The recent surge in new members; some conjecture.

I'm just going to put this here in the gray area because I honestly don't think it is deserving of "skunk works" and it's just an observation anyways....

....this will be short and to the point.

I registered here in 2010. I have been lurking, near daily, on this site for far longer than that (3 or 4 years plus) and in all that time, I have not seen as many "introduction" threads as I have in the last 2 or 3 days.

...ATS is my homepage, so when I open my browser I am taken to the "recent posts" page, it's been set up that way for me for years now....so I have not missed them. Like I said, even when I remain silent, I am generally here...reading, listening, learning, and of course entertaining myself.

In the past few days, I've literally seen introduction after introduction, sometimes 5 or 6 in a row on the recent posts page. I have never seen so many of them before.
....generally, we have more new members come around during times when schools have been released for summer vacation. Even then, I did not see the "surge" in new members that I have seen in the last few days.

Now, I'm not accusing new members of anything at all. I just find it rather strange, the recent surge.

Are some of these accounts "spam" that is being used to attack the site (not sure how that would work but I'm sure others here know more about that than myself)

Is it possible that these accounts are being set up so as to be "gatekeepers" of conversation for some future event that is about to occur (pure conjecture on my part, btw).....

Idk...it just seems strange to me. It's definitely got me wondering....

So, am I reading too much into it, or have others noticed this recent surge as well?

What say you, ATS?

a reply to: Jakal26

This happens every 4 years during pre election season and in April. Universities are winding down, more people at home and online with a lot of time on their hands. Many more people are starting to pay attention to politics since the campaigning for primaries has started for current POTUS candidates.

The reality is that, although ATS has 200+ thousand members, only a select few of those post to the boards actively.

~Tenth

I'm new and didn't do an intro. So here it goes:

34/M/long walks beach/truther

I supposed it had something to do with the newer Twitter and Facebook efforts.

I like the way you think.

Why does a part of me feel like I was the spark for this post, but im sure its not just me

Maybe its just the Bandwagon concept? Someone sees a string of people join and decide to do so themselves would be my guess.

I promise im not some secret gatekeeper, or a ghostbuster for that matter

The ATS Twitter profile is much more user friendly and popular now...


So I'd say the recent rise has been the Twitter account.



Also what Tenth said.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

This happens every 4 years during pre election season and in April. Universities are winding down, more people at home and online with a lot of time on their hands. Many more people are starting to pay attention to politics since the campaigning for primaries has started for current POTUS candidates.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Though, even during election cycles, I don't remember seeing quite the type of "surge" I've noticed recently (maybe I just didn't notice it before)

....I've noticed something else about some of those new "introductions" though....VERY similar wording to the titles, the posts...even the writing style (but I won't go too deep into that as it is nothing but a TON of conjecture and I don't really want to go there about new members and am not trying to speak ill of anyone at all)

The reality is that, although ATS has 200+ thousand members, only a select few of those post to the boards actively.

Yes, I realize this.
Those that are "new" in the sense that they don't often post are not the ones I speak of though.
I am speaking solely about new "Introduction" threads....not members that have recently up'd activity on an older profile.

a reply to: bobbypurify

Welp, nice to meet ya, buddy.

Though, I'll have to skip that "nice long beach walk"...

We can have a beer though.

a reply to: Jakal26

There's certainly been an uptick in registered members from outside the US. The new Twitter page actually probably has a lot to do with that. I personally watch intro threads cause I enjoy helping out new members and I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, other than the sheer number of new members.

ATS has always been dominantly USA based in it's membership, so more European outlooks and intros could certainly make things seem out of order.

~Tenth

originally posted by: bobbypurify
I'm new and didn't do an intro. So here it goes:

34/M/long walks beach/truther

I'll bet you're a Pisces.

That makes a lot of sense (the twitter and fb accounts being picked up)...

I had not really put that into the equation....

Thanks to those who noticed what should have been obvious to me. Well, that is, obvious IF I actually used twitter...which I don't. But I do see the ATS fb page posting a lot more recently.

a reply to: frostie

Why does a part of me feel like I was the spark for this post, but im sure its not just me

"You're so vain...I bet you think this song is about you...don't you? Don't you? Don't you?"
LOL....I jest.

No, like I said, no one in particular...but I did see your "intro" this morning. Just another on the list.

I'm watching you, buddy.

.........

Oh, and nice to meet you as well.

a reply to: Jakal26

It is approaching election time in the US.

Hillary is going to make Obamas shill campaign look quite tiny in comparison to hers.

Get ready, they are already setting the stage for "only a sexist would disagree with her, or not support her".

More people are just noticing all the deception out there and are looking for the truth. People have always been searching for the truth but rarely recognize it when they see it because of lifelong conditioning done on the masses for generations.

a reply to: Jakal26

I think you may be reading too much into it. I look at it from a positive aspect. I think more people are starting to question the world around them more nowadays, with more frequent incidents of cops shooting innocents, the upcoming political scene with POTUS potential candidates, etc. Maybe people are awakening from the fact that the MSM isn't giving them the complete/truthful slant on things, and are coming here for an alternative, 'thinking man's (and woman's)' perspective. That, coupled with this site's reputation being more credible and intelligent than some other 'popular' conspiracy sites which I won't mention. When I tell people about interesting things, and I say I learned from it here, the number of people who say they've heard of ATS surprises me, where a lot of people I would talk to, say five years ago, never heard of ATS.

originally posted by: Snarl
I supposed it had something to do with the newer Twitter and Facebook efforts.

I like the way you think.

Yeah.....I would equate it to more Twitter updates going on. They get retweeted and people click on the links and sign up because of interest in the subject.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
The reality is that, although ATS has 200+ thousand members, only a select few of those post to the boards actively.

~Tenth

Like MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!lol

a reply to: Jakal26

Snarl brings up a good point about twits and facebark giving us more exposure to alternative-thinkers and frosties intro bears all the hallmarks of this occurring.

However, and coincidentally, I have noticed that ATS servers have been sporadic this week too, but must admit I have not noticed the high rate of intros.

ATS is vocal and google search will bring you here eventually so maybe we are experiencing a spike.

OR - there is something going on and it's a conspiracy I tells ya!!!

originally posted by: ColeYounger

originally posted by: bobbypurify
I'm new and didn't do an intro. So here it goes:

34/M/long walks beach/truther

I'll bet you're a Pisces.

Aquarius. Close

a reply to: Sublimecraft

However, and coincidentally, I have noticed that ATS servers have been sporadic this week too, but must admit I have not noticed the high rate of intros.

I agree about the twitter and fb pages causing an increase in traffic.
However, I have noticed what you speak of. That was the number one reason for this thread.
It seems as these "surges" happen, a lot of sporadic "server not found" and "connect timed out" stuff is happening.

Last night...I saw six intros, less than a few minutes apart.
For an hour after, ATS was sporadic (at best) and irritating.

I was wondering, at time, if there had been another DDOS attack.

Does anyone know if it's possible to use a profile to do something like that? I honestly have no clue.