Opportunity Before Morals?

[maksim]

So here is one...

After many of the big morally questionable sites were shut down, there left some opportunities. There was one forum in particularly that decided to close down and no good replacements have come online. The ones that have, are horrible as it comes to privacy and certain features are missing, that would be easy to fix with some IPS add ons.

So... do a morally objectionable community which will almost certainly be very successful? Or pass on it?

 

[cheat_master30]

What makes this forum morally objectionable?

Is it adult content? Extreme left/right wing politics? Something that's actually illegal?

Personally, I'd be fine with a side open those with more extreme political views (albeit not aimed specifically at them), and a site with adult content wouldn't bother me much either. But something that's actively unlawful would be a different matter entirely.

 

[maksim]

What makes this forum morally objectionable?

Is it adult content? Extreme left/right wing politics? Something that's actually illegal?

Personally, I'd be fine with a side open those with more extreme political views (albeit not aimed specifically at them), and a site with adult content wouldn't bother me much either. But something that's actively unlawful would be a different matter entirely.

Not politics...

Adult content.. but not even that... but rather discussing adult content and providers? Illegal in the United States legal in many places in the world.

 

[cheat_master30]

Illegal in the US but legal elsewhere and adult content... that doesn't leave a lot of possibilities open. Hopefully it doesn't involve becoming the next Dragonbyte Tech or what not:

https://theadminzone.com/threads/wa...-its-someone-else-but-i-dont-think-so.149284/

If it does, then no, not a good idea. But whatever it is, you should at least look up whether its legal in your own country regardless.

 

[maksim]

Illegal in the US but legal elsewhere and adult content... that doesn't leave a lot of possibilities open. Hopefully it doesn't involve becoming the next Dragonbyte Tech or what not:

https://theadminzone.com/threads/wa...-its-someone-else-but-i-dont-think-so.149284/

If it does, then no, not a good idea. But whatever it is, you should at least look up whether its legal in your own country regardless.

So no, not porn or anything related to that. And absolutely nothing to do with kids. lol.

Adult provider discussion site. let's leave at that.

 

[cheat_master30]

Then to be honest, I don't think there'd be anything morally wrong about setting up such a site. I will just warn you right off the bat though; people into dodgy stuff tend to be... well very annoying to deal with in communities.

Sites like Blackhat World tend not to draw in a good crowd. Same goes with anything 'hacking' related, which usually ends up bringing the wrath of the people you end up banning for breaking the rules/falling out with (I remember one video game hacking forum getting hacked about 15 times). So the post quality on this soft of site probably won't be particularly great and you'll have to contend with some real seedy characters while running it.

 

[maksim]

Then to be honest, I don't think there'd be anything morally wrong about setting up such a site. I will just warn you right off the bat though; people into dodgy stuff tend to be... well very annoying to deal with in communities.

Sites like Blackhat World tend not to draw in a good crowd. Same goes with anything 'hacking' related, which usually ends up bringing the wrath of the people you end up banning for breaking the rules/falling out with (I remember one video game hacking forum getting hacked about 15 times). So the post quality on this soft of site probably won't be particularly great and you'll have to contend with some real seedy characters while running it.

You bring up great points...

In this community however the typical person will be a middle aged, well to do guy.

 

[maksim]

And if anyone wants to discuss offline, er in private, just shoot a message.

 

[jair101]

I myself look at my community as something that is part of me. The way I run the community is also a partial reflection of me as a personality. So if it sounds morally wrong to me, I won't do it.

If you are able to distance yourself from that and look at it from a purely business point of view - go ahead, the market for gray area stuff is huge

 

[User37935]

It's hard to read between the lines and assess exactly what it is you propose. I am not sure what an "adult provider discussion site" means in your case. Do you mean reviewing porn, or do you mean reviewing adult workers?

 

[Alpha1]

When SESTA/FESTA came about sites likes craigslist removed erotic classifieds and sites like backpage were shut down. This of course created a vast vacuum in that niche.

If its anything like that, then it all depends on your perspective of the world and the restrictions you are willing to apply to your site. I think it vital to have strong rules and enforcement of such rules if adult provider discussion is your cup of tea.

 

[fixer]

i came across a domain name which is pure gold! like no way its open , it would be the ultimate forum and a major money maker but it is not “morally sound” would most likly lose my real life job if they were ever to find out i owned it. not sexual and not illegal

i thought about it, but decided to bail

 

[fixer]

Extreme left/right wing politics?

hey now wtf?

 

[mysiteguy]

If it's not something I would not feel comfortable with my children knowing I've set up, then no.

 

[haqzore]

Business is business.
I'd do it.

I'm not an admin to make me a better person.
I'm not an admin to advertise or prove who I am.
And administrating a site different from my own views won't change me. I'm not that weak.

Again, business is business. It's purpose is $. I'm not so unsure of myself that I need to supplement my personal values with websites.

Let 'er rip, I say.

 

[we_are_borg]

Business is business.
I'd do it.

I'm not an admin to make me a better person.
I'm not an admin to advertise or prove who I am.
And administrating a site different from my own views won't change me. I'm not that weak.

Again, business is business. It's purpose is $. I'm not so unsure of myself that I need to supplement my personal values with websites.

Let 'er rip, I say.

I agree if its not illegal in my country i would set it up.

 

[cornnfedd]

If your going to make money out of it, then somehow people will find out who owns or runs the site, so think about how you would feel when that happens? To generate revenue from adverts or classifieds to whatever its pretty easy to follow the money trail back to you. I mean you could do something crypto related so try and make the money trail harder to follow but thats a tricky endevour. So I guess the first question is, will you REALLY be able to make money from it? Secondly if you are not really into the topic or interested in it then thats a good reason not to do it, a site like what you are proposing may require a lot of work and if you have no interest in the actual topic then you will most likely loose interest before the site is even complete. Put it this way, most people loose interest in a site they build that have a topic they are very interested in...

Lastly if you actually have to ask the question, then that probably means a no from me, you are already not sure so I think you have aswered you own question... which would be no.

I know a forum I used to frequently visit on the internet has recently closed down, no illegal content but certainly adult related, its a bit sad as it was a true pioneer when it came to forums and adult content and the old "post anything you want" kinda thing... im talking 15 years ago or more this site started... anyway..

 

[zappaDPJ]

I've built and maintained legal photography sites that would cause some people to have an apoplectic fit. I've also been asked to do work on a site that had me running for the hills. My point being most of us draw a line somewhere in the sand when it comes to morality and one person's art is another person's outrage.

If it's legal and you feel comfortable being associated with it, go for it.

 

[haqzore]

If your going to make money out of it, then somehow people will find out who owns or runs the site, so think about how you would feel when that happens? To generate revenue from adverts or classifieds to whatever its pretty easy to follow the money trail back to you. I mean you could do something crypto related so try and make the money trail harder to follow but thats a tricky endevour.

Similar to what I stated above. My friends/family/loved ones know who I am. I'm 35 yrs old.

Running 1 site won't change that, nor will it define me.

Secondly if you are not really into the topic or interested in it then thats a good reason not to do it, a site like what you are proposing may require a lot of work and if you have no interest in the actual topic then you will most likely loose interest before the site is even complete. Put it this way, most people loose interest in a site they build that have a topic they are very interested in...

I wouldn't do this for pleasure. Only for business.

 

[maksim]

Lots of great discussion here.

If your going to make money out of it, then somehow people will find out who owns or runs the site, so think about how you would feel when that happens? To generate revenue from adverts or classifieds to whatever its pretty easy to follow the money trail back to you. I mean you could do something crypto related so try and make the money trail harder to follow but thats a tricky endevour. So I guess the first question is, will you REALLY be able to make money from it? Secondly if you are not really into the topic or interested in it then thats a good reason not to do it, a site like what you are proposing may require a lot of work and if you have no interest in the actual topic then you will most likely loose interest before the site is even complete. Put it this way, most people loose interest in a site they build that have a topic they are very interested in...

Lastly if you actually have to ask the question, then that probably means a no from me, you are already not sure so I think you have aswered you own question... which would be no.

I know a forum I used to frequently visit on the internet has recently closed down, no illegal content but certainly adult related, its a bit sad as it was a true pioneer when it came to forums and adult content and the old "post anything you want" kinda thing... im talking 15 years ago or more this site started... anyway..

Private registration, offshore hosting, private under fake name.

@afla1 is precisely spot on, in the SESTA/FOSTA space. Nothing illegal about the core hobby but I suppose just like guns... people will often blanket it as "evil".

I suppose morally it would even be more okay than porn.

Now to the other question...

Would I want to be associated with it in public?

Probably not... BUT let's say my spouse knew about it... she would probably be okay that I saw and identified a need and was able to monetize it, and if it helps our family and no one gets hurt... why not?

I also run a number of gun sites... so I suppose you can say someone reading a gun forum may learn about guns to cause others harm... but that can be any site and any topic.

Humn... I think I am okay with this.