DebateArt

This isn't a right wing website like some people said. This is a place where you can spread your opinion with a number of intelligent people. You can debate, or go on the update forum that is clean and easy to use.

The moderation team and developer are both very active, and it is one of the only running debate sites out there that actually qualifies as one.

The community is great and filled with cool personalities. Yes, there are toxic users, but they generally find themselves banned.

The moderation is great and quick to respond.

The site has a variety of nice features, from debating, to forum posting, to private messaging, and more.

The development team actively updates the site, fixes bugs, and talks to the community.

My only issue is the "hate speech" laws that the site has. These laws allow users to label an opposing viewpoint as "hate speech" and then get their opponent banned.

However, that can be fixed in the next community vote.

Overall, t's a pretty good site and the last safe haven for intellectual discourse.

I have left comments on the negative reviews defending the site.

Things like "rape is a victimless crime" and "i can cure gayness" are now statements that aren't considered with contempt- but casual review, as if we were debating the cost of $#*!ing gas. It is absolutely being swallowed by right-wing bigots.

Too many big headed kids with a bad manners on that site.
Also too many opinion based debates over silly subjects and not enough matter of fact based debates.

Moderation is inept for two reasons: (1) several of the moderators are literally children (17 years and younger), and (2) the moderation has a Code of Conduct, but it's vague and they don't bother to follow it (often breaking their own rules when they feel like it, like verbally abusing other users and posting call-out threads).

The site is fluid and operates similar to how debate.org did in its heyday, however the moderation is inconsistent, ignorant of their own hypocrisy and unreliable in anything serious. Airmax's moderation on debate.org was leagues better, and he did that all by himself. In fact, replacing Debateart's current moderation with Airmax would make this the best debating site, at the moment.

There is a decent amount of opportunity for thoughtful forum discussion, although you'll be hampered by nearly worthless posts that don't contribute anything more than one-lined Wikipedia links, CNN/Fox News regurgitations, or personal attacks which, depending on your personal relationship with the moderators, will either be ignored or punished severely. You'll be further hampered if you have too many right wing opinions, which is grounds for "hate speech" (one of the many vague terms in the Code of Conduct) and immediate banning. This leads to an echo-chamber of leftwing opinions, which, to their credit, are sometimes sourced and substantiated, but most often asserted as unquestionable truth.

As for actually debating (seeing that you're on a debate website), the website is too small to offer impartial votes because people will vote based on who they are friends with. This leads to new users being crushed by people who have lots of friends on the website, regardless of the content of the debate. In other words, debate voting is a popularity contest, which is, in my opinion, a complete waste of time.

Overall, this site isn't worth your time because of the inept and underaged moderation. Forum discussion is certainly a redeeming part, but moderation will eventually ruin this aspect for you (very quickly if you're right wing). Debating is a total waste of time due to people voting based on who they are friends with.