Transparency On The Future of ATS

a reply to: The GUT

FWIW, a few years back I posted a short story. I had never written stories before registering my account here. You sent me a very encouraging u2u. I saved it and printed it out. It made an enormous positive impact on my confidence. I'd say that it changed my life. "Always trust your gut," they say. So thanks for that.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

Hey I agree 100%, it's not right and indicates the need to break up tech monopolies before it gets even worse.

They are seeking to prevent dissenting individuals (other than their own) from having any meaningful way to express their opinions

a reply to: JBurns

I am currently selling off whatever assets I can to raise funds. Even selling some of my beloved guns

THIS is why I come here. Some really damn good people.

I’ve pledged $1000 initially. I hope to god this works!

You sir, have my deepest respect.

Has anyone made a Patreon or GoFundMe yet? It might help.

a reply to: JBurns

It's heartbreaking to hear there's no time to implement payed membership...Stats show 984 new accounts in the last 30 days. I don't know how many people visit ATS per month, but I would have guessed its a lot more then just 2500, which would be the minimum signup requirement at $10 a month to cover the costs of running this place.

Please share more details about your plan, or PM me, I'd be very interested in becoming a part of that initiative. Its definitely an avenue worth pursuing.

Well, I can say this much...I've seen a similar situation to what is happening here on ATS. Almost identical actually, and I was a member. (more on this in a moment).

Site owners had become disillusioned, couldn't make it work financially and had their minds made up. In this case, the site did not sell, and it crashed and burned...literally. One day, all of a sudden, you were just 404'd. Nothing. Darkness.

Much like ATS, the ownership did message the sinking ship ahead of time. And also much like ATS, there were numerous prominent members who gave all sorts of suggestions, volunteered money...basically all the things we're doing here. There was a large user base which wanted to preserve the website, somehow, but they didn't know how. Ultimately the forum bit the dust, hard. Full stop, lights out and pulled the plug.

One member who knew nothing about creating websites vowed to bring it back from the ashes. He was a very determined fella (to say the least). It was pretty rocky at first, lots of turbulence and instability, but he did it! It took a couple tries, but he got it. It started off pretty weak, but the members came back, and it has risen anew.

There are a couple differences from ATS, one good and one not so good (for us). First, there are people here on ATS who really do know how to stand up a forum website (he didn't have this advantage). So that's a good thing. Now for the not so good part (which I said I'd come back to). Ironically, the website was actually created originally by disgruntled members from another, much larger and much more powerful website (and let me put it this way...they were so big they had a NASCAR racing team! We're talking BIG money here!) The subject matter was far different than ATS, but one thing this particular member had going in his favor was, he was still a member in good standing on the larger website. Thus he could message updates about what was happening about the reinvention of the alternate site which folded. Many of the members were on both sites. Communication is key. And this part was obvious.

So, just a suggestion, and subject to moderator approval, maybe we set up a page right here on ATS were we discuss, in real terms, the standing down of ATS as we know it and the rebirth of a new site...maybe it's even "ATS" (but all this would have to be negotiated of course). So let's explore for a moment what this might look like (this discussion)…

First, I would propose it be established as a thread in RATS (or some other non-public space where members who are serious and owners can speak freely and candidly).

Second, I would propose we need to establish some management structure (both technical and administrative).

Third, we would need to establish a dedicated transition team. This, to provide updates to both sides about real progress status, stumbling blocks, challenges and successes.

These three teams would establish the technical approach, the business plan and the transition.

Forth, as always, there are going to be legal matters which will involve legal counsel(s). Corporations to be established, contracts to be signed, rights to be transferred, etc. As much as this part is painful, it is a reality...and there's NO way around it.

We can get these discussions started right now, while we have at least some time.

ATS Ownership - You have a unique position in that you have some members who are seemingly actively interested in picking up ATS.

ATS Membership - We have to be serious. It's a serious time, and it requires more than words on a website. It requires real money, and real commitment, not just talk.

So, what say you all? (Ownership and Membership) Are you game?

This would be my approach, and I am willing to at least attempt to get the discussion started.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
Continuing With Full Transparency

Those green lines represent known changes to Google's algorithm. The last one in early May has essentially de-platformed us from search.

We've always done well with algorithm changes because we play by all the right SEO rules.

Holy moly! This is so sad and infuriating.

And it looks like after they made a change around September 2019, ATS did better then ever in google searches? To which they caught wind and quickly made another change. Oops, they messed up there and quick fixed it to get the results that they wanted!

a reply to: geezlouise

Do you think Google targeted ATS?

It's been a fun and interesting website but its appeal and traffic has been on the decline for many years.

a reply to: geezlouise

Well, you can slice and dice those numbers a million ways, and many do, but at the end of the day...

Google doesn't OWN planet Earth, despite what they may think!!

I haven’t logged into this website in quite awhile. I stopped commenting months ago because, as countless others have mentioned, the quality of this site has gone down the tube as the political commentary has taken over like a parasite.

I get it, the owners and moderators insisted on keeping it a member driven website. I commend them for that; they let the users define the content But I also grew to despise it. I still come here about once every 3 weeks or so just out of old habit. But I’m reminded every three weeks that it’s the same back and forth garbage as when I logged off and stopped being an active member.

I sensed the outcome that is on the horizon was inevitable. I once positioned a thread saying how far right conservatives were giving conspiracy theorists a really bad name. The response was exactly what you’d expect from extremists being called out. But that’s not to say the whole website is infected...just that the most infected users were the loudest and most active. I believe that post was removed...not sure.

Anyway, I’m still saddened to see this. I’ve been scrolling through and focusing on skeptic overlords comments on this thread. He’s said it enough that people should understand...they don’t have the time for it, nor the money to keep it going. It’s not a priority for them and I don’t blame them. The connection between extremists and conspiracy theorists is a scary business to be involved in right now. The hate and ignorance on both sides of this ideological war is a disgusting affiliation and they’re right to distance themselves from it...if not a couple years too late.

Peace!

a reply to: Phage

That’s not what I’m saying but look at the graph!

I can’t speak for the validity of the graph however if the data there is accurate, I wouldn’t say google targeted ATS specifically- but definitely a certain genre/group, the algorithm might favor sites that aren’t associated with conspiracies for example, so on and so forth.

a reply to: Phage

I agree it’s been fun and I will miss your avatar very much but how do you explain the spike in Sept-October?

a reply to: geezlouise

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Would be a start.

a reply to: geezlouise

if the data there is accurate, I wouldn’t say google targeted ATS specifically- but definitely a certain genre/group, the algorithm might favor sites that aren’t associated with conspiracies for example, so on and so forth.

If the algorithms target certain groups—or certain political leanings—that would also makes sense considering the fairly obvious partisan shift by a large number of threads of these past few years, which also goes back to my comments about the Pit, and the attitudes and general disrespect and sometimes extremist opinions, metastasizing into others threads and forums on here.

There seems to be a targeting of extremist/bigoted and blatant discriminatory viewpoints, views which have become more prevalent across many social media platforms and in society, these past few years.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: geezlouise

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Would be a start.

Glad I could help.

a reply to: Phage

Oh shoot. Could be.

You'd think the COVID19 would have had a similar effect/cause a similar spike, and I would've guessed that due to people being home on lockdowns that ATS would get even more traffic.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I never said Google owned any planets! But I would be very interested in that data. Showing up in Google searches leads to more traffic.

If it's over it's over and we might as well just go to the deep dark web where we can't be found, except by invite, and only then if you've proven your loyalty by committing extreme traumatic events of which can be held against you in a blackmail bond.

I'm in!

a reply to: Phage

Do a deal with Russia Today, if ATS goes dark they will loose a good bell weather site that judges trends and opinions on an honest format, as a conspiracy site they and the home alphabet agencies get a good idea if their shenanigans have fooled or not.

a reply to: geezlouise

Why?

Perhaps the active membership would provide more clicks during the crisis (an analysis of post counts might be in order) but there really are not that many of us in the broad view of the internet.

Do you think that if someone (who doesn't already visit ATS) does a Google search for "COVID-19", ATS should for some reason show up high on the list? I don't see why.

a reply to: Liquesence

Jung might say that this is all because individuals have not faced their shadow.

I guess I might be projecting my own- I get triggered whenever I feel like people are being silenced/their voices stifled. Even if I don't agree with what they have to say, it's still very triggering to watch them be snuffed out.