I would be willing to pay a Membership Fee to ATS if...

Originally posted by randomname
i think charging someone to voice their opinion goes against the spirit of an open and free discussion of ideas.

So do I. I've seen forums go down the toilet once they become pay sites because paying members can really hassle the owners about their content. There are going to be people who simply cannot pay and they will be looked on differently and soon enough people start bickering over who can do what because they pay.

It is highly unlikely that I would pay to have my views censored and posts deleted by dogmatic Zionist 9/11 deniers. The only thing this site is good for anyway is telling the government exactly what you think about it right to its face. They will be following me anyway, I don't need to pay them to do it.

Originally posted by jude11

Originally posted by HanoverFat
What your suggesting, boils down to more censorship. While I agree that personal attacks and plain trolling are a major issue, effecting the quality of these forums and indeed driving ATS's top contributors to leave, this wouldn't be the right way to combat it.
Personally I would pay a subscription to be able to start a thread on any topic I wish. There are some very important events happening on ATS with zero tolerance for debate.

Understood but isn't it more of a censorship issue if we have NO control whatsoever?

Interesting.

What are you talking about? You have control. As much control as you need. The Alert button. If you just want to control certain posters actions in your threads because you just don't like the person, tough. If someone is breaking the T&C then the Alert button is all you need.

I certainly wouldn't bother if this 'feature' were to be implemented, there are enough gangs around as it is.

reply to post by jude11


I would be off like a flash if they introduced a membership fee.
If their strapped for cash just up the advertising.

Plenty of others sites survive.

I love this site and use it most days but a website should remain
Free IMO.

Mr Murdock charges for his websites.

No i wouldnt pay a penny to be a member.

Your idea is ridiculous...this site would be ruined within hours of giving you and people like yourself the power to block users from posts, and delete posts you find offensive/rude/trolling.....it would be like Youtube where you are banned from posting on vids because A) You prove they are wrong B) You understand the subject better.

Thats the point of the Mods...they do an EXCELLENT job keeping things civil and on topic.

Not everyone is going to agree with your ideas....some people will be far more knowledgeable than yourself on subjects you post (but will be banned if you disagree under your rules).

I know i would be banned from MANY threads if your idea was to come into force....also a lot of other members would automatically be banned because you dont like what they say.

Stupid idea....and by another new member who doesnt like being told they are wrong....lets just change everything because a memeber who has been here a month doesnt like it quite as much as they thought they would haha

Something like this would get abused very badly. ATS would go from a conspiracy site to a propaganda site over night.

Originally posted by jude11
3. BEFORE a MOD took action in either deleting or removing a thread, a U2U between the MOD and the OP should take place. Currently, if a MOD wants to delete or move a thread, the only thing that happens is a U2U stating what action has been taken. It would be nice to at least have a say in the matter BEFORE this action. Yes we have the option of a dispute but by that time it's too late and the posters in the thread have moved on so it might as well stay dead.

I don't agree with your idea of removing posts, that just opens up the door for one way discussions. Those suck and never prove worthwhile. But the above idea is great. I have had good threads deleted and had to fight to get them back, on the occasion I did get it back, as you said, people had moved on. Sometimes there is a valid reason for whatever is happening and sometimes not. But innocent until proven guilty seems like a cool idea. I think I heard it somewhere before.

And that change would not require a fee. If I am paying for something, I would like a beer and to see something naked. (it's a male thing)

Sorry but no "payola". in this "information age" I pay out of pocket for useful information not diversion about pseudoscience, dreams and "scalar weapons"...After all "we" ( the members) spend our time; gather references, add personality and emotion, mix thoroughly and create the content. IMHO: Start a "cover charge" and good luck with that.

reply to post by jude11


Well... If ATS charged $5 a month, *I* would be unable to join.

Living on $58 a month - for everything other than food and shelter - does not leave $5 for an Interweb site. So *I* am against ATS charging members.

I personally would not pay the $5, as I would not want to have the payment traced back to me. If there are members out there willing to pay for the site then they should just send a $5 donation and if they need to tell everyone about it there could be a system in place to show what "level" support you give to the site as a donating member, but beyond buying a badge, that should be it.

The one thing I really don't like about ATS are threads that are "closed pending further investigation" which I feel limits the expression of users. I also hate it when threads just vanish without explanation and I wonder for what reason would the mods delete an entire thread, wiping away the hard work and expressions of users who participated in such a thread. Those are the things that have really bothered me about ATS.

Well, seeing that my original suggestion has a popularity rating of a wet dog, it looks like it isn't going to be.

But having said that, I also see a lot of great suggestions here that the owners and mods can benefit from...and that's a good thing.

The things being posted that members like/don't like can be looked at in a positive note and discussed at their next round table and there could be positive results for the members as well.

Thanks for all the input! For or against doesn't really matter.