After months "undercover" in the replica trade community, I can finally detail...
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I never got to write the article but got most of the research done and general outline. I got so much negative feedback over asking a simple question and asking for members thoughts. I would've thought people would want to have their voices heard and stand up for their beleifs but instead I got hit with some unsavory commenters/messages. Instead, I started researching on the rise of niche forums (not only this forum, plenty of others) that are mostly viewed by women in their late 20's and 30's/early 40's who usually have children and have time on their hands to attack others online (again not saying it's just here). It's interesting so far how women who are suffering with the pandemic, homeschooling and election react to others. It's in a way cathartic to vent to strangers online from what I gather. It also ties in perfectly how Section 230 is being used and all the news thats been buzzing about that.
I do have some questions though. Blunt honesty would be appreciated. Don't worry, my feelings aren't hurt easily (other forums have been worse, I just honestly don't care about the opinions of online strangers. It's my job to be unbiased and to try to decipher what is going on with others lives that they feel to act a certain way behind a screen. Lots of the users on various forums have a long history of being "mean" to others and it's interesting to piece together their pet peeves and sometimes even the reason they act that way)
Why was this thread viewed so negatively? What were the fears or the concerns of it? Why such angry responses? I stopped reading this thread about a month or so after I saw such the negative feedback (except from three users who were incredibly kind and expressed their views appropriately. I thank you again!). I just don't understand...it would be nice to have some clarity on this.
So there is your answer. Nothing was published as it would be biased as a lot of women from the Replica/Designer Inspired Community contributed a lot to my research and I never really got anywhere with the users who are against that community so it would've actually painted the Authentic Bag Lovers in a jealous, elitist and insecure light (which I don't think is the case at all).
No, I am not from Barcelona by the way.
Hi Forever, I've responded to your comments. I hope you can rest now
One last note. The whole "undercover" may have been taken way out of proportion. A journalist has to be unbiased and not show favor or insert their opinions (unless stated outfront). The reason I wouldn't divulge certain information is because it was irrelevant. I could've easily posted false credentials if I wanted but that would not help me at all if I was to move forward with the research.
The amount of negative comments did intrigue me to look more into behavior online from a certain subset of forum users. Most are anonymous because what they say online isn't what they would say in real life and have a fear that it will become public. I will post that article/report soon here though as some of the comments I received are featured. It's no hard feelings though. Journalists get bashed with everything they write about and from both sides. We are trained to look at the response not personally as we don't know the critics personally and we are used to it.
I do have some questions though. Blunt honesty would be appreciated. Don't worry, my feelings aren't hurt easily (other forums have been worse, I just honestly don't care about the opinions of online strangers. It's my job to be unbiased and to try to decipher what is going on with others lives that they feel to act a certain way behind a screen. Lots of the users on various forums have a long history of being "mean" to others and it's interesting to piece together their pet peeves and sometimes even the reason they act that way)
Why was this thread viewed so negatively? What were the fears or the concerns of it? Why such angry responses? I stopped reading this thread about a month or so after I saw such the negative feedback (except from three users who were incredibly kind and expressed their views appropriately. I thank you again!). I just don't understand...it would be nice to have some clarity on this.
So there is your answer. Nothing was published as it would be biased as a lot of women from the Replica/Designer Inspired Community contributed a lot to my research and I never really got anywhere with the users who are against that community so it would've actually painted the Authentic Bag Lovers in a jealous, elitist and insecure light (which I don't think is the case at all).
No, I am not from Barcelona by the way.
Hi Forever, I've responded to your comments. I hope you can rest now
It wasn't a "ring" or some "infiltration". It was just part of a larger discussion on the lengths some will go through to be seen as something they are not.
Freebies? How so? What would have I gotten for free?I'm not confused
It wouldn't surprise me if the OP comes back. I mean, it's all top secret & all.
I read the deleted posts & the OP has, how should I word this? Let's just say talks like a sailor & definitely IMHO not an undercover journalist. Just someone wanting freebies.
One last note. The whole "undercover" may have been taken way out of proportion. A journalist has to be unbiased and not show favor or insert their opinions (unless stated outfront). The reason I wouldn't divulge certain information is because it was irrelevant. I could've easily posted false credentials if I wanted but that would not help me at all if I was to move forward with the research.
The amount of negative comments did intrigue me to look more into behavior online from a certain subset of forum users. Most are anonymous because what they say online isn't what they would say in real life and have a fear that it will become public. I will post that article/report soon here though as some of the comments I received are featured. It's no hard feelings though. Journalists get bashed with everything they write about and from both sides. We are trained to look at the response not personally as we don't know the critics personally and we are used to it.
Three years is more than enough time to write up an article and for a real journalist 3 days should be sufficient.
Probably cause you turned everybody into this:
That's great, that you're finally getting help with your [bizarre] behavioral problems which includes the need for attention, false journalist claims and stories.
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I never got to write the article but got most of the research done and general outline. I got so much negative feedback over asking a simple question and asking for members thoughts. I would've thought people would want to have their voices heard and stand up for their beleifs but instead I got hit with some unsavory commenters/messages. Instead, I started researching on the rise of niche forums (not only this forum, plenty of others) that are mostly viewed by women in their late 20's and 30's/early 40's who usually have children and have time on their hands to attack others online (again not saying it's just here). It's interesting so far how women who are suffering with the pandemic, homeschooling and election react to others. It's in a way cathartic to vent to strangers online from what I gather. It also ties in perfectly how Section 230 is being used and all the news thats been buzzing about that.
I do have some questions though. Blunt honesty would be appreciated. Don't worry, my feelings aren't hurt easily (other forums have been worse, I just honestly don't care about the opinions of online strangers. It's my job to be unbiased and to try to decipher what is going on with others lives that they feel to act a certain way behind a screen. Lots of the users on various forums have a long history of being "mean" to others and it's interesting to piece together their pet peeves and sometimes even the reason they act that way)
Why was this thread viewed so negatively? What were the fears or the concerns of it? Why such angry responses? I stopped reading this thread about a month or so after I saw such the negative feedback (except from three users who were incredibly kind and expressed their views appropriately. I thank you again!). I just don't understand...it would be nice to have some clarity on this.
So there is your answer. Nothing was published as it would be biased as a lot of women from the Replica/Designer Inspired Community contributed a lot to my research and I never really got anywhere with the users who are against that community so it would've actually painted the Authentic Bag Lovers in a jealous, elitist and insecure light (which I don't think is the case at all).
No, I am not from Barcelona by the way.
Taking what you are saying here at face value, it seems that you have responded to some of the above negative comments - but not the truly substantial ones. I personally consider this to be the premier forum for this particular range of topics, and have been fairly active here since the days when I was in my "early 30s with [young] children", and one thing I have learned over the years is the importance of being honest and somewhat predictable. The irony of stating this is not lost on me, as I tend to avoid all controversy whatsoever on this site, but reviving graveyard threads is actually a pet peeve of mine (and we got a new puppy
, so I have lots of free time to sit and write while he naps), so here we are.Surely you cannot be surprised that when you state you are a journalist - which nowadays is an ambiguous term in itself - writing about xyz for some undisclosed publication, people might actually question whether what you are stating is true. This forum has had a great many members who are bright and articulate and *fabulous* - and this forum has also had its fair share of nut jobs, liars and scammers. It seems that the general consensus (not my opinion) has been that you have not distinguished yourself as either the former or the latter, and it would have been incumbent upon you to do so (preferably the former
). The fact that this alleged article was never actually published does not inspire any further confidence.It does make me feel a bit sad that it seems your only experience of this forum is this thread. It would have been a better idea to spend some more time with our community, and if you had done so you would have found this negativity to be the exception, not the rule. Most people here (and especially the ones on the subforms I frequent) are friendly, kind and helpful. I have made lifelong friends who happen to live all over the world. The people who run this forum - @Megs @Vlad and our amazing moderators - are thoughtful, receptive, and have been responsible for fostering over these many years a community that really does generally avoid negativity and controversy. I haven't seen a real vent or rant in a long time. The 'mean girls' generally show themselves pretty quickly and gain no traction ("the ignore feature is your friend").
I suppose my response is a long way of saying that this thread was viewed negatively because you expected to be taken at face value and didn't really answer the members' pertinent questions. It seems that at the beginning you disappeared for a while and that did not help (or perhaps some of your responses were deleted). I think you would have received a better response if you had been more open and forthcoming. I hope this is helpful to you - and if not, my apologies; after all, this is only my opinion and I've been wrong before! -and that you have a wonderful 2021.
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