Hey everyone,
This is the 21st 4th of July this site has been in operation. That sentence amazes me while also makes me feel very, very old... but I just wanted to pop in and give a little update. No, the site isn’t going anywhere, so don’t worry—it’s not that kind of message. But I do want to share my current thoughts on the site: where it was, where it is, and where it’s going. If that kind of thing doesn’t interest you, now’s the time to stop reading.
So, as some of you old-timers know, this site originally started as a horror community created by me for Bloody-Disgusting members who wanted a place to talk about topics that weren’t allowed on their official forums—mainly religion and politics. Mixed in were posts about the awful things people were doing that were making the news. It was irreverent, politically incorrect, and full of funny, witty people—some of whom have gone on to use their talents to become very successful in the entertainment industry.
The tone of the site changed significantly after the Casey Anthony circus, which brought in a wave of people—mostly women—interested in true crime. I leaned into it, for better or worse, but I absolutely hated how crime was being reported in the media at the time. That’s when Nancy Grace and her clones were blowing up. I know—and you know—the old adage: If it bleeds, it leads. I hated the fake outrage and performative concern because it was clear they loved it. The worse the crime, the more money they made. I wrestled with that quite a bit, but I tried to counter the whole “profit from misery” angle by covering stories with a tone that mimicked news reporting—while making it obvious it wasn’t written by any sort of professional. Because it wasn’t. Yellow journalism at its worst, I guess.
We also didn’t moderate the forums much in the early days, because we never really had to. And I hate to sound like an old man, but back then people had thicker skin. Online discussion was new in 2004. You either put on your big boy pants, or you left (or you got run off). But as the site grew and our popularity increased, that hands-off approach stopped working. The variety of personalities brought in all kinds of chaos: scammers, blackmail, doxxing—even multiple cases of sex-related extortion. I tried to adapt, sometimes successfully, sometimes not—each decision adding another layer to the twisted lore of DD. Some of it might even make for a hell of a book. Eventually, it all led to the loss of our outside revenue streams—except for Bold memberships.
But this all started 20 years ago. People change, times change, I changed. My personal and professional life looks completely different now, which is one of the main reasons I can’t be here every day like I used to. And more importantly: the rise of social media. That was the real nail in the coffin for online forums everywhere. A lot of big-name sites have shut theirs down entirely. The ones that still exist? Total anomalies or ones like 4-Chan or Kiwifarms. If you want a crime site that is heavily moderated and full of people who truly care about crime to a degree I find disturbing, there is always Websleuths.
All of this is to say: this site still exists because I love what it was, and what it could still become. I do have plans like bringing back the podcast, streaming, etc, but they’re on hold until my personal life gives me the time and space to bring them to life. If these plans never come to fruition, it won't be because I didn't want them to.
In the meantime, the site keeps rolling along. Myself, @Jaded, and now @Alf handle reports, which are mostly just dupe posts and occasional banned member trying to sneak back in. Since recent bannings, most of the member-to-member drama has evaporated. That’s not to say there’s no drama, but what’s left is so minor we rarely bother with it. Just keep in mind that no one running this joint is getting paid, including me. So cut us some slack.
So, to wrap this up: the site isn’t going anywhere as long as I’m alive to pay for it. And one day, I’ll be steering the ship again. But that day is not today. For now, the site’s on autopilot. If you have issues with other members, I strongly suggest you just ignore them. I still handle any legal threats in the background (those never come from members), and we’ll continue to address reports when needed.
However, if you're thinking about messaging me to say people are leaving the site because of one thing or another—don’t bother. We’ve been hearing that since year one. It’s not that we don’t believe you, or that we want people to leave. It’s just that we can’t please everyone. No matter what direction we take, someone’s going to feel like the site’s no longer for them. And that’s just the nature of "running" a place like this.
Sorry for the long ramble with no TL;DR but I'm off today and because of a recent event and being in between some 4th of July horror movies (Frogs 1972 and The Bay 2012) before our Jaws marathon next weekend, I just felt like typing it. Speaking of Jaws, we are going to have enough Narragansett Lager to drown a fleet full of Quints, but does anyone else have any recommendations for food for a party that is Jaws or shark themed? My searches have you making shark cakes and shit... this is for a bunch of drunks -- including the person who would be making most of it.
This is the 21st 4th of July this site has been in operation. That sentence amazes me while also makes me feel very, very old... but I just wanted to pop in and give a little update. No, the site isn’t going anywhere, so don’t worry—it’s not that kind of message. But I do want to share my current thoughts on the site: where it was, where it is, and where it’s going. If that kind of thing doesn’t interest you, now’s the time to stop reading.
So, as some of you old-timers know, this site originally started as a horror community created by me for Bloody-Disgusting members who wanted a place to talk about topics that weren’t allowed on their official forums—mainly religion and politics. Mixed in were posts about the awful things people were doing that were making the news. It was irreverent, politically incorrect, and full of funny, witty people—some of whom have gone on to use their talents to become very successful in the entertainment industry.
The tone of the site changed significantly after the Casey Anthony circus, which brought in a wave of people—mostly women—interested in true crime. I leaned into it, for better or worse, but I absolutely hated how crime was being reported in the media at the time. That’s when Nancy Grace and her clones were blowing up. I know—and you know—the old adage: If it bleeds, it leads. I hated the fake outrage and performative concern because it was clear they loved it. The worse the crime, the more money they made. I wrestled with that quite a bit, but I tried to counter the whole “profit from misery” angle by covering stories with a tone that mimicked news reporting—while making it obvious it wasn’t written by any sort of professional. Because it wasn’t. Yellow journalism at its worst, I guess.
We also didn’t moderate the forums much in the early days, because we never really had to. And I hate to sound like an old man, but back then people had thicker skin. Online discussion was new in 2004. You either put on your big boy pants, or you left (or you got run off). But as the site grew and our popularity increased, that hands-off approach stopped working. The variety of personalities brought in all kinds of chaos: scammers, blackmail, doxxing—even multiple cases of sex-related extortion. I tried to adapt, sometimes successfully, sometimes not—each decision adding another layer to the twisted lore of DD. Some of it might even make for a hell of a book. Eventually, it all led to the loss of our outside revenue streams—except for Bold memberships.
But this all started 20 years ago. People change, times change, I changed. My personal and professional life looks completely different now, which is one of the main reasons I can’t be here every day like I used to. And more importantly: the rise of social media. That was the real nail in the coffin for online forums everywhere. A lot of big-name sites have shut theirs down entirely. The ones that still exist? Total anomalies or ones like 4-Chan or Kiwifarms. If you want a crime site that is heavily moderated and full of people who truly care about crime to a degree I find disturbing, there is always Websleuths.
All of this is to say: this site still exists because I love what it was, and what it could still become. I do have plans like bringing back the podcast, streaming, etc, but they’re on hold until my personal life gives me the time and space to bring them to life. If these plans never come to fruition, it won't be because I didn't want them to.
In the meantime, the site keeps rolling along. Myself, @Jaded, and now @Alf handle reports, which are mostly just dupe posts and occasional banned member trying to sneak back in. Since recent bannings, most of the member-to-member drama has evaporated. That’s not to say there’s no drama, but what’s left is so minor we rarely bother with it. Just keep in mind that no one running this joint is getting paid, including me. So cut us some slack.
So, to wrap this up: the site isn’t going anywhere as long as I’m alive to pay for it. And one day, I’ll be steering the ship again. But that day is not today. For now, the site’s on autopilot. If you have issues with other members, I strongly suggest you just ignore them. I still handle any legal threats in the background (those never come from members), and we’ll continue to address reports when needed.
However, if you're thinking about messaging me to say people are leaving the site because of one thing or another—don’t bother. We’ve been hearing that since year one. It’s not that we don’t believe you, or that we want people to leave. It’s just that we can’t please everyone. No matter what direction we take, someone’s going to feel like the site’s no longer for them. And that’s just the nature of "running" a place like this.
Sorry for the long ramble with no TL;DR but I'm off today and because of a recent event and being in between some 4th of July horror movies (Frogs 1972 and The Bay 2012) before our Jaws marathon next weekend, I just felt like typing it. Speaking of Jaws, we are going to have enough Narragansett Lager to drown a fleet full of Quints, but does anyone else have any recommendations for food for a party that is Jaws or shark themed? My searches have you making shark cakes and shit... this is for a bunch of drunks -- including the person who would be making most of it.
