Beyond Reality discussion

You probably have received this message from Goodreads, and if not, you will soon.
“ Hello Goodreads Member,

In the coming weeks, we will be making some updates to how messaging works on Goodreads.

What’s Changing?
• Direct messages between individual members will no longer be available
• Images and external links will no longer be supported in messages

While direct messages between individual members are no longer available, you can still access your past messages from your inbox, Group moderators can still send broadcast messages to their group members, and you can still send group invitations to your Goodreads friends. All other public interactions, such as writing and responding to book reviews, remains unchanged.

-The Goodreads Team”

Please be aware that this means you cannot directly message Chris, Shel, or me privately as moderators or other group members. If you have questions, issues, or concerns, you will need to post them in the group.
Sigh… I wish Goodreads would leave well enough alone!

Ugh. This is not a good change, in my view. I hope they reconsider.

I think I can guess why its happening as there are people (spammers, authors, and similar) who do abuse the system. Happily I haven't had much problem with that in recent years but I did in the past.

But still, its like throwing out the baby with the bath water.

The one thing that keeps me on Goodreads is its community and groups and I can see this making things more difficult. Bah.

Someone mentioned in another group that social media sites that allow direct messaging might fall under legislation that's supposed to prevent online bullying, harassment and the like. So maybe this is a change to try and meet those requirements in whatever countries are doing this?

I guess we can always comment on the persons page directly, it won't be private but at least it will be directed to the specific person.

Random wrote: "But still, its like throwing out the baby with the bath water."

Goodreads has been doing this kind of thing for years. As of a few years ago, users can only start up to three threads at a time, after which you have to wait an hour before posting again. I get that they want to defeat spammers, but they could at least allow mods to post more than 3? If you were ever wondering, that's why we always post the roll call threads and then wait a while before posting the spoiler and welcome messages. Super annoying!

yes, I am a mod in other groups, and I have to post more than three threads at the beginning of every month. It's annoying

Shel wrote: "Random wrote: "But still, its like throwing out the baby with the bath water."

Goodreads has been doing this kind of thing for years. As of a few years ago, users can only start up to three thread..."

I love the conversation in this thread. When Stefan left Beyond Reality several years ago and asked Candiss and I to Co-Moderate, we were scared to death that within a couple of years we would run everyone away -- especially since we had not been original members of the group back in its Yahoo days.

I am so glad that since Candiss and I left the position (I think we co-modereated for 7 years ??) that Kathi and all you others have kept this such a fastidious and --- really interesting -- group that brings in new ideas for sci-fi and fantasy reading. Thanks folks!

As for miscommunications in writing notes, whew! do I know all about that! I tend to be very ironic, and irony does not translate well in personal notes. I, like Random, am constantly being accused of being hostile. That's so not me.

Keep up the good work y'all.