The Best Mods do a daily sweep of posts, editing and deleting where necessary; the word necessary a term of skill.
It is not the posts she doesn't agree with, nor the sour attitude of the poster; it is those which attack others, spew hate and are irrelevant to the topic.
The Message Board's survival is the purpose of a Mod's actions. Anything that threatens the Message Board's survival must be instantly dealt with; not wait and see.
Users of Message Boards rarely announce their arrival and almost never, their departure. They happen by, glance at the threads, chose to leave or take a read.
If the "front page" is full of unwelcoming threads, a potential user will not stop. If the headings seem interesting, there will be a read.
If the posts in the thread are gross or stupid, the visitor will leave.
If posts are clever, interesting and thoughtful, the Visitor might join and add to them. Hence what appears on those first threads is of vital importance. For example, if the first threads on a Woman's Message Board concern anal sex, the average visitor will leave. The assumption is that this is one of "those sex" Message Boards she is not interested in joining. Men, interested in anal sex will google, find the address and arrive, hoping this is one "those" Message Boards, and dive right in. If it is one of "those" Message Boards, then fine. If this was not meant to be one of "those" then the Mod has proven useless. Continuing with the example, if this Women's Message Board is not a "sex" site, then posts concerning anal sex should be moved to a private area, invisible to the Visitor or deleted.
This is not a "Freedom of Speech" issue. This is a relevance issue. Relevance trumps freedom of speech.
In simple language, 'post what you want, but not here.'
The best Mods develop the ability to recognise Trolls at virtual log in. They accost the Troll in a public forum and ask; "Why have you joined this message board?" If the Troll responds with unprintables then it's a click of a key. If the answer seems valid, then the next response might concern a post, i.e. "This forum is dedicated to Teddy Bears, a post on dildos does not belongs here. Would you kindly erase it, or should I?" At this point the Troll might get the hint that he's being watched and become silent, log off, or behave. If he plays the Freedom of Speech card, he is banned. Mods know those who are so vociferous about their Freedom of Speech wish to deny it to others.
Having an endless list of rules and regulations creates a Message Board in which most of the discussion concerns the rules and regulations.
'Making it up as you go along' might seem unprofessional, but on Message Boards it is the most efficient.
Sometimes two posters get into it, and a Mod might sit back and let them continue, for there is a chance of synthesis. If the argument descends into abuse, the thread can be closed.
Posters make a message board. The right kind of posters create a lively living world. The wrong kind close it.
Once a Message Board reaches stagnation, it is virtually impossible to revive it. Acting decisively before the best posters depart is the hallmark of a good Mod.
