I’ve been trying to determine of late… how many of the new members that seem to be pouring in over the last 18 months are “System” additions used to steer conversion and diversity of content, or “real” members on the hunt for information about these markets…
And then I see this today… 3 new members… all within minutes of each other… Pure Coincidence?
And and 2 hours prior… a 4th looking “fabricated” as well. Lets see how long this post lasts…
I found that to be weird and it is just that those people who are new but never replied or anything. Weird.
Hmmm. 
I never really got to think about this. 
I just kinda assumed there were more people trying to learn. But it would be interesting to hear what the mods also have to say!
Hello @Trendswithbenefits,
Thanks for the question, I think. 
The new members you see are as real as you and me. We had over 1,000,000 sessions in the last month, with a session representing a user interaction with our website that could be 1 or 100 pageviews. If even 1% of those sessions was an interaction with the forums (it’s more than that), it’s realistic to see what you’re seeing in the Forums, in the form of verified new members and their posts. New members are coming mostly from the same areas they’ve always come from, but at increasingly higher rates. That includes the US, UK and Europe Southeast Asia and Australia, but also many more countries in Central and South America and loads of countries in Africa. Also remember that the greater majority of visitors to the Forums have always been there to lurk and read. If that percentage of users changes even just a little bit, it can have dramatic effect on the levels of direct engagement and action. And it has.
But even if you discount those facts, we have members on almost every continent on the planet, we’re open 24 hours a day - all you need is Internet and a device, we’ve been doing this for almost 15 years, and a global pandemic is bringing more people home, to use their computers and mobile devices to learn something new, to find a community to become a part of, and to start trading forex for themselves.
We’ve also spoken to claims regarding fake users in the past. We don’t use - and have never used - outside companies to create “fake” members and/or posts. Robots and algorithms aren’t smart enough to create “system” accounts that can carry on a conversation, let alone a jargon heavy and technical subject matter like forex. And there’s literally no upside for us to do that in the short or long term, and longer term, there is exponentially way more risk in damaging the community we already have and website as a whole. You need people involved in the topic at hand to make discussions and conversation actually sound natural and thoughtful. We’re into a real community. Always have been.
Lets see how long this post lasts…
As long as you keep within our Guidelines and Forum Policy, your post will be fine.
Pipstradamus
Thanks for the explanation. Do these introduction posts count towards the requirement for reaching trust level 3? I.e. do regulars need to read at least 25% of these posts to retain their status? I’m new so doesn’t apply to me but just curious.
Thank you @Pipstradamus, for your comprehensive and cordial response to my question. Firstly, you and I aren’t real… We are just two fictional characters on a public forum… I’m a digital illusion and you’re an ethereal figure in the members imagination…
Now, I acknowledge that this insidious pandemic and the crippling lockdowns placed on populaces across the global is allowing more time at home in front of electronic devices. I also acknowledge that many have had incomes slashed or taken away completely driving increasing traffic to Trading, Gambling and many other previously untried ventures in the hope of paying the rent and feeding their families…
On the other side of the coin, you have a lot of traders/newbies that drop away from the forum for various reasons… One, most prominent in this current climate is risking funds in these markets in such uncertain times is too much to bare for most with a normal risk appetite… And I’m completely sympathetic to that position.
I expect many fintech forums are experiencing a similar dilima with swings and roundabout traffic …
I also accept that your forum includes participants who reside in all corners of the globe, I can verify this by the messaging and emails I receive from members outside of the live forum…
There has been a huge upsurge in one off posters who either post in the introductions, Start a thread with a question or appear in certain threads at critical junctures… Many newly generated threads OP’s initiate are recent topics of conversations raised with very little knowledge, almost if in an attempt to steer conversation back to an unanswered topic, and occurs far too often to be just coincidental.
I realise this has been raised before and it’s obvious I wasn’t the only member interested in your response.
Anyhow, I have asked the question and you have answered it thoughtfully and concisely enough.
StaySafe… TWB
Good thread and a very reasonable explanation by the moderator. I’ve, too, had observed this influx of new accounts in recent months although I always assumed there were real people behind them.
I think it’s just a lot more people taking interest in trading post the lock-down. Earn money while sitting at home.
Ahh isn’t that the dream. How many of these new people will stick around trying to actually learn I wonder.
I think that more and more people are taking interest in forex trading. I see it as a good opportunity.
Forex trading is a very good way of learning and making money. Good luck with it.
I think there are a lot of people trying to learn forex. It’s exciting to know that moderators also have to say that.
I think more and more people are really “trying out” forex. Only a small percentage will take it seriously once they realize the truth behind false advertisements.
