General Forum Website Question (Group Theory)

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Looking at group theory, especially development and ebb and flow over time.

Just wondering if forum websites, such as Rapture Ready (RR), Rapture Forums (RF), Christian Community Forum (CCF), etc. develop in the same way as other groups? Is the curve similar or the same as researchers have found for regular in-person groups, or is it very different?

 

[Eric Nicholas]

I like thoughts like these.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Rapture Ready, the grand daddy, had the articles part of the site which helped to attract many to the forums section.

When some major scary event would occur in the world, membership and activity in the forums would explode for a time before settling back down.

Today, with search engines possibly hiding/minimizing exposure to sites the world finds undesirable, it may be more difficult for prospective members to find newer sites related to true Christianity like Christian Community Forum as well as some other categories of sites that might not be in favor with the power(s) that be.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Sometimes, I can't even get to my church or denomination's websites without going around ISP censorship
I'll be happy when I have a different ISP

I wonder how much censorship, even when it's relatively minimal, affects online forums and skews patterns from group theory.
Aside from actual shut-down, I wonder if there are differences between mild or intermittent censorship effects on new websites like Christian Community Forum, and older, more established websites like Rapture Ready and Rapture Forums.