ATS has become an embarrassment

I highly doubt that this thread will be permitted to exist once a mod sees it, but here goes. I was talking to a few friends that have been working overseas, when the topic of UFOs came up. Turns out they had all seen something very strange and similar during their tours. I told them about this website, telling them that if they wanted some insight, it would be a great place to ask. We finished our night, and went on our separate ways with the promise of keeping in touch. Well, they all stayed in touch. Within three days I had received four phone calls, all complaining about my directing them to this website.

I was rather confused, at first, and asked what the problem was. Every single one of my friends said the same thing. The website looks like a sloppy fan page to some obnoxious tween. I was a little confused having not been around for awhile, so I hopped on the site. I immediately saw what they were talking about. The color scheme, the fonts, the ridiculous layout and the ads for Twitter, Facebook and everything else jumped right out at me. My friends thought I had directed them to a serious conspiracy sight, and it turned out they had been directed to a joke.

How is a conspiracy site supposed to be taken seriously with google ads EVERYWHERE, popups EVERYWHERE, and links to Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube emblazoned on every page? This site went from rather obscure and very interesting to rather popular and interesting to insanely popular and an obvious cash cow. I no longer trust the owners or the moderators. What really crossed the line for me was the link to the 'Professional Conspiracy' authors. Of course the site should be profitable, or at least pay for itself, but all you establishment hating, anti manipulation types ought to be calling foul.

There are still some amazing minds here, skeptics, believers, crazies and neutrals. Some are well known and rather ancient to posting, some very random and very new. You are the heart of this place, and I thank you for your contributions. I have learned so much here, to think deeper, be more compassionate, be skeptical, and never give up hope. I pray that you realize what this site is turning into, and fight it. I would rather not have every freaking thread end up on Digg.

I don't understand how people can get so worked up over the look of a place.

It's always been about the content...that's what the internet is.

I'm kinda getting tired of this...isn't summer over?

~Keeper

It's inevitable. TPTB are slipping their tendrils into everything. But on the bright side, they will probably destroy the current internet and replace it with their own, which will be nothing but 1,000% mind-control. Then, within a few generation, we won't even know what free expression once was. Unless some drastic action is taken, and I don't mean complaining about the problem using the problem's own medium.

IMO there have been changes with either the look or the members. Its a sign of the times, and always has been. I think that ATS has hit a high, and those that disagree will leave, and others will stay. Its a part of the business.

This is a business of people with alternative views. Those views change more dramatically then most. If people want to find the truth they know where to look, and ATS has managed to be on top.

We will see, even now that the format has changed those who agree and disagree, but the loyalty here, and the members, whether they stay or go, will remain the same.

Originality is not right.... its a privileged.

Peace, NRE.

reply to post by warpcrafter


TPTW (WERE, not BE) could care less about any of us, unless we're pulling a Julian Assange or Gary McKinnon.

I would not worry so much. ATS is fine the way it is and if you don't like ads, you simply don't click on them.

As much as I hate the twitter and face book crap, its does provide/promote the site to a wider audience, but with the other adds ... surely we can use adds that are in the likeness of ATS not banks and credit card company's and other silly things like that.


Maybe a bit of transparency ATS ? the posters are the cash cows that provide this site with the "HITS" that allow you guys to make the money from advertisement ... how about a section of the forums that shows up to date, how much money we are actually making for this site from advertising ??? kinda like the National debt deficit counter thingy in the USA but obviously ours will be in the green instead of the red

Any mods want to comment on my suggestion ?

So what should a conspiracy site look like ?? dull, grey, .... should we have to give a password everytime we sign on which changes daily ??

The ads are a neccesary evil, on any website you go to. No ads = no website, and the owners couldnt devote the kind of time they do if they werent compensated as well.

Your friends are looking at everying EXCEPT, what ATS is all about, ... The Content.

If they have an issue with Content as some do, thats another thing, ... but even then, it is all member driven. An equal and fair platform for others to share their opinions, we can't really have it any other way, the sweet and the sour.

reply to post by King Loki


I own a business. It's not publicly traded.

If somebody asked me how much my business made in revenue and to post the amount in real time on my website, I would laugh at them.

~Keeper

reply to post by Raustin

Totally agree, well said.
This has become a joke threads constantly getting derailed and off topic posts or where someones reply is followed by pages of replies that don't make sense ultimately leaving important information lost in pages of bs.
The focus seems to have shifted to star and flag grabbing never getting to the conclusion of threads.

So, has anyone any alternative sites where the focus is finding the truth?

You sort of answered the question for yourself. ATS is a business and profit is king. Can't knock that as it is the price we pay to be a part of the community. There is way too much hate and anger across the boards, but that perhaps is a sign of the times. Doesn't make it right and reason should always prevail, but ATS is becoming quite dark with the level of vitriol it is propelling at the moment.

However, the owners are here to make money, so just think of yourself as an employee! Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are all 21st Century marketing mechanisms to promote the site. Advertising is the sites business model and page views, not ad clicks, generate the revenue. Every post counts!

reply to post by Raustin

How is a conspiracy site supposed to be taken seriously with google ads EVERYWHERE, popups EVERYWHERE, and links to Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube emblazoned on every page?

True true...but it is still the largest conspiracy forum on the net by far...and if you feel the staff is not to be trusted, I say it's better to be close to your enemies. And if you have any technical know how it's easy to avoid the pop-ups etc (not that I advocate doing that, it's against the rules )

reply to post by Raustin


This is the whole problem with my life.
Just when I get accustomed to something
and realize how much I appreciate and enjoy it exactly how it is,
it either goes away or changes.
I can empathize.
Roll with it, walk away or get trampled in the rush for it.

Originally posted by Raustin
I was talking to a few friends that have been working overseas, when the topic of UFOs came up. Turns out they had all seen something very strange and similar during their tours.

your investigative journalistic skills are something to be admired. i'm sure you asked the tough questions and have come to share detailed information about their recollections with fellow ATS members then?

I told them about this website, telling them that if they wanted some insight, it would be a great place to ask.

why didn't you ask?

Every single one of my friends said the same thing. The website looks like a sloppy fan page to some obnoxious tween.

really? they all said this looks like some obnoxious tween? are you paraphrasing and adding your own commentary to how you percieved their intent? i think this may be the case.

My friends thought I had directed them to a serious conspiracy sight, and it turned out they had been directed to a joke.

a sense of humor is required when discussing some aspects of the ufo phenomenon. if you think access to all truths concerning the ufo phenomenon will acceptable to an individual without a sense of humor, you may be more dissapointed and offended than colors, adds, and fonts will offend, or embarrass you.

How is a conspiracy site supposed to be taken seriously with google ads EVERYWHERE, popups EVERYWHERE, and links to Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube emblazoned on every page?

i've never seen any popups on ATS, and especially no popups EVERYWHERE on ATS. as for facebook, twitter, and youtube, what do you have against mediums of communication and people sharing information???

your arguement does not make too much sense to me. and even if you were right ..... keep your enemies closer.

This site went from rather obscure and very interesting to rather popular and interesting to insanely popular and an obvious cash cow.

you believe the site owner are very rich? don't you think they put the majority of their money back into this site to make it bigger and better?

I no longer trust the owners or the moderators.

when did you ever? it is difficult for me to understand how someone can harbor feelings of skepticism and claim to trust anyone unconditionally simultaneously, and be of one mind.

What really crossed the line for me was the link to the 'Professional Conspiracy' authors. Of course the site should be profitable, or at least pay for itself, but all you establishment hating, anti manipulation types ought to be calling foul.

i leave the hating to the haters.

There are still some amazing minds here, skeptics, believers, crazies and neutrals.

you didn't mention knowers.

thanks for sharing your thoughts i guess.

Originally posted by Raustin
I was talking to a few friends that have been working overseas, when the topic of UFOs came up. Turns out they had all seen something very strange and similar during their tours.

your investigative journalistic skills are something to be admired. i'm sure you asked the tough questions and have come to share detailed information about their recollections with fellow ATS members then?

be the change you want to see, set the example.

thanks,
et

I personally think that we should have a REAL complaint forum. When "members" can share their thoughts of things being "free" , or not liking the new site (which I'm sure had lots of work put into it) and then when they click, it should be a ban.

People are so ungrateful. I have been through some "events" here, and everyone has, but what is this thing about making sure that complaints are made. Why not take that time to make an interesting thread or post? Or a view on the world. There are some of us that like it here, and appreciate the changes, and only see it getting better.

Or were here when things were harder? There are hundreds of "other" websites. Find those and you will be back. Please, and I mean PLEASE stop filling the forums with complaints that can have a simple answer... move on. Some of us enjoy it here.

Peace, NRE.

reply to post by CHA0S


Is it the largest conspiracy site on the net?

When you get these mass U2Us advertising the Conspiracy Chicks or something, the numbers of active users the message says have been active in the last month seems to hover around the 12,000 mark. I thought Godlike Productions was much larger. The few times I have visited that site, the statistics on users seems to be much larger than ATS. Can anyone confirm this?

My only comment on the new layout is:
The Clinton/Bush advert for the Haiti relief fund takes some beating,
Perhaps it is very tongue in cheek.

didn't some of the cash from the Katrina appeal go to Bush's family software company?

don't send us blankets.... send us your cash.....

yeah right...

PEACE,
RK

reply to post by LarryLove

Is it the largest conspiracy site on the net?

I'm fairly certain it is. It is the number one ranking site on Google for "conspiracy forum", it's Alexa rating is also pretty decent, and higher than the others as far as I know. I'm also fairly certain it gets more new threads and posts more often than other conspiracy website, correct me if I am wrong. I have been to many of them, including GLP, however I don't trust GLP and I didn't stay there long, only made one intro thread ages ago. If you do some research on GLP, you will find masses of information making it pretty obvious that GLP is an intelligence gathering operation.

EDIT: For those interested in the WhispersInTheDark incident, check my profile for my thread "The Real ATS Conspiracy PART 2: Whispers of the Past".

Meh,
This is also a community. I dare say a community first from the perspective of the users. Though the emoticons and links to facebook etc. annoy me (just because they are ubiquitous).. It is all sort of part and parcel to the web 2.0 structure.

Frankly if your friends got distracted on the form and ignored the function it sounds like had ATS been missing those elements.. Well, then the site would be too poor on features or some stupid complaint on it being amateur.

In case you didn't see the thread about suggestions on changes.. go there and CONTRIBUTE to the COMMUNITY. Not sit and whine with hostility.

reply to post by CHA0S


I just wondered. Might have to look a little more into it. As for those rumours, ATS gets quite a bashing as well. There's plenty on the web suggesting ATS is no more than an intelligence gathering site. Nature of the business I guess, but some sites go into great detail about why ATS and Godlike Productions shouldn't be trusted. I know people say this is all from banned members, but it still makes you think about the old adage: No smoke without fire.

reply to post by LarryLove


Yeah, and Im sure those same people who say that have a hit list of "disinfo agents".. Anyone who didn't agree with them unequivocally is a disinfo agent. Well cept me.. I don't think anyones called me one O_o