Previously, if you started a MNet Chat thread which got no replies in the first 10 minutes, it would drop down to page 2 and be a gonner. These days, slow-burn threads seem to remain on page 1 for a lot longer. I'm guessing this relates to lower user numbers generally, perhaps because of the new "accept cookies or pay" model.
I understand why sites like this might need to raise revenue to stay afloat, but it's sad if the experience is impacted. I find far fewer interesting threads now compared to just a couple of years ago.