WHY DO YOU THINK CHATTERS ARE LEAVING

[Scotslassie2]

I've noticed and no doubt many others that a lot of chatters have gone recently some that have been on here since the beginning.

Not a good sign when they have stuck it through thick and thin

What can be done to improve it do you think?

What can be done to stop them leaving ?

It's all very well saying let them go but what about the rest of us when it no longer becomes viable to keep the site open?

Do you care enough to voice your opinion?

Let us know ................

 

[Transparent]

Chatters are leaving? Says there are over 36,000 members lol... I can see how they come to that conclusion for sure!

 

[Scotslassie2]

Chatters are leaving? Says there are over 36,000 members lol... I can see how they come to that conclusion for sure!

Where do you get that figure. ?

 

[bairy]

Forum Stats on the front page

Forum statistics
Threads : 6,158
Messages : 116,814
Members : 36,478

That's total members though not active.

 

[BEVO]

no comment

 

[Scotslassie2]

Forum Stats on the front page

Forum statistics
Threads : 6,158
Messages : 116,814
Members : 36,478

That's total members though not active.

And will include those that have left

 

[bairy]

Correct.

 

[SouthernGuy52]

So actually
Not many active users
ALOT are leaving

 

[elwoodbluz1966]

Chat sites have all been in decline ever since other social media sites started, such as Facebook, Twitter (now X), Instgram, Whatsapp, Tiktok etc. The internet has moved on over the years since the heydays of chat rooms. Of course some long term chatters leave, be it through life circumstances and sometimes, sadly, they pass away. Some leave but do return, sometimes years later. Equally we have had many migrate here from other chat sites that have either closed or gone into near terminal decline and we do get new chatters registering at both UK sites almost daily.

There are several ways that chat can be improved. Firstly and most importantly, chatters need to either ignore or actually use the ignore feature option. Report prolonged abuse or clear rule breaks, with evidence (screen shot if possible) but don't respond. That person can then be dealt with appropriately. Too much time is spent on pointless bickering, sniping and goading. There's a clear rule on prolonged harassment, ignore, report and let the staff handle it please.

Be welcoming to new chatters. So many are either ignored or accused of being 'hideys' etc. Sure, some will be names possibly created by existing registered chatters, maybe with the aim to disrupt chat, but don't tar every new screen name with that brush please. Many that log into chat also just seem to sit in the room list but never type in the chat room. Any chat room needs those in it to engage and type. Too many wait to be 'entertained'. A chat room is what those logged into it make it. Join in, suggest a new topic etc. And chatters need to make their own topic if they don't like the current topic, be it sports, food chat or whatever, instead of just complaining about that topic. It is easy to ignore a topic or actually use the ignore feature. Everyone has different interests and things they like to chat about. Don't ridicule them, either ignore or start your own topic.

It is unlikely there will ever be a massive surge in the use of chat rooms, simply because there are so many social media platforms now out there and the reality is, younger people use them as opposed to chat rooms. I may be wrong and chat rooms may become popular again, but to keep and get new chatters, any chat room needs active participation by those in the chat rooms and more tolerance of others reasons for being in chat, as everybody is different.

 

[Scotslassie2]

Chat sites have all been in decline ever since other social media sites started, such as Facebook, Twitter (now X), Instgram, Whatsapp, Tiktok etc. The internet has moved on over the years since the heydays of chat rooms. Of course some long term chatters leave, be it through life circumstances and sometimes, sadly, they pass away. Some leave but do return, sometimes years later. Equally we have had many migrate here from other chat sites that have either closed or gone into near terminal decline and we do get new chatters registering at both UK sites almost daily.

There are several ways that chat can be improved. Firstly and most importantly, chatters need to either ignore or actually use the ignore feature option. Report prolonged abuse or clear rule breaks, with evidence (screen shot if possible) but don't respond. That person can then be dealt with appropriately. Too much time is spent on pointless bickering, sniping and goading. There's a clear rule on prolonged harassment, ignore, report and let the staff handle it please.

Be welcoming to new chatters. So many are either ignored or accused of being 'hideys' etc. Sure, some will be names possibly created by existing registered chatters, maybe with the aim to disrupt chat, but don't tar every new screen name with that brush please. Many that log into chat also just seem to sit in the room list but never type in the chat room. Any chat room needs those in it to engage and type. Too many wait to be 'entertained'. A chat room is what those logged into it make it. Join in, suggest a new topic etc. And chatters need to make their own topic if they don't like the current topic, be it sports, food chat or whatever, instead of just complaining about that topic. It is easy to ignore a topic or actually use the ignore feature. Everyone has different interests and things they like to chat about. Don't ridicule them, either ignore or start your own topic.

It is unlikely there will ever be a massive surge in the use of chat rooms, simply because there are so many social media platforms now out there and the reality is, younger people use them as opposed to chat rooms. I may be wrong and chat rooms may become popular again, but to keep and get new chatters, any chat room needs active participation by those in the chat rooms and more tolerance of others reasons for being in chat, as everybody is different.

I must say this is a glad and positive response to this thanks very much elwood and I agree with it I myself as of late have stopped chatting because of the bickering etc as it is not pleasant to see. I come on to forget life not to make it worse I want to have laughter from it and learn about subjects I have no clue on so well put I hope others read this as it will then let them see that you do think about your job and are not negative as it is believed by a lot of chatters about moderators, I know from being a boss myself when working it is easier for people to blame you than to look at their own actions or take responsibility for them. I hope to get back into the chat soon as I miss it many a time it helped and it is needed by some others too.

Thanks again and good luck you have a thick skin to do what you do.

I try myself to welcome newbies by letting them know how to get into chat as they don't always follow what you have written a complete newbie it's easier for them sometimes and I always welcome them in my direct message encouraging them to enjoy

It is also interesting to get the points of views of chatters so that I/we can understand the thoughts and trends

 

[xkatx30]

Some also are older members who sadly might have passed away too some do leave some do come back life can change there's so many different reasons

 

[BEVO]

I'm still making no comment

 

[bairy]

What can be done to improve it do you think?

What can be done to stop them leaving ?

Well unfortunately the staffing here takes the "neutrality" approach, whereby if nasty person starts on someone, and victim does anything other than ignore them, then they're both to blame and thus nothing can be done.

Which is a lovely idealistic thought but in reality complete bollocks. Because even if the impossible happened and everyone in the room did ignore them, that nasty person will simply wait for a newbie with an empty ignore list to pick on and thus the cycle will continue, This means nasty person's removal is prolongued (if it ever happens) and the cycle never ends. This has been demonstrated time and time and time again.

The followup problem is that when nasty person and a second person start having cracks at each other, they're now both causing problems for the room, and instead of getting rid of both of them, the policy is tell them both to use ignore a few times then maaaaaybe if the random ban generator feels like it, do a kick here or there and maaaaaaaaaybe a short ban, but never actually solve the problem permanently. This has also happened over and over and over again.

Analogy: there's a very obvious puddle of toxic waste keeps seeping into the room, and the admin's solution isn't to clean it up, but to tell every current and future person to put a hazmat suit on, and then blame anyone who doesn't.

So how can it be improved? Get rid of the obviously nasty, repeat offenders and stop shrugging shoulders and saying "but someone replied so ...... what can we do!"

Also, admin has been told of the problems repeatedly by many many different people both here and on a site I cannot mention because it's insta-perma-ban.
The response is always the same - either an insult, a dismissal, or a "**** off ta". They simply refuse to take any critisism.

 

[elwoodbluz1966]

Well unfortunately the staffing here takes the "neutrality" approach, whereby if nasty person starts on someone, and victim does anything other than ignore them, then they're both to blame and thus nothing can be done.

Which is a lovely idealistic thought but in reality complete bollocks. Because even if the impossible happened and everyone in the room did ignore them, that nasty person will simply wait for a newbie with an empty ignore list to pick on and thus the cycle will continue, This means nasty person's removal is prolongued (if it ever happens) and the cycle never ends. This has been demonstrated time and time and time again.

The followup problem is that when nasty person and a second person start having cracks at each other, they're now both causing problems for the room, and instead of getting rid of both of them, the policy is tell them both to use ignore a few times then maaaaaybe if the random ban generator feels like it, do a kick here or there and maaaaaaaaaybe a short ban, but never actually solve the problem permanently. This has also happened over and over and over again.

Analogy: there's a very obvious puddle of toxic waste keeps seeping into the room, and the admin's solution isn't to clean it up, but to tell every current and future person to put a hazmat suit on, and then blame anyone who doesn't.

So how can it be improved? Get rid of the obviously nasty, repeat offenders and stop shrugging shoulders and saying "but someone replied so ...... what can we do!"

Also, admin has been told of the problems repeatedly by many many different people both here and on a site I cannot mention because it's insta-perma-ban.
The response is always the same - either an insult, a dismissal, or a "**** off ta". They simply refuse to take any critisism.

The decision not to intervene, as a rule, when two chatters are equally exchanging insults, comes direct from the set up of this site when it was taken over. It is classed as drama, because there is a simple solution to it, use the ignore feature and yes it does work if actually used. Reality is, it rarely ever is used. And it does work and has been proven to work many many times, as they log off when they get no attention or if they continue with no response, the prolonged harassment rule is used.

There is no such thing as a random ban generator. You would prefer we permanently ban any chatter who argued with another chatter ? Chat would be very empty, very quickly. We like to think of the chatters as adults, who can control their emotions and act like adults, and as pointed out endlessly, there is the option to ignore or actually use the site ignore feature. We have removed a large number of long term 'toxic' chatters as you call them over the past year or more. And despite their abusive behaviour, we receive complaints that they were banned permanently.

The site has clear rules and TOU. We and the moderators enforce those rules. It is a fact that most adults do not like to follow rules in chat or be told they can't do certain things, yourself included in that. Your distain for the site rules and the staff is well known. And as for that site - Trustpilot - that is simply an avenue for those that have been permanently banned to type complete lies and nonsense, with zero proof or evidence and Trustpilot allow literally anything libel to be typed. Look at your own chat behaviour first, but you wont do that because, as you wrongly accuse us, you are never wrong. Be assured though, one thing we as Admin will not tolerate, is staff abuse.

 

[bairy]

You would prefer we permanently ban any chatter who argued with another chatter

Not even close to what I said.
I said when you have someone who is knowingly, deliberately, malciously and repeatedly causing trouble despite multiple warnings and kicks then simply telling everyone to ignore them is not a solution.

Look at your own chat behaviour first

Even when I've been at my worst I'm nowhere close to as bad as what is now quite routine in Lobby by a certain few, and what was once a daily occurence for england for several weeks, unchecked, with mods present.

avenue for those that have been permanently banned to type complete lies and nonsense

a few? expected
a lot? maybe, people generally write negative much more than positive
52 out of 64 reviews? nah, that's not just a few disgruntled banned folks, that's a proper pattern
Absolutely agree anything can be written by anyone though. There will be some crap in there.

We have removed a large number of long term 'toxic' chatters as you call them over the past year or more

Congrats, really, we as users notice what you didn't do, not what you did.
But you missed a few.