CMK10

I am aware this may be an unpopular motion, but it's something I've been giving a lot of thought to and I want to discuss it.

I think the External Miles and Points Resources Forum reflects very badly on this website. The amount of value it adds is heavily outweighed by the type of conversation it generates. In the last few months there has been back and forth about such rich topics as Ben's (Lucky, One Mile at a Time) sexuality, whether Rene (Rene's Points) needs to add an apostrophe to his blog and conversation about his ignorance in doing so and similar. This is supposed to be a community website and a resource for all things travel. A forum where the conversation is skewed towards mocking and bashing bloggers doesn't seem to add to that. The amount of moderation that has to happen there is staggering. Threads quickly turn into personal attacks among the posters and posts are deleted frequently.

In the interests of full disclosure, I am guilty of this too. I've posted there many times and said stuff that I regret now. But I'm also in a position where maybe I can make the change. I'm curious as to whether others feel the forum adds value or detracts from FT as a whole.

RTW1

I feel that it still adds value..... it's mostly entertaining to read and these threads would otherwise pop-up in other places.
And being political correct gets tiresome as well. Lots of bloggers have different agenda's to what they are displaying why shouldn't that be discussed. They have purposely put themselves and their views out there, mostly to make money. Then expect to be criticized.

But I wouldn't lose much sleep over the forum disappearing either :-).

bdschobel

I follow quite a few blogs and believe that they are valuable. Anything that discourages bloggers is detrimental. If Flyertalk has a place where people can bash bloggers with impunity, then we need to fix that.

Bruce

oliver2002

You'd be surprised how little moderation I do there. I'm happy to report that AFAIR I have not banned anyone due to posts in EM&PR either, except maybe a few sockpuppets/duplicates. We have the usual mix of strong opinions on either side and a few baiters, no different from what you would see on an airline FFP section.

This topic has been debated in the following thread, but not really come to a conclusion: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/exter...reas-fall.html

kokonutz

If we are going to close forums that mock and/or bash businesses in the points and miles business, we need to start with closing the Delta and United forums.



Correction: the name of the blog is not Rene's Points, it's Renes Points. @:-)

skunker

Do you honestly believe that the main bloggers (Ben, Gary, TPG) are losing sleep over what is discussed in that forum? Do you think they are going to reduce the number of blog posts with click-bait titles or a dozen credit card affiliate links per post or not linking to the best sign-up deal?

The answer is no. Those blogs are businesses plain and simple. If we can discuss the food and IFE for airlines then why can't people discuss the business practice of a for-profit blog?

I think personal attacks are uncalled for, but discussing why Lucky never leaves his hotel to eat is fair game.

PS: That exact discussion led to a blog post two days later. EMPR is actually increasing the number of blog posts!

cruisr

You said it perfectly. Bloggers that mislead their readers, don't tell them about better offers they could get on their own, who perpetrate "I fly in F for free and listen to me and you can too" should be discussed and hopefully some person will benefit by finding the forum and not be taken for a sucker.

Are some of the bloggers in question trying to apply pressure to have the forum closed?

kellio33

It's a cesspool.

Canarsie

Not which I am aware...

...and I do not see why they would want this forum closed, as every time someone furnishes a link to one of their weblogs to denounce it, it ironically has the counter effect of increasing traffic......which they want.The name is Renés Points...

...and at this time, I am opposed to closing that forum — but as usual, I am keeping an open mind because I want to read more opinions of what other fellow FlyerTalk members have to say.

skunker

Who could argue with that well thought-out comment?

cblaisd

It does and we do, yes.

Actually, I wouldn't.

Agreed.

It also allows -- why, I will never know -- incessant personal attacks on members of FlyerTalk. We don't allow that anywhere else. Why here?

Mary2e

I refuse to visit blogs, I go into that forum just to see what may be going on and to confirm that my decision to not give them any clicks is still valid.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Mary2e

Aren't they now considered public figures? As soon as one of them gets quoted, with their real name and the name of the blog, don't they become public figures and are free game?

kokonutz

Not on my keyboard.


Likely what Ed Bastian thinks of the Delta forum on FT...

cblaisd

Perhaps you're right. But I would hope we'd have higher standards of civility and politeness for those are still members of FlyerTalk , even if they don't post often (and can you blame them when attacks and salacious posts and innuendo concerning a member's sexuality are allowed to stand?). In some cases, these members contributed a great deal to the formation of FlyerTalk.

The whole forum is just an excercise in unfettered fecklessness.