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This is sad to hear, but there are topics on ATS, the some people don't want to see out there.

I hope ATS survives, it's one of the best sources for alternative news.

originally posted by: cody599

Never has ATS asked us for anything, other than to comply with T&C's. T&C'S I thought were a tad harsh at times, but this little episode has now cleared that up for me. My thanks Springer and S.O.
Cody

It doesn't clear up the harsh TAC though - Springer already said that they've never changed or censored anything on the site because of external pressure.
The TAC are harsh because the site owners and mods want them that way.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

How is the appeal progressing SO,
Hoping that you are on target.. I'd hate to see
anything happen to ATS..

I have even broken my vow of silence at work to try and get colleagues
that show an interest in our way of thinking to come join us.

Some advertising is getting through, on the forum page there were 3 adverts, Honda, Walmart and Target.

But I guess they aren't Google ads.

We are supporting this effort, ATS has been the best source of information and entertainment that we have ever come across so far online.
Many thanks for years of great content and opinions.

Regards, Iwinder & YogaGinns

a reply to: stargatetravels

This is hardly the time to be lambasting the ownership of the site, over the policies which govern the site and what happens upon it.

The fact is that the ownership have a fine line to run, on everything from the discussion of narcotic substances and their sociological impacts, to the manners and decorum expected from each member. Frankly, there are some things about the terms and conditions, with specific focus toward decorum and manners, which aggravate me, because I believe very much in calling things exactly as I see them, with no sugar coating.

However, the standards that the vast majority of the Terms and Conditions uphold, with regard to content quality, and the like, are present in order to ensure that what happens on the site has relevance to its reason for existing, and prevents the site and its content from being marginalised as rubbish, attacked by governments and companies alike, or bought down by the sheer weight of the ignorance of a select few members who simply fail to understand the site, its motto, or the reason for its existence.

Without terms and conditions dealing with manners, there would be threads which would descend beyond the realm of off topic, right into slanging matches. Without terms and conditions relating to the formation of forum gangs, trolling, and the like, there would be threads which would simply be bogged down instantly under a wave of single line posts from one or two members, and they would be impossible to actually participate in properly. Without rules and regs for the proper discussion of narcotics related topics, there would just be a room full of stoners, shooting the breeze about this and that, and getting nothing done.

I am entirely behind the terms and conditions, even the ones which aggravate me, because they are the foundations which allow this site that I love, to operate day to day.
--------

Skeptic Overlord...
As for the campaign to raise money, I hope you get everything you need from it to allow the site to continue to run, and to upgrade its security and infrastructure as necessary to fit the changing face of the cyber threat against it. I will, unfortunately, be unable to contribute, as I am properly strapped for cash, to the point of having no functioning bank account of any kind.

Good luck, and Godspeed in your endeavour!

a reply to: TrueBrit

What now? I wasn't lambasting anyone or anything?
I like that ATS is a civil place and we don't curse or whatever here.
The poster I quoted said the TAC were harsh and assumed it must be because of the latest goings on regarding advertisers - but Springer has said that is not the case.
I was simply letting the poster know that the TAC are the way they are because that's the way the owners want them.

I really don't see how you can read that as me lambasting or even remotely criticizing??

I would say that your deeming the T&c's harsh somewhat generated that reply.

I am only guessing at that and I agree that taking your comment in full context did maybe not deserve such a response but this is a pretty heartfelt thread.



a reply to: stargatetravels

a reply to: nonspecific

But I didn't deem them harsh, Cody did, I merely quoted him saying they were harsh and tried to clear something up?
Nevermind - carry on.

*shrugs*

a reply to: SkepticOverlord


Ummm...I know that I like to razz you guys....never take it too personally...it's all in good fun...

I've noticed the lack of advertising these past few and I thought to myself...how refreshing...
I really was beginning to dislike the adverts...especially the streaming ones that launch themselves...so much so that it was beginning to color my desire to come here and post such wondrous drivel...

To that end...I'm perfectly willing to contribute to the cause...And if you can manage to keep the adds away I would contribute on a continual basis (monthly)...

AND...I would challenge everyone else that spends time here...to do the same...

All right boys and girls...how's ten bucks a month from every one of you...and me...

Providing you keep the site add free of course...

$10.00...times How many members...times 12...

Would that about cover everything Skeptic...?




YouSir

Appolgies, I was reffering to truebrits comments to your comments and was trying to be the man in the middle

I thought I could settle things but it turns out otherwise.

be happy.

a reply to: stargatetravels

a reply to: nonspecific

I know and I appreciate it. Thank you

I just sent a contribution. It's not much, but hopefully if enough people contribute, it will add up to a nice amount of money so you all can do the things that are needed to keep this terrific site going strong.

I wonder if ATS has struck a nerve with someone regarding the truth? Maybe certain posts lately have been the 100% truth about some sensitive subject(s) and people want the website shut down?

This makes me curious if ATS is about to turn into a "WikiLeaks" of sorts in that regard. We all know what that means.

This is interesting news.

As a web verteran I gave up on forums years ago and everytime I enter one its just a matter of time before Iget agitated by an idiot.

Forums died years ago I remember when there were tons of them, and you could meet people and talk freely. It was like the 60's but then I think people became more and more aware of the implications. You can look at it from many perspectives, but people became mean, they stopped the unquestioned friendship and formed cliques. THATS VERY APPARENT ON ATS.

All my sites were banned by Google Adsense for very similar reasons. Basically, Google is part of the police state, and the police state is at was with freedom. Thats whats happening.

There are no other advertisers. Google is in control. And people like to talk should in theory like to talk about it on forums and so Google hates forums. Essentially you cant run a forum with Googles permission.

I run several MAJOR sites and they are all advert free. Mainly because im blacklisted, even from rankings, from Google.

But this is a new assault on small players.

The problems with forums is that they reach a critical load. At it has a low threshold. Thats the load that goes beyond the ability of a forum host to control what is said without massive contributions of time. Slap on top of that the permanent assault by dark forces, governemtns etc that SPAM forums with spam sign ups etc.

None of my forums get any users even though they are massive topics of major national significance that no one else offers niches for. Google and the state police just dont allow it.

As sad as it is for ATS, in the old days in this situation people would have said - Hey, im starting up a new forum here etc. Setting up forums is easy. But the heyday of forums has gone.

to start off with, one one really wants to be the 'bitch', ie the user. A person that starts up a forum is BOSS. Its a form of control that many people don't like. In the early days people were not so aware of that or who they were supporting.

Seriously. I have a few forums and they take no time to set up, plus I run major web sites, adn I do it all for FEE without advertising. I consider it a philanthropic loss leader. So far i have been lucky not to suffer, BUT I HAVE HAD MT HOUSE RAIDED BY THE POLICE AT 3AM and kept on bail for 9 months. Its called maliscious prosecution. They do it as they know the trouble will do more damage than any conviction.

The thing is, a forum can be run by 1 person as long as it doesnt have too many members. And then, if they are lucky they can sub contract moderation but that often turns sour after people tread on toes and have tantrums and delete massive amounts of content and ban members etc etc.

this is why many people have turned to Facebook and Twitter. Its a governemnt SHEEP DRIVE. People talk without listening on Facebook and Twitter, and the powers that be can automate responces.

In the heyday of forums I met loads of people that I considered friends. I even went through an old site that listed all the forums I had listed on a link page and virtually all of them are gone. Its sad, its like looking at a lost civilisation.

ATS attracts weirdos. And Google is at war with terrorism if you hadn't noticed and terrorism, is just an analogy for US. THat you and me. People that think outside the box. People that CONSTANTLY attack the POLICE and GOVERNMENT. They hate us and they are TARGETING OUR FINANCE.

Personally I hate ads. I use Firefox ad blocker. I even NOINDEX many of my sites from google as they are so popular that I dont need Google. I feel that ATS should really be advert fee. their ads were terrible. they were in your face. This site deesign is actually terrible.

I come to ATS as im naturally drawn here, and i do like NLBS and reading the threads but virtually every time I get here I get flamed. I actually find posting in news comments is just as good and I never see any replies. We are heading to non communicating world. I know this site is full of people circle jerking as i call it, saying hi to each other, but the commeradery to me looks fake. No offence. I like ATS and its one of the only forums I go to. But im surprised its still around.

As far as their costs go. I dont really think it can be that high. Seriously, theres no real reason that a person in a good job could not afford to run this site on a few thousand a year. People buy boats, people travel the world, people buy massive gaming set ups, some people run web sites.

I would be interested to see the total traffic volumes for ATS, I doubt they are that high.

Thats that really. All the best with keeping the site going. Im interested on how it works out. But ive been saying forums have been dead for years. I wroet an article on it. So muc so that the internet is now pretty much dead. You can see that by the mass of purile content out there, especiallly all those tack 25 THING YOU HAVE TO KNOW type content aggrigators etc. You cant find good forums, it cat sign up to them speedily and you cant break the cliques. In many senses they are pointless.

I better stop typing else my fingers will fall off.

I just come back from a VERY big (actually the biggest), highly established tech forum that receives enormous amount of traffic for decades already.

They TOO have been threatened by Google this start of December to abide by their rules otherwise face termination from AdSense.

More specifically, Google told them they won't tolerate ANY debate or mentioning on their forum about anything which has to do with "Youtube downloading". (Don't ask me why, ask Google.)

In a forum with 100,000s if not millions of users and thousands of threads daily, sort-of absurd. I am sure that "downloading Youtube videos" is just ONE of a zillion reasons Google may now use to threaten webmasters with booting them off their program. They are HEAVILY going against major forums now, so ATS is not an exception.

WORSE...in the majority of cases webmasters WILL actually abide to Google's rules in a fear of losing ad revenue (sort of understandable, I would also freak out, I admit) means they are now actively censoring threads and topics because it could be topics Google considers "not kosher".

Google's money and its power is literally influencing the web-culture as we speak and it's horrible to see when webmasters are bowing to this, even afraid to voice their opinion because they are scared to lose their #1 ad revenue.

a reply to: NoRulesAllowed

Sorry to be a bore, but I would appreciate it if instead of Google you used the word 'Police State', it would all just make so much sense them.

WORSE...in the majority of cases webmasters WILL actually abide to Google's rules in a fear of losing ad revenue (sort of understandable, I would also freak out, I admit) means they are now actively censoring threads and topics because it could be topics Google considers "not kosher".

Reads

WORSE...in the majority of cases webmasters WILL actually abide to the Police State's rules in a fear of losing ad revenue (sort of understandable, I would also freak out, I admit) means they are now actively censoring threads and topics because it could be topics the Police State considers "not kosher".

a reply to: grandmakdw

Yes, only 53 donations is typical of the 'REALITY' of forum workings.

I remember Mark Marek 'best gore' attempt to raise several thousand dollars for legal fees, lol. A couple of hundred dollars later after a month or so......

People have to be realisetic.

Personally, I hate ads, so much so that i have started to be of the opinion that if a site depends on ads then it shouldn't be on the internet. In particualr im reffering to News site, especially the smaller ones, regional news sites that are STUFFED with ads. Its sickening. Theres more ads on many sites than content. I know my reasoning isnt true but in essence it has some traction. Many sites design themselves arounf monetizing by ads. People are blind to it all and dont care.

Your also right about people living in ATS. People used to live on the internet, thats why the governemnt doesnt like it, they want people to live in the realword where they have to spend real money. Support real social outlets like pubs etc.

I always consider people like ME and most people on ATS to be the bottom of the social order. The thing is, when the internet came, the BOTTOM FELL OUT OF THE MARKET> The ordained social order where people had social hierachy suddenly lost the benthic dwellers and suddenly became lesser people. THey then became angry as they found the idiots (nerds) where then in charge where they used to be followers.

I have always known this. And so they want to STOP people living on the internet.

They had had me in a seige situation for about 10 years. I have written about it many times. I used to get enough social contentment from Myspace that I really was VERY HAPPY, but then they destroyed MySpace and everyone went to Facebook that didn't workin the same way as everyone was locked down to the REAL WORLD, pushing for that real world reflection, stopping people making friends in other countries etc. Knowing people from other countries was a luxury years ago, the opportunity for foreign travel. They had to put a stop to it.

Whilst I dont live on ATS, its clear that there are many that get that FREE SOCIAL WELFARE from this site and the powers that be want them BACK IN QUEUE of the traditional social order. Going to SOCIAL GATHERINGS and joing the social order again, usually at the bottom. I am hopeless in the real world. I am one of those in the SEXODUS that there was a thread on, people that have given up on everything. Well, those people can only really do that if they get find social outlets, even if they are fleeting like this is for me.

etc
etc

a reply to: brookster18

aol killed the golden age of the internet and the old BBS systems.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

a/s/l?