What’s happened with ATS or is it just me?

The election certainly changed the face of ATS. I expected it to change back afterward but it hasn't seemed to. I guess that is why I am trying to spend some time on BTS now. Although, the lower traffic level on BTS is hard to adjust to. I like the instant gratification you get on ATS. It only takes a minute or two to get a response to a post on there. Here, it seems to take all night.

I think the quality has been going down lately. From what I have seen a large portion of posts are nothing more than trolling attempts. What used to be a board filled with members who could disagree in a constructive way has degraded to the point where it's difficult to find a thread that doesn't have one or two posters in it doing nothing more than name-calling, intentionally trying to push someone else's buttons, or posting in a thread merely to say the thread was a waste of their time. Now really what is the point in that? Why take the time to post if all you have to say is the thread is a waste of time?

While I understand we cannot control what anyone else posts, nor would I want to since the posts I disagree with at least get me thinking sometimes, something needs to be done about the number of pure trolls we have attracted lately. Speaking of which, do we have a specific troll policy? Looked through the T&C and didn't see anything specific to trolling... I'm aware of the alert button on posts, but I hate to push it without being certain that what I consider trolling is something that is specified as being out of bounds by one of the policies. Hate to call foul where there technically isn't one, well that and I'm hesitant to push that alert button anyway.

I have to agree with the op I hope no one take this the wrong way but I think when the word got out that Robbie w was a member it’s possible that some people joined ATS hoping to run across him. Also the blossom godchild thing brought forth a lot. No offence to Robbie.
Before I joined ATS I had a look at other conspiracies sites and to be honest they weren’t up to much.
I was going to give up until my son sent me a link to ATS. I was blown away by the standard as there were so many quality post, no matter what topic you were interested in you would always find something on recent post.
Now when I look at recent post there’s quantity not quality it’s almost as if people from the sites that I wasn’t interested in have left it to come to ATS and brought the mentality with them. At least I have my favourite’s threads to fall back on.
I have to agree with who ever said we should send u2u’s to the member who’s done a great thread t

The bottom line is your asking for some form of higher censorship, which we assuredly do not need. I think this place has been a bit too tough on certain threads, and leaving the real garbage ones to thrive.

It all started with that WASPS ARE SURVEILLANCE ROBOTS thread, or at least around that time. I might come here about half the time I used to simply for that reason. We need a forum called "Garbage" so when people have their threads moved there, they know not to post nonsense anymore.

Having said that, I don't support censorship in the least, but I am much less a part of ATS now because the ratio of quality threads has declined in large part because we have a bunch of new 8-15 year old members. So its a conundrum, and I am not trying to complain (much), but really, mods need some power or vote that allows them to say, "Seriously guys? This is really something that doesn't belong on our boards."

I know its not gonna happen, but I would thank you if it did.

There is something afoot on this board. And it's not just your normal lurkers or the pedants. I'm seeing patterns.

reply to post by wisefoolishness

It's in The Gray Area now.

That is where it belonged the minute it was posted, with 5,000+ new posts a day it's impossible for us to catch all of them that are in the wrong forum or just totally worthless. That's why we have the "alert" button for members to help us out.

WRT political threads, well, they are about politics, that's why I rarely venture into that forum. Religion and politics are taboo in polite company for a reason. BUT, those who enjoy the subject have just as much right to discuss it here, within the bounds of the TAC, as anyone else has to discuss aircraft, military bases, UFOs, etc...

Every few months someone starts a thread about how much better the content on ATS was ________ (fill in the time frame of your choice).

Each and every time we've looked at the real data it turns out that the exact opposite is true. What IS true however, is there is a heck of allot more content which may or may not interest the person who feels this way. If they have no interest in possibly expanding their horizons by checking the new stuff out they will have to dig a little deeper or look a little harder to find that which they seek.

Springer...

I do agree with the Op about the number of seemingly "stupid" threads, but if we keep feeding them then they will keep posting

So avoid avoid avoid!!!

reply to post by Mikey84


I agree. It's happened in the last year or so. There has been a rise in very limited sounding viewpoints, aggressive posts, racist or fearful posts. The writing quality has also gone down.