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Original poster

Have you been part of an online group or forum that just died?

210 replies

Chicchicchicchiclana · 04/01/2021 19:42

I was just looking at my neighbourhood forum this evening (not on FB) and it used to be really lively, lots of posts, sometimes quite amusing. It was started in something like 2007 so quite early in the timeline of these things.

Sadly now I think it's about to go to that great Forum in the sky. I can't put my finger on why it has become so deathly dull. Combination of some people posting too much (so it makes you roll your eyes that old so and so is dominating every thread), and I guess WhatsApp and FB groups for those who prefer them. Also a marked lack of interest from the Admin, who I think is a one man band, to doing anything other than the bare minimum with the Forum.

I remember Friends Reuinited and how popular it was and then ... pffft!

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 04/01/2021 19:47

Yes, I was part of a forum board for a hobby. It was great fun and a great support. There were lively debates without any nastiness. However a moderater left and the new one had a connection to a related business. She banned a load of people who did not like the products produced by the firm she was related to. Basically overnight the forum has gone from 100s of posts a day to maybe 20 every month.

NeonSparkle · 04/01/2021 19:53

Yes I used to be a part of a forum for Kerry Ellis (musical theatre performer) when I was a young teen many years back - pretty sure it died a death but not sure what happened to it.

LadyCatStark · 04/01/2021 19:55

Yes Bounty. I’ve never heard of a neighbourhood forum though.

Nighthawker · 04/01/2021 20:00

I was on a chat board for 80s music and general reminiscing a few years ago, sadly there ended up being a fair bit of bitchyness and arguing until the main mod had a hissy fit and said if we couldn't play nice he was taking it away, and deactivated the chat boards.

IDontMindMarmite · 04/01/2021 20:01

A couple, hope i'm not the common influencing factor!

LazyFace · 04/01/2021 20:03

I've learnt all about chicken keeping from a forum that's been probably killed off by FB. I don't read FB groups, they're repetitive and I don't like using my profile.

Original poster
Chicchicchicchiclana · 04/01/2021 20:08

I don't mind Facebook but it's not the same as an anonymous forum is it?

Does Mumsnet exist on FB come to think of it? I haven't looked for ages.

OP posts:
MrsPinkCock · 04/01/2021 20:12

Yep, ivillage. Used to be great. Then it just kind of shrivelled up.

Soutiner · 04/01/2021 20:17

eBay boards circa 2005-2009.

So many rows and people leaving or being banned and then fizzling out.

ReadWritePlay · 04/01/2021 20:17

Yes! I think unless it’s evolving content (ie talking about books when there are always more new books to read) or people are prepared to get more personal they run their course eventually. The ones I’ve known to die are either a life stage one (ie for my NCT group from ten years ago) or hobby based when there are only so many things you can say about a subject

Ultimateblends · 04/01/2021 20:20

Looking forward to the day FB fizzles out...

Does anyone think that will actually happen?

ThreeLadsPointingAtAStar · 04/01/2021 20:23

Hobby forum that was a thriving community and a big part of my life. As well as the hobby-related boards there was a great chat board that was really active and interesting.

Facebook killed it as everyone moved into splinter groups and stopped posting

Chosennonesneakymincepie · 04/01/2021 20:25

MySpace and Ivillage. Loved both of them. I thought MySpace was way better than FB. Didn't think FB would take off.
IVillage was quite similar to Mumsnet in the early days.

Logantrical · 04/01/2021 20:26

BGH Baby Greenhouse. A lot came here when that died.

TheresNothingIWantMore · 04/01/2021 20:27

My 1st regular forum was on snowboard.com _ met quite a few people from there, and probably wouldn't have done my 6 month stint in Canada if hadn't been for some of them.

It's been closed for years, probably over a decade but still have a few people on Facebook I met though it

TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 04/01/2021 20:28

Yep, it was killed by FB. I didn’t follow the forum to the FB groups, as I value my anonymity on forums.

Mrsfrumble · 04/01/2021 20:29

Yes, I spent a lot of time on the Bust Lounge forum (American-based feminist slant) between 2003 and 2012. It was a great community and saw me through getting married, postgraduate study and two pregnancies, then it just died out. I was already on MN by the that point, but I do sometimes think about some of the regular posters and what happened to them. I wonder if any of the other British posters ended up here?

BangingOn · 04/01/2021 20:29

Handbag
Damsels
The Priory

jessstan1 · 04/01/2021 20:31

Yes, many years ago. It was for people who are clinically depressed. It gradually wound down - was never very active. One day nobody got up.

Timewasyesterday · 04/01/2021 20:32

Was a regular on bounty many years ago. When members suddenly abandoned it for mumsnet! I soon joined them! Not sure if that’s what eventually killed it completely.

Time40 · 04/01/2021 20:33

Yes, I was on a writing and publishing forum that I really, really loved. It was like a second home. It was a paid-for site, but it wasn't expensive; only about £25 a year. For some strange reason lots of people objected to having to pay for it, and this eventually led to everyone pissing off to Facebook. It broke my heart.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 04/01/2021 20:34

Yes lots of biker and pagan forums which were great fun now defunct due to facebook which isn't the same at all.

HeddaGarbled · 04/01/2021 20:36

The cruise critic boards are struggling at the moment - just a handful of Americans arguing about vaccines.

NewYearNewTwatName · 04/01/2021 20:37

Yes 20 years ago I was on a niche interest forum, but it was incredibly busy, I still have friends from meet ups we had.

But the site kept having bandwidth issues, then a few fall outs between the owners/mods then a change of name then it just died.

Noomgip · 04/01/2021 20:39

Lurked a lot on Bad Mother's Club and the bbc pregnancy boards