[peterburkimsher]

I think it would have to grow (or die) virally. Like GMail in the early days, moderators would get accounts by being invited.

Although there probably is a way to pitch it as a parental control, I think other demographics could enjoy it too. As you say, the moderation basically ensures no creepers or d*ck picks. That will probably encourage more female users to trust the platform, which would certainly help to boost overall numbers.

It could be a means of chatting to strangers, where the moderator chooses 2 people to pair up. That could get interesting. The idea is still pretty half-baked, but I'd like to explore it more, and maybe use it as a testing ground for decentralised chat technology.

For people who are unsure about social norms of chatting to people, such as those with Aspergers, autism spectrum, or who are just plain shy, I think being a moderator would be a great way to learn how to have an ordinary conversation. I'd also want to make the website fully accessible, with text readers for the blind, and automatic language translation so that people can make friends in other countries.