targeted-traffic-forumSometime during the backend of last week the private domain forum operated by Rick Schwartz suddenly went off air.

Since then there has been some speculation as to the whys, wherefores and events leading to it’s demise. In fact, a few of my readers (im assuming who are/were members) have since mailed me giving their insight.

TargetedTrafficForum was a private board. It made no money from advertising, wasn’t indexable by spiders and membership was on a ’strictly by invitation only’ basis. Aside from the advantage Rick obviously had through having most of the heavy-hitting domainers in his “front room” (enabling him to promote the T.R.A.F.F.I.C conferences - it could be argued), there was no other obvious benefit in him providing this free service. Im realiably informed that TTF was a solid place to do deals, to trade with other like minded individuals and to make valuable and mutually beneficial connections.

So why take it down?

Some of my readers may remember that some time ago I posted a comment on this blog which Rick had originally posted on his private board. The result of which was an extremely courteous mail from Rick asking for me to remove it because his comments had been made in private and were not for public distribution. Although his comments were simply an affirmation of my original blog post and were in no-way controversial, on reflection, I had to agree with him, it was a mistake to print them, so I removed them. The crux being the hypothetical dilemma that I too wouldn’t want any comments made by me in private (however mild) to then appear on the web without my permission.

There, of course, is the argument that industry figures become public property and thus do not command the same privacy rights as the rest of us.. A debate im not going to comment on here but, sufficed to say, I removed his comments on request which may lead you learn how I personally stand on this issue.

Which leads me on to why the board is now “off air”.

What transpired is that an ex-member of the targeted traffic forum and well known industry figure (who shall remain nameless) wrote to Rick and asked if they could return as member. A request to which Rick denied citing that if he allowed their return he wouldn’t “feel free to discuss things” and would have to “stop posting [himself]“. The applicant then advised Rick that they “already have access to read the board” and simply wanted to “post under their real name”.

Rick’s reaction to this admission was swift, succinct and nothing short of indomitable. His comments to me were that he had no choice but to immediate close the board because of this security hole and in an open statement because;

“Too many here can no longer be trusted and I am not smart enough to figure out which ones.”

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Whatever people’s thoughts are on Rick Schwartz, be they informed or otherwise, he is undoubtably one of the most prominent “domainers” known even by those from outside of the industry and there is strong argument that he does more for the promotion of the industry as a whole than any other person. Despite this blog making fun of his BLOCK CAPS writing style from time to time, I have nothing but respect for the work he does for the average domainer, how he seems determined to single handedly drag the industry up by its bootstraps and how he has formed and initiated well intended organisations like the ICA. A view of which im sure is supported by folk on either side of the Rick Schwartz fence.

The internet is a remarkable and unprecendented feature of humanity as a whole and we are privileged that its arrival has coincideded with our generation. One facet of this new digital network economy is that it has the ability to thrust regular folk into a global limelight for which some never asked or even seeked. Together with any notoriety comes additional responsibilities that again are not always welcome and, no matter how hard you try at something, you can at times come to your wits end where the perceived gain is just not worth all the hassle. Im sure Rick’s board gave him great pleasure when times were good but, when the fun is superceded by a continued annoyance, sometimes you have nowhere to go but to just shut it down.