Are 'Social Networks' Reducing Demand for Sites Like Automotive Forums?

Are 'Social Networks' reducing web traffic and demand for UseNet and Moderated Subject Forums?

As entities like Facebook, SnapChat, and Twitter gain users, I've noticed two disappointing trends on both
UseNet groups and specific topic oriented moderated groups:

1) Especially on Usenet - the amount of non-topic-related chatter - 'smut' for lack of better term.

A good example: alt.home.repair - completely over-run in the last five years by political attack threads and sexual innuendo. Only about one in ten threads in there has anything remotely to do with home repair, such as a broken washing machine or replacing drafty windows.

The same, unfortunately, on rec.autos.tech. A question about tires or a slipping transmission goes for weeks without even a single reply!

2) On both Usenet and in moderated subject groups: a steepening decline in new threads, and, less frequent response to new questions and existing threads.

Specific to A.F.: I see fewer and fewer new topic alerts within the sub-forums of this organization, or notices of new replies. I just don't feel the need to share my car issues on Facebook or such, where I will get a thousand different suggestions from a thousand so-called 'experts', and the whole thing will ultimately devolve into arguments, namecalling, and someone getting 'unfriended'. I no longer frequent Facebook for such reason.

I feel that dedicated subject newsgroups and moderated subject groups exist for a good reason, and fill a role that no shallow social network could ever hope to replace.

What do you think?

Anyone in here - Anyone at all?

Or have you all migrated....

to Zuckerland? :(

The long of the short is Facebook and Twitter have ruined the internet, and are ruining society as a whole.

The long of the short is Facebook and Twitter have ruined the internet, and are ruining society as a whole.

I agree. It has really made a negative impact. I just joined this forum and I really hope the best for this one and for everyone here.

The rise of social networking has killed more than a few avenue's of social interaction. Automotive forums are a good example. Before you could ask, and get an answer, daily about most anything. Have an actual back and forth conversation. Now the same sites are virtual ghost towns.
I belong to six automotive forums. Of the six only one is active daily. It's a model specific forum for B Body MOPAR cars. It's very active daily. If I don't visit for a few days I have dozens of posts and replies to work through to catch up. The other five I have zero replies, ever. Or, a few when I first began posting and then they trickle off to zero.
This forum, for example, is one where I have had zero replies so far, although hundreds of people have looked at my thread. It's fine, i'm not complaining, far from it, I understand that my work and my era car are not everyone's cup of tea. It's more that there isn't even any interest in talking to each other in general that I find weird. Just because we may be from different countries or generations, and our interests don't coincide doesn't mean there's nothing to be learned, or gained , by speaking to each other. My 2 cents. Ghost

The long of the short is Facebook and Twitter have
ruined the internet, and are ruining society as a
whole.

And, they're negatively influencing elections, not just in the U.S., but globally

No doubt.

Well thanks to the migration to the shallowminded social networks, we now have this character named 'Tessa645' asking folks on Automotive Forums if they want to go out to the movies, and engage in other un-named activities!

This is the the sort of element a forum attracts with a combination of outdated infrastructure and the proliferation of 'social networks'! A damned shame, if you ask me.

The bots have nothing to do with "outdated structure" or migration to social networks. It's been happening for years and it happens on forums with newer interfaces too.

I don't think that those sites reduce demand much; for example, I am not going to ask someone on fb for advice on how to repair something on my car.

IMO what HAS reduced demand here and in other forums is time. Time for more sites to come into existence(1). Time for the vehicles to change. (2). Time for people to change(3).



(1) Specific communities (I've joined several) where there are experts in that vehicle for a specific problem. And so MANY sites available. When AF came into existence, internet forums were pretty sparse compared to today. Forums were new and fun.

(2) Take a carbureted early 80s vehicle. All maintenance items were pretty much the same from manufacturer to manufacturer. Transmissions were hydraulically activated and almost all 4wd systems were rwd based with an actual lever to operate them. If you knew how to rebuild a chevy automatic transmission you could probably do the same with a Ford or Chrysler product. Imports were a smaller share of the market. Fast forward to today, where the "big three" are fighting a host of imports and Toyota's sales match domestics in volume. Add to that, most vehicles aren't domestic any more, with parts made globally and assembly plants all over the place. Electrically controlled everything and all kinds of designs make working on a vehicle a specialized skill rather than a general knowledge one. Youtube started in February 2005 and you can find plenty of repair videos there...

3) A 20-year-old today is different than the same age group in 2005. Same as those two are way different than that demographic in 1985. The need to know immediately what their friends had for breakfast or what show they watched or or or has grown (for ill IMO) with the internet. Not to mention the drama of the various platforms that have come about. FB, twitter snapchat and all the others suck up so much of youths' time that they don't need or want the hobby of working on a car so they just put gas in it. Oh, and now in a lot of places kids get a lightly used Range Rover instead of a beat to shit Chevy Lumina to drive; perish the thought of buying their own. (Obviously not true for all)

*stops complaining and steps down from soapbox*


It's not AF. It's certainly not the software used at AF.

I don't think that those sites reduce demand much; for example, I am not going to ask someone on fb for advice on how to repair something on my car.

IMO what HAS reduced demand here and in other forums is time. Time for more sites to come into existence(1). Time for the vehicles to change. (2). Time for people to change(3).



(1) Specific communities (I've joined several) where there are experts in that vehicle for a specific problem. And so MANY sites available. When AF came into existence, internet forums were pretty sparse compared to today. Forums were new and fun.

(2) Take a carbureted early 80s vehicle. All maintenance items were pretty much the same from manufacturer to manufacturer. Transmissions were hydraulically activated and almost all 4wd systems were rwd based with an actual lever to operate them. If you knew how to rebuild a chevy automatic transmission you could probably do the same with a Ford or Chrysler product. Imports were a smaller share of the market. Fast forward to today, where the "big three" are fighting a host of imports and Toyota's sales match domestics in volume. Add to that, most vehicles aren't domestic any more, with parts made globally and assembly plants all over the place. Electrically controlled everything and all kinds of designs make working on a vehicle a specialized skill rather than a general knowledge one. Youtube started in February 2005 and you can find plenty of repair videos there...

3) A 20-year-old today is different than the same age group in 2005. Same as those two are way different than that demographic in 1985. The need to know immediately what their friends had for breakfast or what show they watched or or or has grown (for ill IMO) with the internet. Not to mention the drama of the various platforms that have come about. FB, twitter snapchat and all the others suck up so much of youths' time that they don't need or want the hobby of working on a car so they just put gas in it. Oh, and now in a lot of places kids get a lightly used Range Rover instead of a beat to shit Chevy Lumina to drive; perish the thought of buying their own. (Obviously not true for all)

*stops complaining and steps down from soapbox*


It's not AF. It's certainly not the software used at AF.

I postulated my theory only because I have waited on here for days, if not, weeks, for responses to various auto repair & maintenance queations I've had. Basic questions mostly, nothing too brand specific

I postulated my theory only because I have waited on here for days, if not, weeks, for responses to various auto repair & maintenance queations I've had. Basic questions mostly, nothing too brand specific


So has everyone else. Site's been pretty dead for a few years now. Glad to see we have some new members and that traffic is picking up.


Don't think it will ever get back to its original glory, but a resurgence wouldn't be bad. There used to be any number of frequent posters here that were incredibly knowledgeable and checked in daily. No more, sadly. But hey, post your questions anyway, the shotgun approach works wonders.

The only thing with facebook is you still need be part of that group to look at some questions unlike here when I have a problem I could just search it in the search section unlike in facebook when I need to scroll down. It's just easier to find questions here.