"Think about it like you're a firefighter": Understanding How Reddit Moderators Use the Modqueue

On Reddit, the moderation queue (modqueue) is a primary interface for moderators to review reported content. Despite its central role in Reddit's community-reliant moderation model, little is known about how moderators actually use it in practice. To address this gap, we surveyed 110 moderators, who collectively oversee more than 400 unique subreddits, and asked them about their usage of the modqueue. Modqueue practices vary widely: some moderators approach it as a daily checklist, others as a hub to infer community-wide patterns, and many still find the queue insufficient to inform their moderation decisions. We also identify persistent challenges around review coordination, inconsistent interface signals, and reliance on third-party tools. Taken together, we show the modqueue is neither a one-size-fits-all solution nor sufficient on its own for supporting moderator review. Our work highlights design opportunities for more modular, integrated, and customizable platform infrastructures that better support the diversity of moderator workflows.