Asking for payment for moderating a Facebook group?!

I am admin on one FB group and a moderator (one of several) on two others.

All are fairly busy but no way am I going to die of overwork running them. To ask for cash for doing the job is CF of the first water.

I wouldn't dream of asking for a donation of any kind for being an admin on a FB group, nor for running a forum.
Both of which I do. I would be less than impressed if any of the mods of my group and forum asked for donations too.

I think I'm in this one too, there was a big spat today which I'm annoyed I've missed. I'm only still in it for how horrible one particular admin is to people.

I’d of left the second they crossed my errr ethical red line in that case, not over the coffee fund.

I’m waiting for the admin of my local community group to do this. She’s already quite shady, she posts a lot, always on behalf of “someone that has contacted me wanting to remain anonymous” asking for kitchen appliances, furniture, food, clothes, etc and shoots down or deletes any comments that guide the “anonymous poster” to official charities or local community facilities that could help them out.

I can imagine her next natural step will be to start rattling a tip jar. She’s doesn’t work and is always going on about how much time and effort it takes to moderate the group. She won’t accept any offers of free help though.

Interestingly I’m in another FB group she’s in, and she’s like a meek little mouse in that, often talking about how shy and lonely she is and her terrible mental health.

Yet in the group she moderates she’s vile, the epitome of that saying about giving someone some power to see their true character.

Shw reminds me a bit of that Jack Monroe.

There is a gentle parenting group that does this. Im no longer on it but I did find it strange most of the advice came from other members. I am sure the admins do a lot behind the scenes but i thought the coffee thing was a bit strange.

I have not seen this yet but I used to be a moderator in another group and it was a lot of work. At least one hour a day and often more. I gave up after 2 years

I’d agree with you there certainly. It’s a big no no for me when SM influences use their children for income.

Sounds like they are trying to make a living out of it. And so what if they are?

I saw this today on a big FB group. The group admins provide advice for free to people who ask but the group also seems to be a key way of the admins selling products (one of them even posted something yesterday saying that they found it annoying to give free advice to people who had bought items from other retailers). I don't think you can have it both ways to be fair - they must make sales as a result of the FB group and it's their choice to provide free advice. They could refuse to do so but clearly it helps them sell stuff. I imagine the group boosts their sales fairly significantly as they are small independent retailers selling products that can be expensive and do not necessarily have mass market appeal. But equally, no one has to buy the coffee...

I’ve spent hours and hours this week adminning my group through a difficult situation.
people argue the toss and treat you as a public resource they are entitled to.

The tip jar might help people remember the page functions as it does because someone has put time and effort into making it.

You may be a really low maintenance member, but the experience you get is almost certainly facilitated by someone managing the higher maintenance members!

lol I admin a 63k rugby group. It’s a public one as well, it takes a lot of time over big rugby competitions but there’s always daily stuff to do, but no, we don’t ask for tips or coffee 🤣

But parents will turn up with gifts for Brown Owl at Christmas or after camp etc as a thank you...

Putting the tip jar there as an option just gives you the option

Ultimately it's their group, not yours, they can do what they like with it and if you don't like it... don't play, leave the group, whatever.

I mod/admin some groups for free, some groups are paid membership, some are free but theres the option of tipping or joining a sub-group, I've also been paid to moderate forums in the past (when it was pretty much unheard of for anyone to be paid for that).

Some groups take a hell of a lot of effort to run and some don't - but it is up to you, the person potentially paying, to decide if you want to take part or not.

I don't think it is cheeky to ask for tips, even if they get other freebies. Most freebies do not equate to cash that covers the hours they put in.

I think its probably more cheeky to make use of other peoples time and effort and then bitch and moan that they're asking for financial support.

it’s cheeky as!

no way would i pay and to be honest if prob leave group if i saw thst

kost groups im on have those moderators who simply love the kudos!

if they don’t want to volunteer i’m sure there are loads of people who’d volunteer to do it

these moderators do it by choice, no one forced them and in a group with good reputation someone would take it on

to previous poster gaining £300, that’s seriously taking the piss if it’s a community group

People are giving their time for the benefit of others. If those people feel appreciated and valued the group will be run better. It’s not compulsory. If you don’t want to tip, then don’t. But don’t be annoyed that they are putting the option out there to make it more worth their time.

And mine too! Can't get my head around the idea of sending drinks to random strangers.

Plenty of jobs some people do for free as volunteering, others get paid to do...

Moderation a large group is hugely time consuming. Sticking a link out and saying "if you wanna throw me a few quid, I'd appreciate it" isn't cheeky. They could say "right, this group is going to become paid membership, sign up here by X date or you'll be kicked" but that's not what they are doing.

I'd agree on both counts! But what makes a job "volunteer work"? Why can't volunteer work become paid work? And why is it rude to want to make that change?