The ATS Missing Threads Conspiracy

I am sure that many of you have encountered this scenario;

You create a thread here on ATS, a topic of which is very worthy of being discussed here on ATS... you get a few interesting replies and the thread starts to lead somewhere. You go away and come back, go to click on your thread and BAM! Your hit with a 404 and the entire thread and it's contents have been banished to the trash bin.

Or

You are one of those who comment on an interesting thread, bring a few ideas to the board and then find that it has all dissapeared.

Now ask yourself, is this the action of a moderator who is well within their rights to delete a discussion that breaches the T&C or is it something more sinister?

I have been on both sides of this coin, the OP of a thread and a contributor only to find it vanish into the 404 void.

I have been on discussion's which have been well within the T&C and positioned in the correct forum, then they suddenly dissapear.

My theory is, prehaps and not all the time (as there are justified deletions sometimes) a discussion goes too near a truth, prehaps ATS have been warned about certain subject and if it is too near something they have been warned against they delete it out of fear or out of a misplaced loyalty.

Many here have accused ATS of being a CIA front, of being a misinformation campaign, what if this is true and the majority of the discussions here are allowed to stay as they deflect from another truth?

Ofcourse this is all conjecture and I am very sure that there will be many replies saying no to all I have said... but afterall I have placed this within skunkworks.

So, is there an ATS Missing Threads Conspiracy at play here?

Originally posted by Resentedhalo08
My theory is, prehaps and not all the time (as there are justified deletions sometimes) a discussion goes too near a truth, prehaps ATS have been warned...

Silly and absurd. It has never happened.

Many here have accused ATS of being a CIA front

More silliness and absurdity.

Ofcourse this is all conjecture

No. It's attention-seeking.

So, is there an ATS Missing Threads Conspiracy at play here?

No.

There's only three reasons for a thread to be removed:

1) T&C violation

2) New thread on a topic already being discussed

3) New thread with too much content pasted from another source (see #1)

Personally I think there somewhat is.

I can totally understand deleting people's posts that veer off-topic and steer a thread in the wrong direction.

But totally trashing a great thread simply because of some stupid posters seems strange. Like the Lulzsec thread that got binned. Why not just delete the posts from the people who violated the T&C instead of trashing the whole thread? They are destroying content... for what?

People come to this site for content. The admin gets ad revenue from traffic on the site. Destroying quality content is not in their best interests, assuming their interests lay with having an open forum for people to exchange ideas, grow their member base, and increase the content on their site. For this reason I suspect their is an agenda involved in some of the thread and post deletion. Until they just delete offending posts, instead of entire threads, I will continue to believe this.

It's a dangerous practice. Even if the ATS admin isn't trying to cover things up, they are making it easy for others to do so. Don't like a topic? Want it gone? Simple! Go in there and start trouble, you can almost be sure that you will get a topic trashed by doing so. In my opinion it's lazy. Instead of maintaining quality content, and getting rid of the trouble makers, they punish the contributors by binning the whole thread.

I don't know why I bothered typing out this reply, as odds are this thread will probably end up getting deleted because a single poster said a naughty word.

hmmm. I never realized there were missing threads , thank you for making me aware that it happens.

As far as ATS being a CIA front...would not surprise me one bit. The enemy likes to disguise themselves in whatever way possible to gain insight into public knowledge, as well as profit from it.

Honestly don't think the real conspiracy websites are open to the general public.

I have experienced this one time. I was just reading a thread about the Mayan Calendar of Consciousness and it has some really well put together info. After work, I went to look up the thread further and was hit with the 404. I searched the web trying to find similar info of the OP but only bits and pieces.

The thread didn't seem to be out of line the the T&C but who knows.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


There is 1 more scenario, the 404 isn't for the Trash Bin, it is for a restricted forum.

Some threads get moved to the Mod only "complaint" forum, some get moved to "Really Above Top Secret" and some get moved to "Alternative Substances" forums. All of those forums would show a 404 to a person that doesn't have the correct access.


reply to post by Resentedhalo08


I have moved plenty of threads, and I have never been given any directive from Admin or Owners to remove something for being truthful? That is a ridiculous accusation. In fact, there are plenty of more threads I would liked to have moved or trashed, because they are so absurd, but we leave them up for the members to discuss.

If you have any specific question about a thread, then respond to the Mod named in the automated email that you get when it is moved, or just shoot a private message to any Mod and ask your question. Baseless accusations isn't really the way to go.

thank you for your reply Skeptic Overlord, even if you do disagree with my points.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord.
Silly and absurd. It has never happened.

Well that's the thing it has happened, I have seen it happen quite a few times in the past and I am sure others have aswell.

More silliness and absurdity.

So in effect your calling a section of the ATS membership silly and absurd? Because I have seen people call it a CIA front in certain threads.

No. It's attention-seeking.

Not at all, just highlighting something I have seen happen here on this website, of which for the most part is a brilliant website.

No.

There's only three reasons for a thread to be removed:

1) T&C violation

2) New thread on a topic already being discussed

3) New thread with too much content pasted from another source (see #1)

I agree to a point, which is why I highlighted the fact that some threads, not all, dissapear. Are you saying that these threads fall into either or all of these 3 catagories? I would post some proof of threads that haven't fallen into these 3 catagories, but I can't as they have been deleted.

S & F

I agree there is something fishy going on. If it pleases the court I'd like to present my case in a public forum.

Exhibit A

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8235c67b1d70.jpg[/atsimg] A few weeks back I was following a very interesting thread. which mysteriously went 404d after what appeared to be a lively and colorful discussion.

Exhibit B

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/66c60e8d1aa2.jpg[/atsimg]
Last week I again had a thread absconded to the nether world. It was one about a nationwide conspiracy to reduce happy meal portions.

Exhibit C

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8702790258fd.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e7c6c49ff496.jpg[/atsimg]
And finally a great thread on the danger of Intergalactic drinking and flying [Roswell Crash] also seemed to be pulled. Some Suspect ATS gave in to the demands of AMADD.


Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury I'd like to present the culprit.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e09ce22c3bee.gif[/atsimg]
Wanted in fourteen county's of this state. Condemned, as found guilty of the crimes of: murder, armed robbery of citizens, state banks and post offices. The theft of sacred objects. Arson in a state prison. Perjury. Bigamy. Hurting his wife and children. Citing prostitution. Kidnapping. Extortion. Receiving stolen goods. Selling stolen goods. Passing counterfeit money. And contrary to the laws of this state the condemned is guilty of using marked cards... therefore according to the powers invested in us, we sentence the accused here before us: Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez, and any other aliases he might have to hang by the neck until dead. God have mercy on his soul

Originally posted by Resentedhalo08
I have seen it happen quite a few times in the past and I am sure others have aswell.

Seriously?

Where have you, or anyone else, seen a topic "come too close to the truth," and ATS has been warned with such an intensity we have no choice but to remove a thread?

So in effect your calling a section of the ATS membership silly and absurd? Because I have seen people call it a CIA front in certain threads.

Correct.

reply to post by SLAYER69


What a classic tactic to derail a thread and make it seem like a joke.

Throughout history people have ridiculed others to shut their argument up, well I am sorry it's not going to work with me.

I see something go on, damn right I am going to talk about it.

Originally posted by Resentedhalo08
I see something go on, damn right I am going to talk about it.

You mean you're going to make up suppositions that we (ATS) is getting warned by some mysterious force to remove topics too close to the truth?

Repeatedly posting falsehoods is against the T&C.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
You mean you're going to make up suppositions that we (ATS) is getting warned by some mysterious force to remove topics too close to the truth?

It is merely a theory, be it wrong or right... that's all it is.

Repeatedly posting falsehoods is against the T&C.

What is truth and what is false? It's mostly down to opinion on this website is it not? For the most part people will make their own truth, with what sits right with what they believe to be true.

So with this statement you mean a lot of people who post on ATS are breaching T&C through an act of their own opinion?

reply to post by Resentedhalo08



[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/88099129423f.gif[/atsimg]ATS Skunk Works: This forum is dedicated to the all-important "highly speculative topics" that may "not be substantiated by many", if any facts and span the spectrum of topics discussed on ATS.

Readers and users should be aware that "extreme theories without corroboration" are embraced in this forum. Discussion topics and follow-up responses in this forum will likely tend to lean in favor of conspiracies, scandals, and cover-ups. Members who would seek to refute such theories should be mindful of AboveTopSecret.com's tradition of focusing on "conspiracy theory, cover-ups, and scandals"[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6762cb63620a.gif[/atsimg]

Originally posted by Resentedhalo08
It is merely a theory, be it wrong or right... that's all it is.

You said this in regard to your "theory:" ---> "I have seen it happen quite a few times in the past and I am sure others have aswell."
When have you seen us remove a topic because we've been warned it was too close to the truth?

SkepticOverlord,

Honestly I think the issue that causes all these ideas is that threads are deleted, instead of simply removing the offending posts from the thread.

Is there a reason for this? I realize it's easier to bin a thread, instead of picking through and deleting offending posts, but is it really that difficult as to not be worth it for the sake of not only allowing the topic to continue, but also to keep these kind of theories at bay?

Thanks.

reply to post by Resentedhalo08

What is truth and what is false? It's mostly down to opinion on this website is it not? For the most part people will make their own truth, with what sits right with what they believe to be true.

Seeing as how SkepticOverlord is a site owner and main administrator, he would have direct knowledge of anything similar to the accusations you have made. He says it has not happened. What is truth and waht is false is not an opinion. It either did happen, or it did not happen. The site owner says it did not happen. Case closed. People do not get to make their "own truth."

Plus, if you think SO has any reason to be evasive or lie, think about this. How much money would a "real" conspiracy be worth to the site? Imagine an email or a memo or a document demanding some thread be taken down because it was too close to the truth? That would be a windfall for the owners of the site!! Not to mention, they are conspiracy theorists like the rest of us! Do you really think someone that started and runs a conpsiracy site, would pass up an opportunity to get rich and expose a real conspiracy?

Come on. It has not happened.

If you have a specific question about a specific thread, why not just ask?

Seems to happen quite often here. I was keeping an eye on that Lul thread as well, not the first time I have seen them disappear

reply to post by getreadyalready


Just playing devil's advocate here, but isn't that the same kind of defense that government agencies use?

If you accuse the CIA of something, or the FBI, or whoever else, they can simply respond "Well, I think we would know, seeing as we are the ones being accused"

If you are accused of a cover-up, then isn't it hard to be credible to those accusing you of such a cover-up?

we should have a missing thread forum with all the missing thread in there. That way people will be able to go to that forum and post their missing threads and look at and discuss missing threads :p

Originally posted by James1982

Just playing devil's advocate here, but isn't that the same kind of defense that government agencies use?

If you accuse the CIA of something, or the FBI, or whoever else, they can simply respond "Well, I think we would know, seeing as we are the ones being accused"

If you are accused of a cover-up, then isn't it hard to be credible to those accusing you of such a cover-up?

James, I couldn't agree more with this point you have raised...

You have essentially hit the nail on the head here, star for you