I belong to a few forums here and there, and I've noticed a drastic reduction in activity over the years.

IMDB forum is going away after the 20th of this month, and the site is suggesting members to start Facebook pages instead.

Even this site has drawn down quite a lot over the years. Though I don't participate in post count area's I do visit.

I did a little trend analysis and discovered the following:
On this site we have over 34 thousand users with a zero post count.

That is over half of the total users here (go take a look at the members list and screen by post).

I doubt that they have chosen to follow my path on the Café' of maintaining a zero post count.

I rather post on a forum than Facebook, but for others, what is the great appeal that Facebook has over forums?

Definitely.

Balloon forums, of all kinds, are basically dead; while new groups are forming daily.
Facebook live is accelerating the trend.

The dang compooter is changing everythang. I miss my rotary phone.

Interesting article HERE.

I find the comments on the article very interesting too.

Well, if I owned a Chat Forum and saw that Facebook was better, then I would switch it over to Facebook. Mind you, I do not know what I am talking about because I have never used Facebook or owned a Chat Forum.

There are waves that happen which tend to run its course. When first appearing this forum was exciting and embraced by those in the business. A place to unite, share and learn. That is why initially many pros, workers (adults, part-time and full) were often here, excited and proud to contribute. It was a uniting place, a community of peers. Then as time goes on, hobbyists, amateur and enthusiasts (many often younger) begin to discover the community and then they lurk or watch for a bit of time, then start to participate. At this point they have access to others at levels they aspire to be yet soon fall under the illusion of everyone being peers. Experience and facts become mixed with opinions and the waters start to muddy. The original appeal begins to lose it luster. Soon this leads to frustration by the workers that initially fueled it, and the tone and purpose as they originally discovered it begins to fade and change.

Around this time commerce enters the picture and the dynamic changes even more. The wider you go the more things get watered down. Now many see it as a tool to try to promote and sell sub-par wares intended for the lower end of the spectrum, often still in the wide buying space. This of course clutters the market with clutter of from which members have to sift to find the true good stuff and value and separate it from the low hanging fruit.

All along many just join to check it out, many in a dash to get to 50 posts to get access to the private areas. Then after a short time are never to be seen from again. Many of the advertisers or seller of wares only sell and promote, yet few actually contribute. When they do it's only in reference to their wares.

Then what was once fueled by workers and pros caring and sharing and offering true pride, insight and value, becomes more like a club or hobby hangout where taking becomes more prevalent that giving and in that lobsided state a fallout or decline in substance and popularity starts and continues.

Whether its good or bad really isn't the point other than it just is what it is. Without proper steering, control and maintaining of the desired direction, this is where it goes on its own accord. This was an entirely different place when some of the top names in our industry were here sharing and offering insight and input. It was a learning community rather than a promotional vehicle. This to me is the change. Facebook is meant for opinion and being social. To me the Café was more of a tool and resource for the community. It is this that has changed. Now days newer members have a hard time determining whose a longtime working professional speaking from experience within the industry and who is a opinionated newbie thinking everyone is equal in opinion.

I think those that still treat this as a serious resource have remained and their efforts are now spent weeding through the noise to find the rays of true value and insight than is still here, just not as easily present.

I think the same holds true for many similar forums. I think what your'e seeing is the result of this progression without maintaining and controlling the direction. There are other forums in other communities and industries that are still very strong and still shinning brightly as a community resource, bit these are likely because it is intentionally controlled to remain pure to its intended use and position.

@Tommy

Facebook may be a necessary evil to keep in touch with family and friends, but as a social site; in regards to groups, it provides too much access to your personal information.

I should not have access to your family photo's just because we are talking in a Facebook group.

In a word...narcissim.

Very insightful analysis Mindpro, thanks. We have an interest in a club/bar that has a Facebook, which is I think more or less what you describe. It is mainly young folk using it, customers, who all know each other from being at the bar. They don’t talk business but at the same time though it is a business tool as the club uses it for promotion, giving them informing of gigs etcetera.

I don't think so. Why would it?
Im not on facebook so I wouldn't know.

Exactly.

Sad that most magicians have this disorder.

They should be more like me.

Tom

Count me as someone who never uses Facebook.


Ron

In that I agree. Facebook is the "All about Me" page were like minded deluded egotist can support each other with... well,

It's almost a cult:
Your Grandma died?
Dog got hit by a car?
Feelin' sad about your life and fishing for attention?

At least on a forum you can count on complete strangers to provide a reality check every once in awhile.

Don't forget to like this post...

Don't forget the people who have to post a pic of everything they eat.

Those are my favorite.

You don't even have to think of anything to say either...

Huffington Post which I have contributed to for the past nine years blocked access to all comments last week. All readers were told they had to join Facebook and have their comments posted there.

So what's this Facebook hack everybody is talking about?

A friend of mine sent me news of a rumour saying that Facebook was duplicating all personal accounts, so they can post in your name.

I filed it in an appropriate place.

I wouldn't call Facebook an evil anything. It's not Facebook that is providing access to your personal information. It's YOU.
The end user controls the privacy settings. If they want to make public their family photos, that's their call, is it not?
FB has a number of ways to control privacy from post settings to lists.

As for killing internet forums - perhaps. And perhaps some did it to themselves. You can sit there and fight it. Or you can adapt to the technology. Smart phones - not going away. A world connected by 1s and 0s, not going away.

Robert

I don't own a smartphone either.

Facebook security is only as strong as your friend list, unless you block everything.

My point is that in order for us to 'talk' we need not to share what we ate yesterday, or that we commented on an unrelated friends post, or say... post emoticons for a response;which Facebook calls moods for some reason or the other.

Okay.

We're in one of the biggest shifts in communication in human history.

There were people who refused to get a radio and refused to get a TV and now refuse a smartphone. They all got left behind.

You do you.