Emily's post over at HT:

Emily H(9)

@maifleur03 As I mentioned, there is no plan in place for other topics at this point. Houzz is not, and has never been, a place for political forums. A random off-topic thread here or there is one thing, an entire forum topic devoted to political discussion is not sustainable on Houzz. Hope that helps alleviate some worry.

The announcement thread: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6016545/this-forum-topic-will-be-archived-on-10-28-20#n=27

I've been around since hot topics was created. There WAS no better place to express grievances. It has devolved into stupidity.

Nonetheless, it probably should exist on GardenWeb. When, where and why did you hear this?

Anything is possible. Expect the unexpected, we've all learned that in the recent few years. I hope not but someone did set up a stub for an alternative if needed.

I hope it won't go away, but what I got from the announcement was that basically if it doesn't have something to do with something that houzz can sell you, it likely won't be here soon. Pathetic. I know if I lose this forum, houzz will lose all my future business.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GW_KitchenTable/

Here is the reddit group just in case.

Only Hot Topics is going away, is what they said.

I think we've talked before about all the specialized forums that no longer have much activity. It wouldn't hurt to do a consolidation of some of them.

Here's the official thread: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6016545/this-forum-topic-will-be-archived-on-10-28-20

If the participants would have kept it as a place to share and discuss their political views in an intelligent matter instead of letting it become a place for name-calling and insults, it might have stayed under the radar.

amylou - I managed to join (I think) thanks. I often lurk on reddit and will probably continue to do so.

Amylou, thank you for posting the reddit link. It appears we will have ample warning should Houzz have a change of plans for KT, so that's good.

The name-calling and insults is pretty rampant on HT, and I've not known it to be otherwise, but I've started visiting it recently - mainly for news items. I won't miss it when it is gone. There was way too much hostility there.

It is very clear as to why HT is going away. Political talk will not be tolerated. If it is bought over to the KT it will go away also. So zip it.

From the thread Bookwoman linked by the moderator Emily:

@miss lindsey (She/Her) I definitely understand the question and concern. The other topics that are not strictly "home design" are still generally tangential or revolve around life at home. Houzz is just not a place for a political forum. There are many sites that are, and that is great, but it's not for us.

ETA: Apologies, I forgot to answer your other question. If the same content crops up elsewhere on the site, it will be removed. Usually, it gets flagged already and removed.

Sounds like KT and other forums are safe for now. I wouldn't be complacent though. Houzz doesn't have incentive to continue any forums that don't generate x amount of revenue.

Bookmarking the KT reddit site.

This is a post from Emily about it in Decor Conversations:

Hi all,

News spreads fast! I want to reassure you that there are no plans to archive any other topics at this time. Houzz is meant to be a place for home design and remodeling (and gardening!) and it is just not sustainable for us to give a platform to a topic devoted to political discussions.

If that same content crops up elsewhere, it will be removed (Please flag it) but the kind of discussions generally seen in other topics are not a concern at this time..

Well, I signed up at reddit. Can't figure out how to start a post. Been here since 1998. I'm too old for all this changing and moving.

It will just Hot Topics for now. I apologized if I unsettled others here.

Thanks, socks. I've joined reddit...well, I *think* I have! Same name, but GWs in front of ChiSue.

I looked at Reddit, and you need a Google account to sign in. I haven't used my Google email in forever, it's just junkmail. My Google name is not my GW name, and I want to use Jasdip. If that's the case, I won't be joining.

Jasdip, you don't have to use Google, that's just the first choice on the pop-up when you sign up. You can use any email address you like.

Well, if KT is ok, do we all need to run to reddit? I'm so sorry, I feel like I put people in a panic (like I was...lol).

"Well, if KT is ok, do we all need to run to reddit?"

No reason at all!!

KT is OK now. Having reddit available (but not necessarily using it) may be wise.

There is no reason to run to reddit. It is just nice for folks to have a place to go if their favorite forum gets unexpectedly removed.

The KT is so benign compared to Hot Topics, but what if some exec decides KT's threads don't reflect the mission of Houzz? And the people who read and contribute to those threads don't matter?

I understand there have been people here who flagged anything they didn't like politically. But the same contentiousness over petty things - soup? dog food? could result in the same elimination.

I think there was a lot of work for the Houzz mods trying to keep order not because of the many who discussed ideas, but the few who revelled in disruption. Some people who were banned apparently came right back under different identities. I think those were a minority, but there is nothing to stop the misbehaving few from choosing another Houzz forum and running it into the ground. If they came back after a ban, they certainly are not going to disappear just because their sandbox was covered.

I contribute on Hot Topics but if I ever bring attitude to the Kitchen Table or Home and Decorating Conversations do smack me down.

My DH just glares at me when I start yelling at the TV. But last night it was about a signing of a current player who had become a free agent that the Canucks made that had me yelling.

Bifenton I was so sorry to hear about the fires and the loss of your kitties.

Thanks Lucille. The only time I cry is when I think about our Kitties. One was my morning buddy and the other was my evening buddy.

There was a lot of flagging over on HT, and a lot of calls to Emily to make everyone else behave. Several years ago conversations there started to devolve quickly into the old SNL Point-Counterpoint, the “Jane, you ignorant s—t” type of responses. Maybe without the s—t.

The gentlefolk who gather around the Kitchen Table seem to mind their manners pretty well, just an occasional knuckle-rap, and HD Discussions (or is it Conversations?) is the same. Hopefully we can stay in our little corners, and foray into the money-making areas while we are here. Kind of like the cafe at the department store :)

Lucille, you hit the nail on the head! Deep down, I think some of those interrupters now feel satisfaction in closing down a good source of information. Sigh.

I don't think it was 'Deep down' sjerin.

Blfenton, I am so sorry to hear of your house fire. What a traumatic experience on so many levels. Sending you my warmest wishes as head into the holiday season.

Someone on Home Decorating Conversations thought Houzz was deleting threads and it looks as if they were right. Maybe that's the answer to what was happening with the disappearing threads and posts here. I'm sure there were people who flagged things at times, but seems like it was mostly Houzz.

We better behave ourselves people - no politics ( yay ! ) and no name calling. I'm looking forward to peaceful interaction again.

amylou - it looks like the thread on reddit has been archived so no more posts can be added.

Blfenton, anyone can start a new thread on the subReddit amylou linked. You can't reply to threads that are over six months old, though.

I see that Reddit page as a place to meet up should anything here go away without notice, which seems unlikely in light of the lead time HT was given.

Huh. Odd. Well I did not start that thread I just joined it so I am not sure how it works.

I tried to join and am apparently awaiting the okey-dokey from the moderator? I wonder who that is? I hope it has worked.

If you mean the subReddit, then I am the moderator. I didn't realize it was set up to be invite only. I will fix it. I just have find my password ;-)

To be clear, it was absolutely not my idea to be a gatekeeper for the subReddit. I set that page up to function as a meeting place for KTers should something here go awry without much notice.

Thanks Zalco.

I'm a long time lurker over at Hot Topics and wonder if anyone knows if newbies can join Toby's new forum. I really don't like Reddit.