Interview: Adult Chat Line Moderator & How Chatlines Work

A Tell-All Interview with a Moderator for Adult Dating Chat Line

The online dating industry is currently boasting millions of users making it the most popular way to find love, a potential partner or new connection.

As users explore dating sites and dating apps amidst lonely days and nights, some people are actually working behind the scenes. They are referred to as the chat line dating phone moderators or simply, chat line moderators.

It has become one of our objectives to determine what chat line moderators do and how they perform their job. And after a series of laborious search and some amount of convincing, we’ve finally managed to sit down with a chat line moderator for a tell-all and no-holds-barred interview.

We’ve decided not to reveal his real name in order to protect his identity and the chat line company that he represents.

This interview has greatly satisfied our curiosity and enabled us to dig deeper into the roles of chat line moderators within the adult chat lines. Here’s the entire flow of our interview with moderator Chris.

Q: How long have you been working as a chat line moderator?

A: I’ve been working as a chat line moderator for over a year now. I initially started as a part-time chat line moderator wherein I only had to fill in 4 hours per day.

I was working from home back then which lasted for about 6 months. Now, I’m currently on full-time status filling in 8 hours per day for almost 7 months. I’m also office-based which entitles me to a better hourly rate.

Q: How would you describe your job as a moderator for phone dating chat lines?

A: It’s comparable to the job of a technical support staff or service representative. We are expected to be calm and professional when dealing with the callers’ concerns and complaints.

Compared to other forms of tech support jobs, it’s actually more exciting because the situations we’re dealing with are more on a personal level. It’s quite rewarding to be in an industry that connects people who can become lovers or even life partners later on.

Q: How did you get into this line of work?

A: It’s through a friend of mine whom I used to work with at a customer service call center. I needed a part time job to cover some of my expenses. I still had a few months until I graduate from the university back then. And, I was looking for an alternative source of income that would allow me to work on flexible hours.

So I applied as a chat line moderator with my friend’s recommendation and committed at least 4 hours for 4-5 days a week. Eventually, I was offered a full-time and in-house position and the rest is history.

Q: How would you describe your income as a chat line moderator?

A: I get paid decently since I shifted to a full-time position. The average starting rate per hour for a full-time position is $14 which can go as low as $12 and as high as $17 depending on what chat line company you’re working for and your scope of responsibilities. Experience and skills are major advantages.

Those who have to work on graveyard shifts have night-shift differentials which could be a plus factor. Part-time positions have varying rates per hour, usually between $8 and $10; and those who work from home on a part-time time basis with flexible hours get paid around $6 to $8 per hour.

Q: What do you think are the reasons that draw people to call the chat lines?

A: It’s the personal gratification of phone dating, new interaction and adult entertainment that draw people to call the chat lines. Some are lonely and just need someone to talk to; while there are some who are simply bored and need a quick boost.

Still, a lot of callers are looking for someone to flirt with or have romantic connections with. It’s usually the excitement of talking to someone that brings out the hopeless romantic in every caller. Chat lines create an illusion that you’re talking to someone that perfectly meets your criteria for a dream date.

Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception about the chat lines?

A: A lot of people think that chat lines are intended only for adult entertainment and phone sex which is wrong. Chat lines are actually social platforms that allow singles to interact with each other to develop new friendships and establish new connections. Romance could just be a bonus factor since a lot could unfold with every conversation.

Still, chat lines are more wholesome than you think. A lot of callers could actually be lonely individuals who just need someone to talk to or busy career people who have no time to make new acquaintances.

So basically, chat lines are for everyone and cover a wide range of scope in terms of social interaction.

Q: What are the chances of finding romance within the chat lines?

A: Assuming that you have two options. One is you have to go to a bar or cafe and approach that stranger who’s giving you the side glance. And second, you have to call the chat lines and invite a stranger to have a private conversation with you.

The odds for romance are just about the same. Either way, you’ll need to work your way gradually to test the waters and see if it works.

We could all agree that romance is a trial and error process. It’s all in the chemistry whether two people would click together or clash down. So why risk exposing yourself in public places to search for love when you can do it privately.

Communication is a major determinant of compatibility. And that makes chat lines safer and more convenient options if you want to try your luck at romance.

Q: Do you monitor conversations within the chat lines?

A: We don’t monitor the conversations within the chat lines but rather we keep the chat line environment pleasant and conducive for healthy social interaction. We cannot watch over the callers or filter their conversations all time time.

However, we can always call the attention of unruly and offensive callers who are causing trouble. We also don’t encourage obscene language and profanity within the public bounds of the chat line. If both parties are amenable to do the dirty talking and erotic stuff, they have to talk in private.

Over all, our main responsibilities are to maintain the chat line environment, make sure that the callers are able to connect with their preferred caller, and to act on their complaints and reports.

We also review the behavior and history of reported callers to determine if they should be blocked from the chat lines or be given a suitable warning. Lastly, we perform a deliberation of suspended accounts.

Q: Have you actually tried listening to private conversations?

A: No. Private conversations are intended to be private. We have no further control once two callers start to talk privately. This is also the reason why we advise callers to engage in private conversations only with the ones that they are comfortable with.

More than that, we try to maintain a decent and mature chat line environment wherein everyone is expected to behave rationally just like how an adult should.

Basically, anything goes within the private conversations. And as moderators, we cannot anticipate unpleasant situations. But then again, that’s exactly what makes our job-relevant.

Callers can always reach out to us 24/7 to report offensive callers and file complaints if they feel that they’ve been violated by a certain caller.

Q: What is your opinion about callers who engage in phone sex?

A: Phone sex is a mature decision. It is also a form of adult entertainment and it’s acceptable within the chat lines as long as it’s done privately. That’s how I choose to view it because we know for a fact that chat lines are designed for adults.

And it’s legal for adults to engage in sexual activities including phone sex. As long as it’s amenable to both parties and 100% consensual, there’s nothing wrong about doing it in private.

Q: What is your personal view about the chat lines?

A: I believe that chat lines are better alternatives to dating apps. They just need proper branding that would generate awareness to the public that they’re not merely for adult entertainment.

Chat lines are intended for social interaction – for making new friends, sharing of interests with others and worthwhile conversations. With the chat lines, people can be less lonely.

No one has to feel alone anymore. They can just dial a chat line number and instantly find someone they can talk to. There are also no judgements because everyone is anonymous.

Q: Do chat lines conform to your personal moral and ethical standards?

A: From a personal point of view, yes. Working as a chat line moderator had been a liberating experience. It enabled me to develop a broader understanding about how technology can significantly influence people, their lifestyle and social interactions.

And by moral and ethical standards, there’s nothing wrong about meeting new people over the phone.

It’s actually much safer than hanging out elsewhere. For me, it’s just like going to a public park filled with strangers and meeting someone who might just turn out to be your new best friend or romantic partner later on.

It all starts with a simple introduction and then one thing could lead to another. There’s nothing immoral about making new connections especially if it fills a void in your life and makes you happy. But then again, I can only speak for myself.

Q: How do you address complaints and reports on offensive callers?

A: We review each case based on the caller’s history and how often he/she has been reported already. The first offense serves as an initial warning. The second offense serves as the final warning.

And the third offense is where we put that caller under review. It’s either we suspend that account for a certain period of time or we completely block it from the system.

Since there are usually 6 moderators per shift, we divide the reports based on level of warning. For repeated cases, we have a deliberation team that determines proper sanction.

We also observe certain rules and guidelines as moderators. One of our objectives is to protect our callers and to maintain a friendly chat line community. For this reason, we try our best to always come up with a just and fair decision every time we deal with a complaint.

Q: How do you moderate the callers?

A: In most cases, I call the attention of callers that I find offensive or unruly within the public sector of the chat line. It doesn’t matter if it’s a male or a female.

It’s my prerogative whether that would serve as a warning or I’ll just let it pass. It usually depends upon the severity of the offense. For me, the reports made by other callers have more bearing compared to my own observations. That’s why I rely mainly on reported cases.

Q: Do you get a lot of complaints and reports about offensive callers?

A: There are some days when I would receive only 3 to 5 reports for the entire shift. I usually get more during night shifts, peak hours and weekends. Reports could go as high as 20 per hour especially when hundreds to thousands of callers are online.

In most cases, it’s usually the men who are being reported as offensive; although I’ve moderated lots of female callers as well. Still, reports are rarely filed against female callers. So it’s usually the men who are always in trouble.

Q: What are the most common reports and complaints that you encounter as a moderator?

A: Usually it’s foul language, threats to privacy and aggression. Callers who don’t ask for consent when dealing with naughty topics and those who are too pushy about having phone sex are also being reported.

Based on my observations, women get easily scared of men with bizarre kinks as well as those who ask them to do and say things they’re uncomfortable with.

Q: What are your thoughts about chat lines being free for women while men are required to pay to continue using the service?

A: This mechanics is essential to maintain the male to female ratio within the chat lines. It is also the best way to achieve a good balance of male and female callers.

In general, males are always expected to pay for dates, right? So if you look at it from that perspective, it only makes sense for men to buy chat line packages to continue chatting with female callers. And besides, it’s a small amount to pay for social interaction with countless callers.

Just like any other company, chat lines require funds for its operations, maintenance and to pay for its moderators. All these are important to keep the chat lines secure and safe for all the callers.

The company also makes use of the profit to pay for the marketing and promotional campaigns that usually attract more callers. This can help in building up a bigger and wider chat line community.

More callers mean more interactions. All these efforts contribute a lot to the quality and diversity of the chat line service.

Recap of the Interview

Chat Line moderator Chris has given us great insights about his job and how chat lines operate behind every call. It enabled us to understand the importance of their responsibilities in keeping the chat line environment safe and secure for each caller.

Chris also explained the most common complaints and reports they encounter within the chat lines as well as the manner in which they address them.

In conclusion, we believe that chat line moderators are essential in maintaining a healthy and pleasant chat line environment. It is through their collective efforts that callers can have the best social experience every time.