So, I was just getting caught up with 9rules, what originally was a network of blogs, but has since become a community of bloggers from all niches when I noticed there were some interesting things happening, besides launching a new design, it seems there are a large number of members leaving the community.

A friend of mine who is a 9rules member is shocked at the mass exodus that occurred over the change in rules at 9rules.

See, they instituted a change a few months ago, asking members to either participate or leave. They didn’t ask them to participate every day, or even every month. They just asked for some participation.

At first, this idea made me angry. How could 9rules ask their members to participate in their public community site? Why should these bloggers add content to a site that doesn’t give much back to the 9rules members anymore? With 9rules selling advertising on their site, I could see why some bloggers might be against this, until I learned that they didn’t have to contribute to the public community site. They could contribute to the private forum and still be a valid member.

After finding this out, I found it very hard to defend those that decided to ditch the 9rules logo, the leaf, and go their own separate way.

There is no quota associated with contributing to remain a member, and there is a private forum which is most likely not monetized, and certain bloggers thought they were too good to stop by the site, post their opinions on a few things to be part of what is still considered a rather elitist community?

While I am sure they all had their reasons, I doubt too many of them have reasons that are really good enough to warrant what is being called an exodus of members. 9rules isn’t what it used to be, no matter what the owners say.

Originally posted on October 9, 2007 @ 9:14 pm