So . . . I'm a mod elsewhere on the network, and I'm a huge sci-fi geek (who has less time for reading than I wish I had), so I lurk on SFF a lot. Maybe I can say . . . something (?) about the sort of things mods do behind the scenes. They . . .

- . . . handle flags, which normal users can't see (save their own flags).
- . . . mod message and suspend users, where necessary, usually after a lot of consideration and thought.
- . . . interact with moderators from other sites in mod-only chat rooms, being emissaries for their site and working with others on migrations (bleh - I'm not a fan) an…

These activities *rarely* get talked about. Disciplinary action is kept secret for the privacy of the users involved; nobody wants to shame someone for breaking the rules. Suspensions happen, and then they're over, a thing of the past if everything goes well. Fighting sockpuppets and spammers often involves dealing with [PII](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/pii), and, as per the mod agreement, that information *can not, under any circumstances, be released. Usually, only the PII can conclusively show if two accounts are from the same person, and telling the public about it w…

This also means less time to answer and ask questions, which stinks. Everyone here loves science fiction, fantasy, and related genres, and that includes the moderators. But the workload of helping keep a site about what you love healthy also means you get to write less about what you love. The amount I post went down *drastically* after I became a mod. But that's okay. In most cases, a bunch of people know the answer to a given question (with, of course, some notable exceptions, for some of the toughest questions on site), and having one fewer people answering a specific question isn't a pr…

Here's the thing: That's changed, especially on some of the more active sites. SFF is a large community, with plenty of high-activity regular users. And y'all have to be leaders, too - and some of you obviously *are* leaders. That's what a site *needs* to survive. My personal view - based on experiences across the network - is that a site dies only when it depends on a small cadre of people to keep the community alive. Moderation is, of course, just as important. But if only a handful of people are really keeping enthusiasm and content coming . . . eh, you've got a site on its last legs. SF…

I had the same feelings. You get a lot of power when you become a mod, and I for one was mortified about making a mistake. It's said that student drivers are some of the last dangerous people on the road because they're scared stiff. I had the same sort of fear then, and I stepped gingerly.

Then there's the content withdrawal. :-( Some are lucky if they can keep doing what they love for work or school or whatever. For others, SE is maybe the best way they can explore their passions, and becoming a mod can so easily take that away.

I'm unsure how you're site operates (honestly I don't even know what site you're from) but you seem to say that only mods, or mostly mods see these outbursts from people based on actions taking. But the only place I can think of where a mod might see it where a community member couldn't is in a mod message (please do enlighten me if there are others).

As for comments on posts, as (one of) the most active reviewers on the site, I'd say I see far more of that "garbage" than you see to claim a user sees, not all that stuff is hidden, and with the invisibility of our mods (and imo absence) I'd…