ATS Needs Quality Control

I have been lurking and posting here for around five years. I took a long hiatus from the site as it was spewing BS from every orifice for a while. I've been back for a few months and things seemed to be on the up, but the last few weeks have been ridiculous.

Today on the popular topic page we have a girl who scratched her leg too hard, whose boyfriend thinks the scab looks like a word, of course it's actually some sort of communication from another world...
People who think they've contacted aliens, despite the lack of a gigantic satellite. And topics that have turned into incessant soldier bashing by keyboard warriors. It feels like the whole of ATS is slowly becoming a hipster run extension of the Grey Area.

There's still a hell of a lot of credible and useful information here, but it's becoming ever increasingly hard to find at a first glance. I'm not saying the site is dying but it has definitely been infiltrated by morons (more so than ever) and people who think every issue is black and white.

I used to direct people here for credible conspiracy information, now I'd be embarrassed to do so. It's almost as if ATS is now feeding into the conspiracy nut case stereotype. Surely there's something that can be done?

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


Agreed 100%

I know there are mods but mods have lives too, maybe they need more, ones who are always on the site and not just weekly or monthly. I know there are some mods who are always on here but they can't do everything they need breaks and need to be able to enjoy the site too.

The threads as of late, well I agree....when I link ATS to people I know I tell them the site is full of ALL kinds of topics and to take it with a grain of salt, but lately they are just...well wow.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


I agree, and said pretty much the same in a Rant a while back. I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point ATS changed from a site where:

We can freely discuss things from a conspiracy slant, to investigate these matters.

Now it's a site where:

People feed into others paranoid delusions and most topics are quite pathetic. I won't single any out, but I've had my fill of "The aliens contacted me and told me such and such" and also quite tired of 'I'm an insider with inside information and absolutely no proof to back up any claims and any demands of proof will be met with cries of disinfo agent government shill.

Some of the people here have gone so far into the deep end that they honestly, truly, believe anyone who disagrees with them, or merely asks for some proof, is a paid agent, here on ATS, to spread disinformation because apparently ATS is a beacon of insider information that "THEY" would kill to suppress. I'd love to see this information, because all I see are pseudo scientific threads about subjects that are mostly hoaxes.

Some honest, worth while discussions do take place, but you've really got to look and be patient to find it.

yep
Edited for content, eh
we should make a stamp
face palm with a double flip and a half gainor

thats the OPPOSITE of what ATS is about I'm told
and is also the oposite of the term
"DENY IGNORANCE "

not clicking on a link
is like having a majic edit button!

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Definitely how I feel as well.

Most of the decent info I read these days is from searching old topics. What a shame,

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


make some content

complaining
is the content you are complaining about

try leading by example

reply to post by Danbones


Hardly, I'm complaining about bull# threads and overzealous contributors believing everything they read and it going to the front page. I'm posting to say surely there is something the mods and sensible members can do.

What gets me ? People who spin thread with what amounts to no text. One the other day had thirteen words in it. The mods don't say anything. I thought there was this standard? Well I know there was, not to long ago either.


"I love chocolate, at certain times of the year ! At least 12 times a year". Your thought's ?

No one should get away with a thread like that. One the mods did make a thread that chewed everyone out fot it though.
I've gotten to where I can identify the lemons before I click on 'em. Other wise I end up saying something to the OP. And most the time they take that all wrong. And I usially end up thinking I'm being "cyber stalked" or "marked for cyber death".

Get it together ATS ! Or I'll.......................I otta !

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


The mods can only do so much. They have lives and don't get paid to mod, they do this to help out and they do as much as they can. They can't see everything.

Use the alert button...god knows I do

I don't support this cause. People should be able to post about whatever they want. Let's not start suppressing people's right to post about stuff that's bothering them or stuff that they'd like to share with the community.

Let's make this site a haven of liberty.

Originally posted by Scope and a Beam
Surely there's something that can be done?

Staff try. I can vouch for that.

The problem lies in the fact that nothing just 'gets done' without a discussion between staffers. Every questionable thread is scrutinized and, ultimately, decided upon. A few are no brainers and wind up in the trash for the usual T&C infractions but most require looking into the intent of the author, whether they are purposely hoaxing or just stirring up trouble.

There's a tendency by some to post outrageous topics solely to sit back and watch the fights ensue. A title designed to get attention usually accompanies them; more or less like " Such and Such are Idiots" and then the OP text is mostly personal opinion. Those threads are only flame bait and need addressing.

Then there are completely unbelievable claims. Thing is... does the author really honestly think it's the truth or just an OP posted to cause a commotion while they sit back and chuckle? That's problematic, because what needs to happen with them is allowing the discussion to happen in the hopes that the membership will get to the bottom of it. Staff can't just decide for them. If I posted that I had a tree growing out of my butt and refused to prove it, that's an easy fix, but if I posted that a grape seed had sprouted in my lungs because it had gone down my windpipe, that's another matter because it actually can and has happened. See what I mean?

Staff needs to discuss every questionable thread, We, the members of ATS, are getting more numerous every day. More of us are also logging on, posting more than ever before and thousands of visitors come here to check us out daily.

Like I said before, we do what we can, but honestly, staff has to depend on the members for helping us. Here's the one thing that does the most for us:

Alert those threads and posts that bother you and don't feed the trolls.

reply to post by Jepic


So people should be allowed to post crap without evidence or support of their posts?

So people should be allowed to post hoaxes?

Sorry but I dont agree, the site has a rules and some things just don't belong on here and when the mods get wind of it they do take care of it.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


I would respectfully disagree with you.
This is the web and all news is arguably oobjective.
Pound for pound i would wager there is more truth here on ATS.
Now as for the girl with the scratched leg, we still need more pics of said thigh with many more angles, so the jury is still out on that one.
Heck we can even learn truths in the rants, just take what you believe and be open to any possibility.

I posted a similar rant last week called Deny Ignorance, what happened to that. I enjoy the posts that have "meat" in them even though I may not agree with their beliefs.
A lot of these "empty" posts started when the japanese earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster hit. Probably due to the lack of info coming out of Japan so conjecture was rampant on here and it's bled over into other topics.
I do agree however that the Mods do a fantastic job of weeding out the totally meaningless posts.

reply to post by masqua


Don't forget that the membership is ultimately to blame when these go to the front page!

People are starring and flagging and replying and spending all their time on some of these threads that are ridiculous instead of spending their time reading all the well-researched threads with multiple links and supporting evidence.

It seems the "flame-bait" is more popular than actual research.

If the membership is honestly concerned with improving the site, then don't leave it up to the Mods. Ignore the obvious baiting threads. Don't even open the thread if it has a sensational title. I don't. If I see a title that is too good to be true, I don't even open it. Later on, if I see that it has 50 replies and 50 flags, maybe I will open it and see why everyone is giving it so much attention. Sadly, it is often just "attention" instead of actual content.

ATS has some absolutely terrific threads up that are Dissertation Worthy! Seek out those threads!

If a thread has a line and a link, don't even bother responding, just use the alert feature.
If a thread has a sensational headline followed by nothing but opinion, don't respond just use the alert feature.
If a thread has an important social issue, but it is communicated with hate and troll-bait, rise above the bait, don't get sucked in, use the alert feature.

Help us help you.

Originally posted by Scope and a Beam
I have been lurking and posting here for around five years. I took a long hiatus from the site as it was spewing BS from every orifice for a while. I've been back for a few months and things seemed to be on the up, but the last few weeks have been ridiculous.

Today on the popular topic page we have a girl who scratched her leg too hard, whose boyfriend thinks the scab looks like a word, of course it's actually some sort of communication from another world...
People who think they've contacted aliens, despite the lack of a gigantic satellite. And topics that have turned into incessant soldier bashing by keyboard warriors. It feels like the whole of ATS is slowly becoming a hipster run extension of the Grey Area.

There's still a hell of a lot of credible and useful information here, but it's becoming ever increasingly hard to find at a first glance. I'm not saying the site is dying but it has definitely been infiltrated by morons (more so than ever) and people who think every issue is black and white.

I used to direct people here for credible conspiracy information, now I'd be embarrassed to do so. It's almost as if ATS is now feeding into the conspiracy nut case stereotype. Surely there's something that can be done?

edit on 29-3-2011 by Scope and a Beam because: (no reason given)

Talking About Quality Control, You Posted In The Wrong Topic - Just Saying

Im A new-ish member but i am not a moron despite what you may think. & i also know for sure that there is more gray than black or white -

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Oh I'm sorry! Are people not allowed to post what they think about a certain subject unless they have evidence? Well, if it's like that then ATS shouldn't even exist as 90% of this site is about things for which we have zero credible evidence of.

And now I tell you. What qualifies as credible evidence? Who decides what is credible evidence? That's right. The only thing that ATS has for sure is liberty of expression. At least it's what I think.

By the way, I'd say we are denying ignorance quite well. Any post such as the ones you noted are dismissed quickly and effectively. All is good!

reply to post by johngtr


AND, as part of our "Quality Control" at least 3 staff members have read and helped with the thread. Masqua offered an opinion, I opened a discussion backstage for staff, and another staffer moved this thread to the appropriate forum.

There is a LOT of Quality Assurance, but there is also a lot of Gray Area.

In my opinion, the saddest part is how many ATSers take the troll bait and help to move those threads to the front page.

Don't take the bait!

Originally posted by Jepic
I don't support this cause. People should be able to post about whatever they want. Let's not start suppressing people's right to post about stuff that's bothering them or stuff that they'd like to share with the community.

Let's make this site a haven of liberty.

edit on 29-3-2011 by Jepic because: (no reason given)

IMO this is pure B.S.
ATS has had great success because of the standards it use to hold it's members too. When you make athread here. It's supposed to be at least a couple of paragraphs of what you think and why you brought it to everyones attention.

A thread that says," here is the link." with nothing else but a title.? OP I'm glad you put this sucker up. Thank you! Snf and a cookie for you.

reply to post by g146541


I totally agree with you mate!