MediumRoastSteam Exactly
What corporates can do when they monetise a forums data
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MediumRoastSteam I have considered that possibility and already identified a paid hosting plan should anything happen. We can simply take the database, they already have flarum loaded, I could probably have the basic forum running in a day and all extensions functioning and configured by day 2.
I would then put a signpost on Tapatalk coffeetime.
As others have said, a huge thanks to Dave for his time and efforts setting this place up it’s very much appreciated
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When Glenn set up CFUK in 2008, I like to think he did it to further a community spirit for all things coffee related. That said, it became clear, as time progressed, Glenn’s focus began to shift IMO. Glenn was adept in maintaining the image of a forum focussed on a community aspect whilst building the forum as a profitable business evidenced when he sold it for a five figure sum. The new owner bought it as a business which understandably hacked off a number of members who bought into the community myth Glenn fostered. That said, the new owner, after getting his fingers well and truly burned, ceded responsibility for day to day running to the mods. This proved to be a two edged sword. It enabled the mods to ensure the forum wasn’t taken over by a small vocal minority and, as a consequence, it thrived and attracted more paid advertising. Mods knew this would likely mean that at some point the new owner would seek to cash in and sell on which happened recently. The new owners have a very different agenda. They made no attempt to get in touch with CFUK mod team to start a dialogue/relationship - clearly it would seem the past was of no importance to them. It’s a sad story but that’s life - everything is reduced to monetary value - community is a term that is bandied around like confetti but the reality is the opposite. CFUK may continue but its heart has gone IMO which is why the mods decided to withdraw completely and set up this independent, not for profit, coffee community focused forum.
8 days later
Here is another dead community 0.5 million posts, 15K members… now less than 6 posts a day.
https://www.gtaaquaria.com/
Admins that never post, or one admin that obviously was once a keen member, has not on for 3 months. and last posted 6 months ago.
Another dead one below, interestingly I see a lot of the same admins and moderators names on many different forums. 770K posts 16K members, 10 to 20 times less posts a day than us
https://www.sv-portal.com/whats-new/posts/31354/
This next is a doozy, 4.5 million posts, 67K members…almost dead.
https://www.migweb.co.uk/whats-new/posts/73391/
Loved the announcement when they took over and 2 years later…..
I think it’s important to stop contributing to the other forum. As tempting as it is to say something in some threads. Hopefully, people will find everyone has left come here and elsewhere. I’m not giving them the traffic as it’s a stat they use to get advertisers on board.
Quite agree Rob…..as much as I want to log on and argue, what’s the point? There are certain folks logging on there and just posting defamatory remarks, looking for a scrap……feck ’em is what I say!
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Rob1 Agreed and what’s worse it just adds more bait to the database for advert impressions from Google ads. They really don’t give a crap about the user base. An admin I believe covers 30 or 40 forums.
If I’m honest, it’s a mystery why the people who are left keep posting there. One day 3 big corporates will own almost all the forums…except ones like ours. Their money is no good here. This is our community, not a commodity!
I’m still posting there, mainly raising awareness of the takeover. I’ll stop in the new year.
Best way of raising awareness, is to set up auto reply on your pm’s……..changing your signature to redirect here, and just sign out!
I couldn’t see a delete account option, to so I’ve just emailed their privacy department removing my consent for them to hold my personal data and requesting they delete my account.
It’sa small act but it’s one less member on their numbers.
I’ll let you know how I get on
I no longer login elsewhere. I haven’t posted anything since we all left that place.
hornbyben couldn’t see a delete account option
There were questions about this before on CFUK. My understanding is that such a thing cannot happen as there’s no personal information.
Do a search on “remove account”. It says it cannot be deleted as it disrupts thread continuity.
MediumRoastSteam it’s a bit academic as no one will read the email or pm. Took them over a day to read mine (with all the mods copied in) about the advertisers announcement and their mess I had to clean up. They never ever replied!
Your profile has fields for email address, telephone number and name - all of which the user needs to voluntarily provide - but if one did and they hold it they are holding personal information as defined by GDPR. They are obliged by law to respond to requests for deletion of your data.
On top of that they log your device identifier, browser and location. You can see the log at Settings > Recently Used Devices.
Gagaryn - I’m not saying they are right. I’m just reporting previous posts requesting it - and subsequent failure.
