Posted by Kim on July 1, 2020, 9:00am
You've likely seen the "request a mod" button in many places across the site. It's on forum posts, inbox conversations, even on character and user profiles. But many people are very hesitant to click it. Some people have even reported feeling very panicky when they accidentally tapped it while viewing a profile on mobile, and write in concerned messages to the mod team begging them not to get the person in trouble because of the accidental click! So today, I wanted to take a look at what the "Request a Mod" link actually does, and dispel some myths about it.First of all -- this link isn't JUST for rule breaking, and clicking it doesn't automatically get anyone in trouble! These are all great reasons to request a mod:
- If you think something has been posted on the wrong, or at least not optimal, forum, and would like a moderator to decide whether it should be moved.
- Did someone post something that makes you concerned for their mental health? You can ask a mod to check on them and see if they are okay.
- Did you accidentally double post? You can request a mod to help you delete your extra post.
- See something that makes you nervous, but you aren't sure whether it's rule breaking or not? Go ahead and report it and the mods will check for you.
- See a post that contains rule breaking, bullying, or other activity that's outside of the spirit of the RP Repository's community? Request a mod!
What if I accidentally click "request a mod" when I don't really need a mod?
No problem! In fact, I encourage everyone to click the "request a mod" link at least once just to see how it works. Merely clicking "Request a mod" doesn't do anything on its own.
To submit a report to the mods, you must describe your concerns to them so they know what to look for. Merely clicking the link will not send in any report to the mods until you complete the extra step of telling us what you want help with. It's totally safe to click the link to see what it does, and nothing bad will happen if you accidentally click on it. Just hit your browser's back button.
I encourage everyone to click the "request a mod" link at least once just to see how it works, and the information you'll be asked to provide to summon mod assistance. You'll feel more comfortable using it if you ever do need it!
Will I be getting someone in trouble?
Requesting a mod doesn't automatically result in a strike on someone's record. Every request is individually reviewed, often by multiple mods. If a rule has actually been broken, that person might experience some kind of consequence (the most common intervention, by far, is an edit of the post, an explanation of the rule and a warning to please not repeat the problem behavior! Bans are rare unless the problem has been repeated many times, or the behavior was particularly egregious.)
But honestly, the majority of the requests that mods get aren't necessarily about rule breaking, they're just requests for help moving things, deleting things or offering some kind of third party mediation when friends have had a falling out. These things don't count as strikes against anyone, they're just part of helping keeping a community running.
Post tags: Feature Explanations
Comments
Thank you for outlining reasons to request a mod on something while explaining this! It helps to eliminate the mental back and forth for some people. 
Thanks for this! I do remember quickly hitting the back arrow as not to get my writing partner in trouble for doing nothing but being awesome! 😉
I'm glad this has been explained. I use 'request a mod' often but yet there was still a touch of mystery. It's such a useful tool and I use it all the time when I see a double post for myself or others! Remember, even if nothing is wrong, the worst that can happen is nothing and thats not bad at all.
Thank you to all the hard working mods who keep RPR clean and safe for everyone. They actually care about the players here and it shows, as does all of their hard work. And thank you for this announcement!
Thank you to all the hard working mods who keep RPR clean and safe for everyone. They actually care about the players here and it shows, as does all of their hard work. And thank you for this announcement!
Please use this feature! We promise it's not a bother.
Flareanthia
July 1, 2020
3:36pm