how they effect your brand and strategy, as well as providing some real life stories and interviews. We hope you’ll stay tuned throughout the month, and take away a few new ideas, tips and examples of success.
So you want to be a moderation specialist? You spend half your time on Facebook and reading news articles anyway, so might as well., right? Work from home when you feel like it, sit around in pajamas, do your laundry, look after the kids, and get paid by someone while you do it, right? Sounds like a dream job!
Wrong!
Well yes, you do get to work from home, but that’s where things get interesting, and tricky, sometimes difficult.
What a moderation specialist does includes the following:
- A moderation specialist keeps an eye on content on a website, for example Facebook or a news website, and takes action when it’s needed to ensure that the content on the site remains appropriate, according to the moderation guidelines. The moderator makes a decision on each piece of content to determine whether it is within the moderation guidelines or not.
- Reviews abuse reports. Users can click a Report Abuse link to tell moderation specialist that a post may be inappropriate. This could include inappropriate language, spam, attacks on other users, of other violation of the guidelines. The moderator has to decide whether the post is appropriate or not.
What you need to be a moderation specialist - the basics:
- A reliable computer and a reliable internet connection.
- Know how to use a computer and have basic computer troubleshooting skills.
- A quiet place to work.
- A backup plan for computer or internet failure.
What you need to be a moderation specialist - you:
- Fast reader with above average comprehension skills.
- Organized, especially with computer folders and bookmarks.
- Able to make quick and accurate decisions.
- Depending on what site you are moderating, you may require specific interests i.e. love cars.
- Reliable – your work will be scheduled, and you need to show up on time, every time.
- Flexibility -the internet is on 24/7/365. moderation specialist may have to be available on non prime-time shifts.
- Multiple languages – knowing two or more languages increase your opportunity of getting a moderation job.
- Ability to put aside personal ideologies and preferences so you can moderate according to the client’s guidelines, not yours.
- Patience – trolls are always out to get you. It’s a war you can’t win, so you need to take it in stride.
- A thick skin – Content can get dirty, or or even personal against a moderation specialist. You can’t take it personally or let it affect you. Read it and forget it!
- Impartial – You can’t have a vested interest in any comments or posts on the site you are moderating, or take any comments personally. You can’t let your political or religious beliefs affect moderation. You can’t let sad stories get you down. It’s just words on a page.
- Be a team player – although you are working from home, you are part of a moderation team that need to work together.
While the job of a moderation specialist can be a satisfying one for many, it is not for everyone. If you are overly sensitive to rude, mean and even vicious commentary, or let things get under your skin, don’t even think about being a comment moderator, especially on a news website. Being a moderation specialist can fall into the category of “Dirtiest Web Jobs”. Know what you are getting into before deciding to become one!
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