I participate in a number of forums that have system allowed moderators with administrative access to tools to delete or edit any post or thread they feel is not in the best interest of the forum, only to be used when forum guidelines have been violated. The moderators are needed, because much like this forum, the owner(s) of the forum presents their web space as a service to a hobby or sports related mutual interest group of people. The site owner cannot police an open forum by his or her self, they have real world jobs. They entrust a few people to help them keep these forums places that most people might want to view and be participants in by keeping them clean. There wouldn't be a need for the moderators if there wasn't a small segment of the internet populace that consists of trolls and others who's only online presence is to cause disruption. Most of those folks have the mistaken belief that free speech rights pertain to privately owned and run venues, therefore, anarchy should be allowed, and in their minds, be ignored.

And no, I don't have access to administration tools in this forum, I can only delete my own posts, as can any other participant. I will admit that one of the forums that has more of my participation than any other (even this one) identifies the moderators by having their screen name shown in a different color than regular members in every post, and I think that's a pretty good idea.

Bob