Increased competition - other websites that offer similar information and/or discussion. they promote, offer better enviroment, user interface, etc. many alternatives that include podcasts, etc.
Purges - banning users for one reason or another, some of them long time users and contributors
User interface - limitations, hasn’t changed
Increased hostility among users / lack of tolerance of opinions. It will drive people away.
What you said. I fear FR ultimately consisting of the last two, very old longtimers, sitting in their wheelchairs accusing each of being RINOs who should be zotted.
Other places to hang out such as X (formerly Twitter). Twitter was invented in 2006 but became popular around 2010.
Grumpier, older members I do believe
Pretty good assessment. Been here since 1998. Was banned once in 2016 for not expressing total fealty to DJT (Who I’ve voted for 3 times). After a proper ‘time out’ to contemplate my sins, Jim let me back on.
* offer better enviroment, user interface, etc. — indeed, but the nice thing about FR is the simple, fast interface. Not cluttered with hundreds of annoying ads and popups that make it hard to find the content. But I suspect that the cohort that likes that is dying.
* many alternatives that include podcasts, etc. — So many sites are now nothing but dumps for video “shorts” that have little real value. And there are so many users on X that you don’t get meaningful conversations. You just get a bunch of short, random comments, but no back-and-forth dialog or discussion.
I fear the people who appreciate FR are dying and younger people born with phone screens glued to their heads don’t appreciate the beauty of simplicity and true community.