What would it take to support this forum and make solely for the users?

[pgh]

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Getting my normal cookie popup (that happens constantly, because I had rejected most, though apparently not all), I noticed the third party vendors and the legitimate interests tab, which offer yet more options that need to be turned off.

Looking at the size of the list I was reminded of the old adage of social media - if you're not buying you're being sold. 

I know that advertising and sponsorships are often how sites with real hosting costs are supported, but some time ago I got off of social media entirely because of the principles it runs on. While the scale of something like the Leica forum is much smaller, it appears we are still the product of sorts. Fair enough for everyone willing to sign on for this, but I am wondering what it would take to support the forum and truly make it for the users, instead of a database for commercial interests? If not, in at least a sort of abstract way, every post we (and I) make, it's a potential profit generator, even if only in a minuscule sense. 

Is this feasible? Is anyone else curious about such a prospect? 

Am I overlooking anything or misunderstanding the set up? 

[pedaes]

27 minutes ago, pgh said:

what it would take to support the forum

I notice you are not a supporting (premium) member.

[Keith (M)]

Perhaps he did try?  I just clicked on the 'Premium' membership link and received:-

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

[pedaes]

1 hour ago, Keith (M) said:

Perhaps he did try?

Best tell @LUF Admin

[LocalHero1953]

48 euros according to my last payment. It buys you an advert-free experience.
(I know that's not what you're asking, exactly, but it's a good step).

[pgh]

4 hours ago, pedaes said:

I notice you are not a supporting (premium) member.

I’m not. I don’t see how that changes my line of questioning.
 

Unless of course I am misunderstanding something, not being shown ads doesn’t mean the posts aren’t still contributing to a primarily targeted and ad based revenue model. I am not going to pay unless that is the case. I am maxed out on fragments of the Internet that want to charge me a yearly fee and while I am happy to pay for value, I’m not trying to pay money AND give my user data to the same entity. One or the other. 

So my question is what would it take - either on a communal or per user basis - has this been considered? 

[pgh]

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3 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

48 euros according to my last payment. It buys you an advert-free experience.
(I know that's not what you're asking, exactly, but it's a good step).

Yea unfortunately that’s an aesthetic issue that, while I’d love to be free of it, is really tangential to what I’m asking about. 

[andybarton]

You would need to ask @LUF Admin

He's the one that knows if any data passes beyond the Forum. 

[pgh]

I should say one other thing - as far as I understand this forum is run by one owner and it provides a livelihood for the owner. And I don't have an issue with this as I believe he is providing a valuable service - one should be able to make a living from such a thing. I don't know the technical side of this, and perhaps my understanding of how these things work isn't sophisticated enough - but perhaps there can be an elevated member option where one can pay to opt out of any tracking in any way. I'd imagine that on a per user basis that might not actually be very expensive. I'd love to know what I'm worth in terms of ad sales and to possibly have the option to pay @LUF Admin that amount (or even that amount plus extra for the trouble) instead. I wouldn't even care if I were still seeing (untargeted) ads if I had paid.

[andybarton]

If you think that you can engage in any internet activity without being tracked in any way... I have a bridge to sell you. 

[kkm]

@pgh Did you already check the Privacy Statement? https://www.l-camera-forum.com/privacy.html/

[pgh]

28 minutes ago, andybarton said:

If you think that you can engage in any internet activity without being tracked in any way... I have a bridge to sell you. 

I don't, but I appreciate efforts to mitigate it and support people who make communities with revenue models that work a bit differently. 

[LocalHero1953]

Are there any other similar sites like this out there that do what you're looking for: just don't have cookies? Private sites which are there for display and information purposes (like those of many members here, including my own) don't have cookies, but most others do. 

I use the browser extension Consent-U-Matic which turns off cookies for most sites, including the BS 'legitimate interest' ones (frankly it's up to me who has a legitimate interest in my data, not some third party). Those that it doesn't handle usually have a simple 'reject all' option. Well worth a look if you haven't tried it.