An open message to you all "Since when did this website become.....

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Not hate, just digust at ignorance, people claiming to know God's wishes for example, and demanding respect for their beliefs, NO! It's not going to happen.

Couple of thoughts.

1. ATS can barely keep a wiki page. So I hardly qualify them as some kind of cutting edge medium of information.

2. Don't feed the trolls. If the topic upsets people then just move on.

3. Everything discussed has been discussed ad nauseum. There is nothing new that get's posted. It's just recycled stories from weeks ago or years ago.

Point being this, we live in a time of heightened awareness of self. We have become skeptical in government, news, and each other. Back when we were all kings of our own world, riding the bubble, no one cared what other people were doing. Now we do! And what other people do now will get checked by me atleast. The days of just believing what others say is over. Those days are just over my friend.

Originally posted by Seventytwo
Many of the members you speak of in high regard have not just left ATS they have been Banned by ATS.

I'm not having a go at the Mods here but most members get banned for arguing with a Mod that's all, nothing else.

Mods should not argue with Members because the only result is that you ban them, ATS doesn't seem to notice that the integrity of the forum is being dismantled by its own ignorance.

I'm sure Mods will snarl at my comments but let me assure you that it's not personal.

Not going to snarl at you, but I am going to tell you that you are wrong.

Firstly, ATS staff don't discuss why people are banned.

So, actually, you have no way of knowing why people are banned, and you simply cannot make that statement.

Secondly you could come back at me and say "I know a banned member and they told me...." BUT, all you'll get is one side of the story, and people will not put themselves in a bad light, especially if they feel disgruntled.

If people tell you they are banned from ATS for no reason and were not told why they were banned, they are lying.

I will tell you this. NO ONE is banned from ATS because of their opinions, or by simply "arguing with a mod"

People are banned for breaking the Terms and Conditions of the site, and they are not permanently banned before they have been given ample opportunity to prevent the ban from happening via discussions in U2U under a post-ban.

The sites T&C apply to those discussion as well.

Banning is a serious subject and it is done by consensus of the staff, NEVER by an individual.

And as I said above, anyone who tries to make out that is not the case is a liar.

Originally posted by LarryLove
reply to post by badw0lf

 

Good observation and will agree that the times are changing. Not for the good me thinks as people are more and more argumentative and unwilling to see beyond their own doors of perception. ATS is becoming more and more mainstream and no longer the niche conspiratorial site it once was.

Mighty Boosh fan by chance?

Indeed I am! Gotta have a laugh and the boosh never fail me !!

I also think ATS has become more mainstream, but it's not necessarily a bad thing; it's what direction it takes during this time that will tell. I know the boys at the top are running a business, and I've seen the website when it was still a front page and looked like a general crazy place to be, but I think it's being refined so much over the years people are forgetting the main objective is still as it always was.

There is no problem with getting the bst of both worlds.

Sadly it does upset some people, and everyone is different - we all bring something different to the place. Shades of opinion do blur together and that's where I see a change, both here and in real life.

Curious indeed.

I thought it may have been just me, in my old age, growing weary of inane things. Then I realised I'm probably the most nutty person I know, so that ruled that out. And the fact others feel/sense it also - the change, not my aloofness..

Something is definitely afoot.

And....while I'm here, another little observation.

Aside from the ATS news, Conspiracy Chicks and the Live! and Euro Radio shows, everything else on ATS is member generated.

What I'm saying is that approximately 99.5% (probably more, considering) of this site is entirely down to you guys, and your opinions.

In that respect "ATS" is a conduit that services the members, a meeting place if you will. A gathering of minds. Its what YOU make it.

So if you think the site is declining "be the change you want to see". It would be nice if the nay-sayers on this thread actually went out and authored good, well thought out threads, and created the standard that they deem to be missing.

Just a thought.

Originally posted by Come Clean
Couple of thoughts.

1. ATS can barely keep a wiki page. So I hardly qualify them as some kind of cutting edge medium of information.

I'll check your wiki page to see if you have the tenacity to hold that statement up to scrutiny.

reply to post by LarryLove


...I have a new term for these threads and it is:
IETs - Improvised Explosive Threads.

I will remember that one LarryLove... I think it sums
them up nicely!!

reply to post by badw0lf


That was not my point...

A member may not agree with a decision that a Mod is correctly obliged to make, this wounded member then u2u's the Mod in a disgruntled manner

Now the obvious will happen and the member will get Banned.

If a member brakes the rules then do not give them the avenue to vent his/hers frustrations, send a no reply message explaining why and mute them for 24 hours, everybody has a bad day and most would probably regret and see clearer when they calm down.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Hey there Oz, I haven't read the replies yet but I did want to comment on your OP.

To begin with ... I could not agree more ... everything you said is accurate. We have been members of ATS for about the same length of time and I have also seen big changes (and not for the better).

I would go as far as to say that nowadays the majority of threads don't even have a bearing on anything conspiratorial whatsoever.

I know that the amigo's have been working hard for what seems like forever to give ATS a 'facelift' ... but I personally think this should include stepping in to keep the basic concept of the site on track ... because it does seem to be losing the very status that made ATS such a unique website.

I absolutely love ATS (I consider it to be my online home), and come here almost every day (other obligations permitting) ... and it is so sad to see the decline that is occurring before our very eyes ... I really hope the amigo's see this thread and realize how many of their longstanding members feel about this.

I don't pretend to know how they could fix the problem but it does need addressing before the rot set's in too deep.

Great OP ... and thank-you for saying what many of us have been thinking and not put into words.

>>>NOTE TO AMIGO'S

reply to post by neformore


If people tell you they are banned from ATS for no reason and were not told why they were banned, they are lying.

I will tell you this. NO ONE is banned from ATS because of their opinions, or by simply "arguing with a mod"


Sorry but I disagree with your statement and I think some would take offence at being called liars, especially when (after being banned) it is impossible to show the proof..

I had a family member who was banned and I know EXACTLY what was said..Argueing with Mods or questioning them "WILL" get you banned..

Of that I have zero doubt..

Edit to add.. And NO reason given.....

[edit on 14-8-2010 by CynicalM]

Originally posted by Argyll
No offence .....but why do you post in a "poem" style?.......3 or 4 word per line?
again no offence just wondering, as it makes the continuity of your posts hard to read

lol, I get about 1 u2u a week asking me about this, so since you have numerous stars over my post formatting, I will relay what I say in my u2u responses.

lol, well you're not the first one to
write me about that and as I tell
the many others who wrote to
me before about it. It is an eye sight
deficiency for me. I have bad eyes
and have my text enlarged on my screen
so I can read it. I have an unusually low
resolution on my screen. Most people
use 1200 or up, well I use around 800
so I can read it. And when I type messages
I keep hitting the return key to keep it all
on the screen so I don't have to use the
horizontal slide bar all the time. So to me ...
it is everybody else who types funny
I'm very sorry that it annoys you so bad.
My best advice is to just not read my posts


that should explain it

[edit on 14-8-2010 by boondock-saint]

reply to post by neformore


I'm not suggesting that ATS doesn't take Banning serious, what I'm failing to get across is that highly frustrated members for one reason or another can rant themselves into being banned, you block their posts but not their U2Us.

I'm just saying do not give them the avenue to vent their frustrations out on Mods because it will only end up in a Ban. and we don't want that

Call a 30 day amnesty and un-ban the banned

Show us some ATS loving

reply to post by Seventytwo


Call a 30 day amnesty and un-ban the banned


Interesting idea but I don't think they will go for it...

The ATS ship don't like anyone that rocks the boat

Actually the biggest problem I see nowadays is that every time someone has a theory that is just a little out of the box it gets shot down and ridiculed immediately, often by the same people.

It's like things can only be discussed if there is 100% proof, and people are made to feel like idiots for even thinking of the "weird" theory.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


if you encounter too much hate from a fellow ATS, just tell them:

IBS

reply to post by Point of No Return


That's the biggest issue I have with the site. There is this small faction who seem to be out for blood and glory if something isn't 100%. It can intimidate new members and I really question their motive as it seems their ATS activity surrounds nothing but debunking as if it is an art form.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Thank-you Oz, I was going to create a thread today stating virtually the same thing you have (I wonder if we've been reading the same threads? ). I too have observed the rapid deterioration, it is also one of the main reasons I stopped posting as frequently.

It is a crying shame, and I do not have all the answers but I implore the three amigos to have a serious think about what is happening to ATS.

reply to post by neformore

I will tell you this. NO ONE is banned from ATS because of their opinions, or by simply "arguing with a mod"

Are you sure?

I think arguiing with you and having a persistent opinion has gotten at least one member banned.

I remember people getting banned for persisting when not getting answers to on topic questions on a thread off yours.

Originally posted by Seventytwo
I'm just saying do not give them the avenue to vent their frustrations out on Mods because it will only end up in a Ban. and we don't want that

There is thing called personal responsibility

In order for someone to have a post removed, they have displayed a lack of it.

The post removal, subsequent U2U and points deduction should make them think, should it not?

In order for someone to have a whole slew of posts removed, they have either displayed a whole lack of personal responsibility, or they really do not care.

By this stage they will have recieved several U2U's, had lots of points deducted and surely must have realised that they are causing a problem.

In order to get post banned, they've gone above and beyond those two levels.

In order to get banned off the site, they have consistently shown a level of disregard for ATS and its community to convince staff that they should not hold a membership position on the board.

If they are serious about contributing to the board, then they would abide by the T&C at a much earlier level and realise there was an issue.

So, as far as abusing the volunteer staff by U2U goes - why should ATS staff have to put up with abuse from people who simply don't give a damn in the first place?

Originally posted by CynicalM
reply to post by OzWeatherman

 

I think the Mods do a good job filtering out the muck (threads & posts) so I partly dont understand your rant.

Yes there are some threads I dont like the title of, and guess what, I don't look at them.

I note in your list of "bad topics" you left out Chemtrails...Obviously a topic you like to get involved with and debunk as many people's opinions as possible. Why not add it to your list?

Obviosuly, and as usual, you have missed the point of the thread. Its not about people having different views on conspiracy topics, no matter how much you delude yourself into thinking that.

Its about people using conspiracy forums to spread hate of certain groups.

I dont think you even read the OP, you probably just saw that it was me that posted it, and automatically wrote it off. I no longer expect too much from you anymore, all you want is to bait people, and point the finger and laugh. Until you start contributing to anything, I will no longer reply to any of your posts. The effort is better spent elsewhere, even if I regard that other person as a respected foe, at least I can have a decent argument with them