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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:

GrouchyKiwi · 05/01/2021 15:18

A few. ChickLit was grand back in the day.

Met my husband on a book nerd website which is now defunct. A friend made a replica which still exists but very few people use it now because of Facebook etc.

DailyLaundry · 05/01/2021 15:22

I was on a small and friendly beauty- related forum. It's not dead but very small now whenever I check in - sometimes I think that's preferable! Lots of women had babies around the same time and it was a lifesaver - I do wonder if they're on here now (or as well). I think one has the same username on here actually.

In ye olden days of the 90s, I was on a mailing list style discussion group for a band. All messages sent to the email address would get grouped into a daily digest. It didn't account for automatic out-of-office replies though, which were a novel thing at the time, so there was always lots of fury about how people didn't need to email the list to tell them they were on vacation! I got some sheet music from people on there, was really brilliant for a teenage me.

Branleuse · 05/01/2021 15:24

yes ive been active member of many sites over the years, and the vast majority died a death when facebook became popular, although still have loads of friends from all of them. Mumsnet seems to be one of the few that survived facebook

blalalala · 05/01/2021 15:33

I was part of one that fizzled out (for a hobby) and so I am not contributing to it anymore. It existed when I looked about three years after my last contribution, so the founder must be maintaining it.

I think it is probably common with a lot of internet sites and applications.

DailyLaundry · 05/01/2021 15:34

I'm surprised that Facebook has replaced s lot of dedicated forums. the interface for discussion is terrible and I'd usually prefer anonymity. I can understand joining Facebook and then joining a group on there but not going from an actual forum to it unless other factors, politics etc, were at play. In fact i think my beauty forum was a Facebook group first then became a forum.

TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 05/01/2021 18:39

Ex hitcher/DW-er here too. I miss it actually, it was a lively and lovely community for a while. But it moved to FB and I didn’t follow.

jammyredroo · 05/01/2021 18:56

I'm surprised to not see anyone mention pregnancy forum on here

Marvelicious · 05/01/2021 19:00

I was on Hitched too, from about 2010 til it merged with another forum (around 2015?) which I tried but didn't like. I made some really good friendships on there.

DeepestBlues · 05/01/2021 19:04

I used to post on the eBay Community forums, especially Fun & Games, about 15 years ago. I met my partner on there . We joke I bought him from eBay but there was no returns accepted . P&P was horrendous!

doodlejump1980 · 05/01/2021 19:09

Whatever happened to Bebo?

Soutiner · 05/01/2021 19:28

@DeepestBlues

I used to post on the eBay Community forums, especially Fun & Games, about 15 years ago. I met my partner on there

. We joke I bought him from eBay but there was no returns accepted

. P&P was horrendous!

If his name is Paul, I hate to tell you but he contacted and met up with as many women as he possibly could from fun and games whilst stringing me along declaring undying love!

I guessed his email password and found all the messages some years later.

RuthW · 05/01/2021 19:28

@Campervan69

Logantrical I was on Babygreenhouse as well 😁

And me.

I was also ok UK Parents. And Parents Lounge

SusieBugandMe · 05/01/2021 19:32

Yes ivillage and it died right in the middle of a huge drama and I never found out what happened

Pirandello24 · 05/01/2021 19:43

I used to be on Thorntree (the Lonely Planet forum) all the time. It was when I was in my early 20s, doing lots of travelling all over the world and the boards were full of really knowledgeable people giving great advice. There were a few non travel related boards that could be quite bitchy and flouncy but were incredibly entertaining! I think the forum is still going but it's not as well used any more and I haven't been on it for years. I remember it very fondly though.

Giggorata · 05/01/2021 19:48

Yes, hobby and fandoms, also a couple of pagan boards.
One or two have fizzled out, and some have had the Big Row, followed by flounces and splintering.
One (sadly missed) was closed down by its owner, as she wanted to have time for other projects.

SebastianTheCrab · 05/01/2021 20:07

Does anyone remember FaceParty? It was big literally 6 months before Facebook took off then died a death.

And also RuinYourLife, which was for people with various MH issues and rebranded as RecoverYourLife?

Nunyabusiness · 05/01/2021 20:08

@SebastianTheCrab I met my husband on FaceParty

lucicle · 05/01/2021 20:09

Hello to all the Guardian posters!

woodhill · 05/01/2021 20:11

The BBC chat boards were great but then they stopped them

EmilyInParis · 05/01/2021 20:12

Babycentre. There were about 15 of us that decamped to FB and keep in touch now 6 years on after trolls ruined the boards.

Nishky · 05/01/2021 20:15

Another one who loved Bad Mothers Club

EggysMom · 05/01/2021 20:15

BabyandBump was my haven when DS was born premature, and I'm still in contact with many from that time but now via FB and our children are eleven years old!

I miss the Arms and Discussion Time over on MSE, closed at the start of lockdown. Their heyday had long passed but it was still good to discuss either important topics or complete nonsense.

gingajewel · 05/01/2021 20:16

I was obsessed with baby and bump, it was a massive forum and always some drama going on! It also offered invaluable advice when I had dd1. It was also very judgey!

Hollybutnoivy · 05/01/2021 20:17

BBC parenting forum - I remember posting my first message and being so amazed that it turned up on the webpage. I also chatted to a new mum on there a lot and it was later revealed that she had invented everything! After that babycentre.

Vitaminsss · 05/01/2021 20:19

Honestly, this one? Not that I would say I was ever a super active poster, but it’s definitely quietened down. You used to be able to post anything and get a few quick responses, threads seem dead now

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