Just Vent | Just Venting

Unsolicited product advice for Muttr Team.

1) If you get the word out about this site, it will without a doubt take off. You've got a great platform and a solid idea. It's elegant, simple, and has almost no technological barriers facing a user.

2) However the problem with a low bar of entry is that it tends to bring on the trolls that lurk the dredges of the internet. This site faces the same problems that youtube, CNN, or any other lightly moderated site struggles with. Dumbfuckery, teenagers, and all around idiots who will eventually turn this place into cesspool if left unchecked. That would result in sending away 'normal' people who grow tired of 17 year old kids musing over how hard puberty is, or how unique they think their problems are.

The solution for this would be a mission statement and code of conduct. Something to the effect of 'Bring the funny, or the smart, or nothing at all,' and then if all else fails IP ban them. Ingrain intelligence and wit into your culture, build the site around people still being able to complain, but at least in an articulate, halfway coherent fashion. I'm not advocating heavy handed censorship, I'm simply suggesting that high quality posts be encouraged.

The difficulties that you'll face in the trade off between 'accessibility and security' will be whether or not you want to stick with the annon posts.

3) Re-enforce membership through ranked 'like' and 'dislike' points. This encourages users who seem to value 'rep' or website 'cred' to register, increasing your user base, it also disincentives idiot posts. You've already got 3/4 of the work done, and you're already tracking 'funny', 'show love', and 'you're an idiot'. Now make that present on every user when they post. This has been a common theme in forums for years. (Not sure if this would be infringing on Intelectual Property, but it's worth a shot.)

4) Running a website, and finding talented, reliable people can be difficult. You might consider reaching out to select frequent posters who strike you as responsible and intelligent, and ask them to be a delegated moderator when they have the time. Figure out some form of compensation if necessary, whether that be a small chunk of ad revenue based upon posts moderated, or some other quantifiable reward program that incentivises community participation. You may find that if this site takes off, people will do it for free simply out of the joy of making a better community. Responsible forum moderators are worth their weight in gold.

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The desired result im trying to convey as an interested end user; You have a great platform to build upon, I would hate to see you lose user demographics due to quality issues. If you nurture the intriguing, funny, and interesting content, the users will come. If this board becomes the dumping ground for the illiterate masses, all your work will be for nothing.