Forums are dead

[Mendalla]

Also... lurkers CAN (and often do) become active members. Sometimes YEARS later.

They also can, and often do, turn out to be "influencers", aka "human spammers" in my experience. And, yes, sometimes they let their accounts sit for years.

 

[PatriotGB]

They also can, and often do, turn out to be "influencers", aka "human spammers" in my experience. And, yes, sometimes they let their accounts sit for years.

Not sure what that means. You mean people posting comments that are really ads (for themselves or their business)?

I've got a rule against that. THEN I'll "prune" them. That hasn't happened... YET. But my forum is still quite new.

 

[Mendalla]

Not sure what that means. You mean people posting comments that are really ads (for themselves or their business)?

Yep. Not for themselves or their business, they are generally paid to make posts on sites containing links to a business and probably work for advertising agencies or something because I have had them promote different products at different times. Basically they go into a thread and make a vaguely relevant post but with a reference and web link to the business being promoted. Sometimes they will even make legit posts for a while before dropping the ad. I once got criticized for nuking one because someone figured we should give them a chance in case they turned into a legit member (I tried that with a couple, didn't work out).

Just spam-blasted one this morning which is why I thought of it.

 

[Dragonfruit]

No one actually have to prune anything to find out the active users. You can use the "Search for users" function in the Admin CP, and just configure the "Last visited between" dates to see how many has visited the last 1-12 months.

 

[PatriotGB]

Yep. Not for themselves or their business, they are generally paid to make posts containing links to a business and probably work for advertising agencies or something because I have had them promote different products at different times. Basically the go into a thread and make a vaguely relevant post but with a reference and web link to the business being promoted. Just spam-blasted one this morning.

Ah, just plain spam. Got it. Not yet on my forum. But I'm sure it's coming.

 

[Mendalla]

Ah, just plain spam. Got it. Not yet on my forum. But I'm sure it's coming.

I've been dealing with them for years. The problem is that they often work from home and use VPNs or proxies so their IP doesn't always get blacklisted and they take advantage of free email to change their email, avoiding getting caught by StopForumSpam that way. And, of course, Captchas are useless against humans.

 

[TPerry]

But, I'm not hardly what you're referring to as "militia." No tin foil hat. I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories.

But that's not required to be a "militia" member.... you reference the far right portion of many of them....

 

[TPerry]

You might want to have a look at this.

Yeah... seems his SSL cert is for

Guess he was trying to set up a store to make gobs of money from the interwebz?

 

[PatriotGB]

But that's not required to be a "militia" member.... you reference the far right portion of many of them....

OK... whatever. My forum isn't about militias in any way, shape, or form. But, you guys can continue to indulge your fantasies.

 

[l3ta]

Just tell us wut your forum is about. I'm eager to know!

 

[Nicolas FR]

Just tell us wut your forum is about. I'm eager to know!

Daisy and poppy.

 

[l3ta]

Daisy and poppy.

Daisy and poppy militia?

 

[Mendalla]

Daisy and poppy militia?

Okay, that is way too cute a name for a militia. I'm picturing a horde of cute dogs going around licking people and making puppy eyes at them.

 

[l3ta]

Okay, that is way too cute a name for a militia. I'm picturing a horde of cute dogs going around licking people and making puppy eyes at them.

IKR? Nico should register that one before it is taken. Woof!

 

[sub_ubi]

Forums are dead, yet a social network valued in the billions just launched "forum channels" as if they're an innovation.

 

[PatriotGB]

Forums are dead, yet a social network valued in the billions just launched "forum channels" as if they're an innovation.

Given the recent history of "Big Tech" not just zealously censoring on their own accord, but doing it on BEHALF and behest of the U.S. gov't (so now a 1st Amendment violation)... Why would anyone who wants to start a forum do it on a 3rd party platform???

You KNOW they're going to have "community standards" aka "moving the goal posts." Why would a forum owner / admin / creator not want 100% control instead of depending on a fickle 3rd party?

Furthermore with platform software like XenForo that is so customizable and versatile.... Again, why on EARTH would anyone create a forum on someone ELSE'S platform and cede control? I guess one answer that comes to mind is pure laziness.

Big Tech "woke" censorship will prove to be a boon to private forums like these.

 

[sub_ubi]

There's no doubt censorship issues with large social networks, but the fears of "woke censorship" are (ironically) spread primarily on large social networks, backed by a profitable mix of media, influencers and think tanks. There are far more legitimate censorship issues than someone getting suspended for misgendering.

Anyway, if you want to claim 1st amendment protections, you'll need the government to create or nationalize a social media platform.

 

[Lee]

OK... whatever. My forum isn't about militias in any way, shape, or form. But, you guys can continue to indulge your fantasies.

I have seen his forum, can confirm it is not militia related.

 

[Mendalla]

I have seen his forum, can confirm it is not militia related.

But are there puppies? (Sorry, I'll let that tangent die in peace now)

 

[Lee]

But are there puppies? (Sorry, I'll let that tangent die in peace now)

I did not see puppies on this occasion