The place seems more empty, stale and also lots more spammers. I think to improve the site we need more people, not less. Confusing mechanics are not helping. I've almost invited my IRL friends to join Husbki a few times over the summer, was about to send a link to the site and then didn't because I'm not sure what would be the appeal for a person that hasn't been here the past 4 years. I think the hostility can partly be attributed to the pandemic. In a time where everything is changing, switching up the mechanics of a place I spend my internet off-time is also kind of annoying. I get it that it's your place, and you can do whatever you want with it. But this also reminds me it's your place, not mine so with less feeling of ownership I'm less inclined to post OC, comment and participate.
I can appreciate that. One aspect that might not be factored in is the number of users that have reached out to me directly to lament the decline of Hubski. The common theme is a lack of empathy and increase in hostility that people are feeling. IMO the pandemic has exacerbated it, but the feedback began before. I don't think this experiment has been a success. However, I think we might be able to do things to remind us to be cool to each other. I'll post a follow up on this experiment, and hopefully we can get a bunch of suggestions. I don't want to force people into being nice. I can't. But this was a place that was previously kinder and more forgiving. If there's a path back towards that, I want to find it.
I think the people who complain to you in private rather than doing something about it or attempting to improve things themselves are the last ones the site should change for. Because then, rather than solving the problem, they convince you to do something useless and offensive in an attempt to solve a problem that isn't yours. Frankly, there are way too many people on this site who stir up shit by PMing each other to talk about a third person rather than just putting on their big girl pants to address the issues.