Sagazone.co.uk

Not as good as one would hope.

They now have said that one is not to dicuss religious differences, homosexuality, or any other topic which might be "emotive", consequently many of the more intelligent people have left. And yes the moderators have said to "look elsewhere " for freedom of speech.

However if your older and lonely and want someone to chat with, this might just be your cup of tea

I had spent a year or so on a Sagazone forum of interest to me, contributing to various interesting discussions. Suddenly several of the busiest discussions just vanished without warning or explanation (apparently because the thread starter had been banned). When I contacted the mods and expressed surprise, wondering what the point of contributing was if it could be deleted like that, they simply deleted my membership.

I then discovered that there had been considerable upset with moderation on the site overall, as whole forums had recently been deleted. People were asking where everyone had gone. I can tell them - they've left in disgust, or been banned, or deleted by the mods.

This is a site that seems to be in free-fall.

Intelligent free thinkers? If that's what you're looking for, try somewhere else.

A speedy and reactive site? If that's what you're looking for, try somewhere else.

Possibly the world's slowest forum, populated with possibly the world's most institutionalised grannies, any attempt at free thinking debate is quickly swamped by hordes of politically correct stock answers from the indoctrinated masses.

There is intelligence hidden in there but it's like a lighthouse in the fog, you may just catch a glimpse of it once in a while until the fog rolls in again.

Edit: Well, well, I had marked this as "Doesn't get any worse than this. Stay away" yet somehow, they made it worse, free thinking is now banned, all intelligence has had to abandon ship, a total disgrace of a site.

Many of these reviews read to me like a load of old... sour grapes.

You cannot have a decent discussion forum without people of different views, and it has always seemed to me that on SZ there are a wide-ish selection of views from left to right, libertarian to authoritarian.

The bullying is in my view largely imagined. And frankly on an adult discussion forum if you cant take the heat...

If anything Saga is a tad over moderated and in some ways a bit prim. They do however get rid of annoyances like trolls etc quite quickly, which is something to be thankful for.

Of all the forums of its type I think saga is one of the nicest. There are plenty of sections like technology, books, TV, films, how to do stuff, computer help, Chat and so on. It is only the two 'serious' areas debate and soap box where a certain amount of body armour and light weaponry might come in handy.;-)

What the place does need though is some new blood. Frankly some of us have been there too long and we could really do with some fresh topics and subjects for discussion. New faces and people willing to join in will be most welcome.

Do not let all these negative reviews put you off.

The site would be improved with more mature and considered moderation and fewer attempts to tinker with the already cranky, but clearly readable, site software.
If the moderation wasn't so PC and inconsistent it would remove the criticism about the place being populated by 'old grannies'. Plenty of these are really feisty, intelligent and witty. The membership whilst of exaggeratedly unbelievable numbers, have a tremendously differing view of life, whilch ought to enliven the site, and it would if the moderation was better.

Agree with previous comments. No wonder the UK is in such a mess when you read posts from teachers, social workers and lefties praising New Labour and the trillion £ debt.

They shame their generation and have ruined the UK for future generations

I stand by my earlier review. Several threads made over Easter had to be deleted by the mods. I don't blame the mods. They have a thankless task looking after so many ranting and raving geriatrics, many of whom would be better off in a home or on strong medication.

You can just imagine the sad, lonely posters sitting on their own watching for anyone who dares to say anything remotely critical of their own deeply entrenched views. The lefties are well organised and hunt in packs especially vigilent for anyone daring to criticise multiculturalism, Muslims, socialism etc. They have forced many moderate posters to leave.

I'm glad that I left myself. To have stayed, would have made me as mad as most of them.

Anyone wanting a good laugh should come and read the Debate and Soapbox areas, you don't need to be a member. Several of the lefties are almost crying because that well known terrorist Hamza looks likely to be extradited to the USA where they may not treat him with the same 5* luxury he gets in a UK gaol.
Apparently, his "human rights" allow him to preach violence and incite others to blow up innocent citizens.

Something to pass time when you are so past it you can't be bothered doing anything else. Full of desperate women searching for lothario's in the relationships forum... and nerdy blokes who think they are God's gift

I have been contributing to Sagazone intermittently ever since it started. While it is not perfect it is one of the better forum sites catering for people over 50. Moderation is kept deliberately low key because the members prefer it that way; posts appear on the site as soon as they are posted with no moderator input. Sometimes people do go too far but that is comparatively rare and yes there has been some bullying. However when this is pointed out the moderators do act.

It all depends on what you want for a forum site. Sagazone is a good to say what you think knowing that people may disagree with you; better that than no response at all. There are occasional trolls as in most sites but relatively few.

If you have a problem with anything at all there is normally helpful advice not far away.

As with all forum type sites people tend to join full of enthusiasm possibly posting more than they should and equally the novelty can wear off with posters leaving for many reasons or suddenly deciding that it is simply not for them.

Though UK orientated it does have members from around the globe. I post as Merseymog on Sagazone have in my time ruffled some feathers then some have also ruffled mine.

What appals me about Sagazone is the extreme homophobia. And it's always the same posters who get away with it.

SEEMS TO ME THE SITE IS RUN BY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY FIGHT NON STOP. IF ANYONE WANTS TO JOIN, FORGET IT UNTIL THEY IMPROVE IT. THEY USE DIFFERENT NAMES ALL DAY LONG. THEY CAN POST WITH ONE NAME AND TWO MINS LATER ANOTHER NAME. SOUND LIKE HIM VERSUS HER EX PARTNERS ETC.

Seems to be a meeting place for old and bitter people who are bigoted beyond belief.

I have been a member of this site off and on for a number of years.

By and large the owners are terrified to death of anyone who dares to have a view, which might be considered to be slightly provocative. Their moderation policy is therefore designed to deter such members. They are assisted in these actions by a membership, which appears to consist of low grade neanderthals who are unable to think for themselves and rely on the strength of a herd mentality. This encourages cyber bullying and mobbing which makes the whole site experience extremely unpleasant.

What is amazing about this, is that the site is owned by a company which has plugged into a market, that caters for the needs of people over fifty. They specialize in providing holidays and insurance products for this particular market.

I can only assume they must believe that people stop using their intelligence once they have reached a certain age.

My hope is that people should join this site and force the owners to adopt a more enlightened moderation policy.

One way to do this might be to refuse to purchase their holiday and insurance products.

The site is owned by the Saga who are part of the Acromas Group.

The grey pound and dollar should be a powerful weapon.

Why don't we use it to change this site.

It seems that S Z has been set up for the benefit of the "chosen" few who seem able to spout offensive and racist tripe without fear of rebuke or reprimand.
Several posters on that site are clearly "anti" British, which begs the question... are these members disseminating the hatred to which they have been exposed as childen?

Very poor inconsistent moderation indeed.
Flaming and bullying allowed the posters whom the moderators don't like at banned or removed.
Abusive posts allowed against inoffensive posters
Web site slow and always being 'improved'

Saga zone started out well,
And seems to have a lot to offer. But it has gone downhill FAST!

A LOT of bullying, for example, on one thread which is now running
( go to Sagazone, must say you are 55 to enter...
Go to Forums. To Debates... to Personal Power)

On this one thread, 15 people have ganged up on one person to insult, bait and bully them.
No one should be put through that!
And this behavior is NOT UNUSUAL!
It is called "Mobbing"

The moderators, turn a blind eye to it,
And for some reason, which I can't understand, The Saga Organization, (Which is the parent Company, and huge),
Just ignores the serious dis-service this type of unrelentling bullying does to its image.

People are leaving in droves,
Which is leaving just the very nastiest of bullies to interact with!

Pass this one by!

A lot of bickering and fighting going on, much of the time.
Not a nice place to have a pleasant, relaxing chat.

Sagazone moderation is appalling trolls and flamers are allowed to get away with murder.
There have been several very nasty threads concerning the Mccanns where flamers have a field day and its pretty obvious that the mods consider the McCanns fair game for vilification. In short it sucks.