So What Is Going On? All The Boards I Visit Have Dropped Massively

Over the last couple of months I have noticed a MAJOR change in forum participation both here and other popular forums. Anyone have any idea what is going on?

I mean even arfcom GD is pretty dead and that is very unusual especially with all the gun control bills and crazy going on.

Did I miss a memo or event?

a reply to: infolurker

I suspect that reporting metrics and filters are now in effect... most of the algorithms are "new" and - I would wager - 'sensitive' to "content tokenization(1)" ... you want to "look good?" Be prepared to say only what we advocate, to proselytize for our agenda, to never 'counter' the narrative we accept, control your content, hide what we call "ugly" and show only what we call "correct."

You wondered where the first symptom of the "new" more sophisticated and responsible social media might appear. Here it is... in the metrics now suddenly showing us what is to come. Social sensitivity, environmental dogma support, acceptance of the "new governance" ... all those platforms will "prosper" as those who don't appear to diminish... at least "on paper." But the paper image is the business currency, isn't it?

(1) By "content tokenization" I refer to the algorithmic assessment of content by measuring certain words and phrases" and valuing them programmatically. Words that are defined as "connoting this or that" affect an overall 'score' ... of course, it's programmers' choice as to what it means...

a reply to: infolurker

People waking up and becoming more disgusted with governing and economic performances, realizing they are actually the victims😁

That, and many mainstay systems getting exposed as phony 😁

a reply to: infolurker

The ban hammer hit hard and this month.

a reply to: infolurker

....dead internet theory.



But seriously, censorship laws are sprouting up in all western nations.

I guess it all depends on how accurate these numbers are. FWIW even if the new member numbers are down, the post-to-thread ratio of 16-1 is marginally down from June 3rd, 2011, 18-1 post-to-thread ratio. Draw whatever conclusions you want from that.

Even the Internet Archive site on shows ATS activity being down marginally these 3 to 4 years


Today's stat page

Stat page June 3rd 2011

I would put my money on the fact that summer is coming and people in Northern States are wanting to get out. But not here, we are supposed to get over a foot of snow here over the two days...heavy wet snow with periods of freezing rain from what I see on the weather service site. Summer here starts on the June thirty although there has been snow on the fourth of July a couple of years since I was a kid.

I'm tired of winter, and three quarters of the ground on my land still is covered by snow. I might have to plow tomorrow, that would suck.

As soon as the snow is gone and the frost is out of the ground...around the end of May...I will be doing less on social media. It is nice in other areas, so they probably are doing stuff already outdoors.

I actually thought ATS was shutting down. What happened?

a reply to: UKTruth

If you are willing to entertain the possibility that I am being honest (some have expressed a disinclination to do so,) it was a confluence of circumstances which made problems blossom for a short span.

An intense effort to decipher old code, updating services and process while simultaneously resetting and reestablishing other processes within the board's management... add to that the damn overarching 'social media' manipulations taking place across the platforms providers, etc. All converging at the same time while people here, most notably, began to actually 'see' it happening.... It did look, to some, like the bottom was falling out of the tub.

But we held on, as ATS has always done.

The process of steering the ship continues, and with all that, the prospect of growth and change has at last become a reality.

"Patience" is the byword.

Just my 2 cents.

Probably because debate doesn't exist anymore. What's the point in posting when somebody who disagrees with you immediately goes straight to the hate speech response. Listen, left or right, just because you hate what somebody says, it doesn't make it hate speech.

a reply to: infolurker

A lot of people visit this site because it is billed on other sites as a "top conspiracy" or "top UFO" site on lists of "top 10 fringe/conspiracy sites" Then when they get here they realize it is just another political circle jerk so they either don't participate and lurk in older threads about topics that interest them or just don't frequent the site. A lot of people got butthurt at even the slight possibility of any change to the mud-pit so either left or got banned.

originally posted by: unifaun
Probably because debate doesn't exist anymore. What's the point in posting when somebody who disagrees with you immediately goes straight to the hate speech response. Listen, left or right, just because you hate what somebody says, it doesn't make it hate speech.

With respect, Debate can exist here, and there is room for it. (Assuming we agree what debate is.)

I call to your attention the Debate Forum, now sadly unused. There the classic elements of debate are actually expected ... for reasons that elude me, people appear to fear it. There have even been debates just for fun. But there is no reason that it can't be used for something we care about.

Find some member you respect... message them and say, "Want to give it a go? I know we disagree, but I think my argument is not assailable... what do you say?"

Debate... with rules... no name-calling, no snarky meme garbage... honest to goodness debate. Think about it... if that's what you were referring to.

If you mean speaking to one another with personal respect, no childish or entertainment-style denigration, or political theatrics, no sloganeering, and maybe even the absolute absence of 'characterizations' as arguments... well... that's what the Mud Pit seems to evoke in people... where although it's never demanded, usually not needed, and it convinces no one, ... well ...

The Mud Pit is not for debate. It where you pretend to debate. Where you impress using wit and sarcasm, cynicism, and theatrics. Where the easiest win is through denigration, and dismissal (D&D), But don't tell them that ... they think they are debating... it's debate role playing... where no one ever finishes a quest, they just start a different one.

originally posted by: Antimony
a reply to: infolurker

A lot of people visit this site because it is billed on other sites as a "top conspiracy" or "top UFO" site on lists of "top 10 fringe/conspiracy sites" Then when they get here they realize it is just another political circle jerk so they either don't participate and lurk in older threads about topics that interest them or just don't frequent the site. A lot of people got butthurt at even the slight possibility of any change to the mud-pit so either left or got banned.

The (I'm going to say it) VAST amount of research material that existed here, still exists today. UFOs, cryptids, paranormal phenomenology, esoteric topics, military technologies, and almost everything in between .. all remain here to discuss, explore, and expand.

However, like all folks, members often want to discuss many different things, and when they visit the Mud Pit, they bring their expectations of discourse with them, only to be caught by surprise when someone hurls a label at them, or denigrates their opinion. It is a double edged sword, the Mud Pit.

The first question I would suggest considering when looking at a thread created in the Mud Pit is... "Why the Mud Pit, specifically?" Is it because the OP intends 'mud' as a component of the discussion? Probably so. Do you see many "other" Mud Pit topics that aren't centered around partisan ideology, celebrities, or politics in general?

Politics has become the new WWE ... the new "team" sport, the new 'circus;' greatly influenced by the primary sources and the way they 'report' news. Perhaps the best defense against being offended is not participating there.

Unfortunately, many see the bulk of the activity there as some kind of representation of ATS as a whole ... which might actually make sense if you consider the actual offended 'audience.'

I might ask that you not let your dissatisfaction with what goes on there distract you from the ATS you can enjoy. It's here too. It always has been.

originally posted by: Maxmars

originally posted by: Antimony
a reply to: infolurker

A lot of people visit this site because it is billed on other sites as a "top conspiracy" or "top UFO" site on lists of "top 10 fringe/conspiracy sites" Then when they get here they realize it is just another political circle jerk so they either don't participate and lurk in older threads about topics that interest them or just don't frequent the site. A lot of people got butthurt at even the slight possibility of any change to the mud-pit so either left or got banned.

The (I'm going to say it) VAST amount of research material that existed here, still exists today. UFOs, cryptids, paranormal phenomenology, esoteric topics, military technologies, and almost everything in between .. all remain here to discuss, explore, and expand.

However, like all folks, members often want to discuss many different things, and when they visit the Mud Pit, they bring their expectations of discourse with them, only to be caught by surprise when someone hurls a label at them, or denigrates their opinion. It is a double edged sword, the Mud Pit.

The first question I would suggest considering when looking at a thread created in the Mud Pit is... "Why the Mud Pit, specifically?" Is it because the OP intends 'mud' as a component of the discussion? Probably so. Do you see many "other" Mud Pit topics that aren't centered around partisan ideology, celebrities, or politics in general?

Politics has become the new WWE ... the new "team" sport, the new 'circus;' greatly influenced by the primary sources and the way they 'report' news. Perhaps the best defense against being offended is not participating there.

Unfortunately, many see the bulk of the activity there as some kind of representation of ATS as a whole ... which might actually make sense if you consider the actual offended 'audience.'

I might ask that you not let your dissatisfaction with what goes on there distract you from the ATS you can enjoy. It's here too. It always has been.

I'm just saying that 1.2 million people visit the site and very little participation. I would imagine that if people more easily found what they were coming here for instead of having to go back 10 years to find it, there would probably be more participation. My 2 cents.

originally posted by: infolurker
Over the last couple of months I have noticed a MAJOR change in forum participation both here and other popular forums. Anyone have any idea what is going on?

I mean even arfcom GD is pretty dead and that is very unusual especially with all the gun control bills and crazy going on.

Did I miss a memo or event?

Because I personally Keep getting booted off ATS. It's been ongoing since the first week of April. Other members are experiencing the saming.

We Figured out that when Administrator Darko is on the Forums, ATS runs flawlessly. You can view the New, Live, Archive.. however any other time. The second you click on a forum icon... poof you're booted back to you're computer home screen.

I'm on an old laptop right now. My Phone and Tablet are experiencing these issues.

youtube.com...

originally posted by: Antimony

I'm just saying that 1.2 million people visit the site and very little participation. I would imagine that if people more easily found what they were coming here for instead of having to go back 10 years to find it, there would probably be more participation. My 2 cents.

That's a very good point and a recent topic of discussion...

Your two cents is appreciated.

originally posted by: Maxmars
a reply to: infolurker

I suspect that reporting metrics and filters are now in effect... most of the algorithms are "new" and - I would wager - 'sensitive' to "content tokenization(1)" ... you want to "look good?" Be prepared to say only what we advocate, to proselytize for our agenda, to never 'counter' the narrative we accept, control your content, hide what we call "ugly" and show only what we call "correct."

You wondered where the first symptom of the "new" more sophisticated and responsible social media might appear. Here it is... in the metrics now suddenly showing us what is to come. Social sensitivity, environmental dogma support, acceptance of the "new governance" ... all those platforms will "prosper" as those who don't appear to diminish... at least "on paper." But the paper image is the business currency, isn't it?

(1) By "content tokenization" I refer to the algorithmic assessment of content by measuring certain words and phrases" and valuing them programmatically. Words that are defined as "connoting this or that" affect an overall 'score' ... of course, it's programmers' choice as to what it means...

Yes, you get it.

It's to be the living god.

In conversation, when 'it' comes up.
I mean soshcred
you can learn much by another's silence.

In and of itself a critical tell.

# 1699

originally posted by: Maxmars
a reply to: UKTruth

If you are willing to entertain the possibility that I am being honest (some have expressed a disinclination to do so,) it was a confluence of circumstances which made problems blossom for a short span.

An intense effort to decipher old code, updating services and process while simultaneously resetting and reestablishing other processes within the board's management... add to that the damn overarching 'social media' manipulations taking place across the platforms providers, etc. All converging at the same time while people here, most notably, began to actually 'see' it happening.... It did look, to some, like the bottom was falling out of the tub.

But we held on, as ATS has always done.

The process of steering the ship continues, and with all that, the prospect of growth and change has at last become a reality.

"Patience" is the byword.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the response.
Glad ATS is stil here even if many of the posters that used to be active are no longer around.