Quiet times.

[Mrteajunkie]

Im admin on another forum and mod on a few others and I have noticed a massive decline of forum posts over the last few years.

I suspect platforms like Facebook have taken away the majority of users. but now with the likes of tiktok and the part time mum crafters with their cricut machines it’s getting worse.

I have noticed a decline in posts here also.
There is a wealth of information here and almost every question has been answered 50 times over so I can understand there will be lurkers or leeches whatever you call them.

But being a Reddit member for years I am still to see a decline, it’s basically a forum for everything.

So who’s Also seen a decline?

[webtrekker]

I think it's a case of 'Video killed the Radio Star,' where 'Video' is the new, all-singing, all-dancing Social Media, and the old Radio Stars are the forums.

Most people looking for information start off with a Google Search, which is more likely to take them to social media outlets than a forum. However, I think even social media may take a knock once AI gets into full swing. Even now, an AI ChatBot such as ChatGPT4 can answer practically everything you throw at it. Ok, they're not perfect yet by any means (in my own tests I have found GPT4 to be biased in some areas and also gets many mathematical queries wrong), but it's only a matter of time. Their abilities are expanding exponentially and are off the chart compared to what they were even a few weeks ago!

Not that I'm the world's greatest AI fan though. Although I find it fascinating, useful and amusing, I'm also fully aware that continuing down this track could end human civilisation as we know it, and I don't make that remark lightly.

I may be living in the past but I still much prefer forums to anything else out there.

[Mrteajunkie]

The whole AI debate scares me.

Reading some news stories where the chatbot has tried to intimidate the user and even threaten them!
if this was let loose I think we would be in the s*** pretty quick.

[pw66]

When forum members start answering questions with 'search the forum - it's already been answered' people tend to walk away and look elsewhere.

[Mrteajunkie]

When forum members start answering questions with 'search the forum - it's already been answered' people tend to walk away and look elsewhere.

Also true.
I have been looking for help elsewhere about my car and rather than an answer I got “try to search for your answer” like I hadn’t already tried that.

courtesy goes a long way as do manners.

[Lollipop]

I’ve also seen a decline. I used to be very active on forums like this, mostly photography forums back then. Then facialbook reared it’s head and forums took a back seat.

however, in my opinion, you do not get the same level of help on there. I am a crafter (with a Cricut, sorry) and belong to groups with so called experts. You ask a question, and you a dozen answers, but mostly they contradict each other. Some questions honestly..

anyway my point is, I can’t be the only one who is now thoroughly sick of social media and looking up forums again. I think they’ll get popular again, unless AI takes over the world and annihilates us all

[Justin]

I've debated moving the forum more towards social media and avoided ithus far.

Obviously the knowledge base built up here is invaluable which can't happen on Facebook.

Over the years I've joined many groups on FB to get advice etc. I can honestly it is very rare that I get any help withy posts on there. Car groups are the worst, I simply get sarcastic responses to genuine questions and no help whatsoever.

I'm at the point where I'm also sick and tired of belonging to groups that offer no help.or support and can't even be friendly. The general response is you should already know how to do that!

Perhaps we can be part of the shift back to forums from social media. I'm always happy to hear from members with ideas and have a few of my own for the future.

[Justin]

I always thought Facebook should be great for quick answered to problems but so far that hasn't been my experience. If I can find some of the entertaining responses to genuine questions I've posted I will lol.

In the meantime if anyone here would like to know what Sublimation is, what printer to use and so on, the helpful answers are already here or feel free to ask, we won't treat you this way!

[pcwizme]

So, I have basically stopped using facebook, moved over to reddit a lot more for specialist interests (like the laser cutter etc), and more direct for the social side of thing (whatsapp etc) I used to use 10 or so forums, now down to one really, this one!

[Mrteajunkie]

I’m not on Facebook and never will be.
There are only a few forums I frequent this being one of them.

Twitter or x has died a death and Instagram well that’s now a clone of tiktok and tiktok is full of shit posting with fake videos and look at the secret door we found like for part 2.

Everywhere I look now it’s all click baiting.
This has to be the only forum I have been on with helpful answers without the sass.

As for this post I have cancelled eBay and Etsy as the fees were just insane.
I have moved along the directions of improving my seo and using Instagram to get to my demographic and that has paid off for me.
Slow times? Yes but as are most seeing the cost of living issues.