An honest question — what would the admins need to do to revitalize the site and recruit more members? Get the site itself more in line with 2026 technology so that it attracts more (younger) people or makes more people want to stay? If it is a content issue — well, FR pretty much is limited to what content its members post. I have noticed busy days and slow days.
As far as my joining the site is concerned, and this might be common for a lot of people — I found FR by accident. In 2004 when I googled something about G.W. Bush, among the hits was one of the “Day in the Life of the Bush Family” posts. I had no previous awareness of FR. How do we make people aware so they can join and participate?
I would encourage more input, even bloggers, to participate. All information is valuable. Let bloggers post there points of view and allow them to post their link to their site. So what if it drives clicks to their site, let it happen.
You ask good questions. How to revitalize?
This website has been under a lens ever since Lewinsky/Clinton in the 90s. The Clinton DOJ first started watching this website during his scandals.
Waves of membership in 2001, 2003, 2008, up to 2019. Foreign sock-puppets signing on.
Have you ever noticed that for the past 15 years during a quarterly fundraiser that someone swoops in at the last minute and settles it?
There are many foreign intelligence agencies that watch this site for the ‘pulse’. They are members and anonymous donors.
Maybe this site will die? Once we’re no longer useful.
I found it in the late 90's when Rush made a comment once saying "Now I know what some of you Freepers will say.."
1. mobile first design, an “app” wouldn’t hurt but at least mobile friendly this has been web design 101 since at least 2010. Hell the only reason I still come is I am glued to 4 monitors for work 16/7 and am looking for a specific take.
2. free speech policy couldn’t hurt, however it may upset some of the more sensitive posters.
3. post formatter. I get FR supports html style formatting but a WYSIWYG formatter will go along way toward QOL
these are technical, which is easy, what is hard is the culture. Do you sell what you like? or what the average customer likes? I don’t know if you can really draw users when there are countless other forums that already have the technicals and a culture that is more suited for the “growing” demographics. To me it seems you either go down with the ship or entirely pivot the product that alienates your current users and/or no different that any alternative.
At the root of it FR is a news aggregator in a society that no longer values the news. “This source is that team or that source is this team” is a fallacy. Milenials and Gen Z don’t care, CNN is indistinguishable from FOX, which is indistinguishable from RT or Algazeera, it’s all propaganda. When you can easily get hour old amateur footage from any country on a dot onion, why would they trust the news narration of it from any source?
probably not popular but that is just how I see it as of now.
How about an AI bot to post and write all comments?