The "Forum Wars" No One Wins

I think it all started when Art Bell began mentioning The Fantastic Forum on his radio show. Then George Noory followed suit and began promoting The NightHawk Zone in 2003 when he took over the show. Then we have the controversal John Lear plugging AboveTopSecret.com during his guest appearences on Coast To Coast AM...

The Fantastic Forum & The NightHawk Zone seemed to be geared more towards LIVE chat during the Coast To Coast AM radio show while AboveTopSecret.com was more about investigating conspiracies with its original members carefully researching subjects and getting the facts straight before posting topics or comments in an attempt to get to the truth of the matter being discussed.

I believe these forum wars started sometime in the late 90's. I got my 1st pc in '97 and in doing my own research into the UFO/Extraterrestrial phenomena I found Art Bell and his radio show and have been a nightly listener ever since although nowadays I really only enjoy the shows hosted by George Knapp, but I digress.

I understand how forum creators like to get the word out about their particular forum and gain some kind of internet forum recognition but I believe that too much exposure has really watered down many of these forums, especially ATS. I just joined this forum rescently but I've been visiting and reading the topics and comments of members since...gee I don't know...1999 maybe? Not sure? Anyways, I always appreciated the hard work and effort by ATS members to get to the truth through serious research and posting of solid facts. I don't know when the "star" rating system was implemented as I was just a "watcher" until rescently and couldn't see that feature on the forum until I signed up to be a member. I understand why some people are frustrated with countless repeated topic postings and carefree "star" ratings when perhaps those kudos weren't quite deserved.

This is what happens when good forums go bad due to too much attention and overpopulation. The forum becomes deluted and you have to sift through more BS to get to the truth. That's why so many people don't even read through threads before posting comments and end up repeating something that's already been covered thus creating more BS to sift through. Advertising on radio and TV media whether warranted or not, and forums are going to get more people wanting to join, post topics, create controvercy, fearmonger, and spread dis-information.

If you go and read the ATS Mission Statement you'll see this is what ATS really used to be, however, now with so many members and members jockying for "stars" this ATS creed just doesn't seem to match with how members are using this forum today.

No one wins.

I still enjoy the ATS forum very much and have been checking it daily for the passed 3 weeks it's just getting harder to get to the facts...there's tons of speculation, but it's harder to find the facts amongst all the BS.

I don't want to end this post with this little rant but offer an idea for the owner(s) of ATS. If you want to save ATS from falling victim to these forum wars and save the credibility that members worked so hard to build, maybe you could make an ATS2 were members are gained from "invite only". Of coarse, non-members will still be able to browse ATS2 but only invited members may post and discuss. It's up to the owner or whoever is in charge to know who were the real truth-seeker ATS members of the old days of ATS that actually provided good discussions and solid research and perhaps some of the new members that show they're serious about presenting facts more often than blind speculation, and send them an invite to the "exclusive" forum.

That's just an idea of coarse. I didn't want to rant without providing a solution. I could really care less what happens, its just an internet forum...but it's the last internet forum that used to have some credibility.

I hope I didn't offend anyone, the owners of this forum, or anyone else.


P.S. Now give me a bunch of "stars" and "flags"!!!

Just kidding!

Yea ! sounds good! call it ATS-Invite. and make there posts glow red on all the forums so you know they are serious members who contribute on most there posts , that way when your reading then you will focus on the red ones. But u can still skip through regular members also . The invite has to be just that invited . not how many posts or threads you do

reply to post by AstroBuzz
Like you I have read ATS form about 1999, and if you wanted to know what was going on it ways always on ATS and Cyberspaceorbit.com Since Kent died about two years ago I found myself coming to ATS more often and like you, I really enjoyed seeing how everyone pitched in as research and dug up everything and eventually come out with the closes thing to the truth you could get. Like reading a mystery novel that was nonfiction. And I just joined about 2 weeks ago. I never noticed all of the bullies until I joined. I think you have a good idea about being invited to a higher level but that is kind of censoring the lower site. The world is growing so fast and learning to interact with so many different people is reality. If we can't get along on a website and show peace and love then we will have trouble in the real world. Plus I am a female and we always get left out of the Big Boys Clubs. LOL

Originally posted by seedofchucky
Yea ! sounds good! call it ATS-Invite. and make there posts glow red on all the forums so you know they are serious members who contribute on most there posts , that way when your reading then you will focus on the red ones. But u can still skip through regular members also . The invite has to be just that invited . not how many posts or threads you do

The "glowing red" idea is a great one!

Maybe a MOD would like to chime in on the state of forum affairs?

ATS is open to all as long as they post within the Terms and Conditions of Use.

Be the change you wish to see. Feel quality is down? Create the super high quality you want by starting topics.

With that said, quality is in the eye of the reader. What you deem to be a great member or a great contribution or quality post, another may not. This is true amongst members and staff.

Again. Be the change you wish to see. Instead of relying on others to provide for you, you can do the providing.