All about Mods

eyewire for science, for science, for science blue, ForScience black on light blue

If you like to chat in Eyewire, you have probably come into contact with some of our friendly moderators, or “Mods” as the kids are calling them these days.

Moderators help keep the peace in Eyewire chat, making sure our players are treating one another with respect.  If a player cannot be respectful and follow the rules in chat, a mod will kindly show them the door.

Mods can usually be identified by their purple Mod color.  Some Mods choose to use a different color, but still remain at Mod status.  Mod status is listed in a player’s profile.  If you are unsure if a player is a Mod, click their profile to check.

When Mods spot inappropriate behavior, they will first issue a warning to the player who is misbehaving.  If the player ignores this warning the mod will take further action, such as muting the player so they can no longer talk in chat.  In rare cases, such as a player using hate speech in their chat messages, a Mod may mute without issuing a warning first.

Here are some examples of inappropriate behavior that would require a mod to step in:

  • Swearing in chat
  • Using racist/sexist/homophobic slurs
  • Talking about or linking to sexually graphic, violent or illegal subject matter
  • Signing up with a username that contains any of the above violations of appropriate content
  • Spamming the chat — flooding the chat with the same repetitive word or phrase
  • Purposely insulting or bullying another player

Eyewire is an all-ages, educational site, so Mods make sure it’s a safe and friendly environment for everyone present.  Players can receive Mod status once they have become established and trusted players in the Eyewire community.  We require all players to be at least 16 years of age to receive Mod status.

Besides monitoring the chat for misbehavior, mods also offer help to new and/or struggling players.  Mods must learn how to use the nkem_test bot to give quick answers to FAQs from new players.  Here is our most up-to-date list of chat commands, currently available to all players.

Mods should also be familiar with our wiki FAQ list, which is our most comprehensive list of frequently asked questions.

A Mod may wear multiple hats.  In addition to being a Mod, a player may also be a Scout, Scythe or Mentor.

Now you know all the basics of Moderating!  Players who are promoted to Mod status will receive even more detailed instructions including some Mod-only information.  If you are interested in becoming a Mod, you may request this status here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.