Major Upcoming Policy and Software Changes

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

For the reasons explained in this post, we are now implementing a strict humans only policy.

These rules can be considered in effect immediately:

1. Each account must be owned and connected to a real individual human being.

2. Non-humans may not have accounts. For example, bots and AIs are not allowed to have accounts. Brands and companies and other non-human entities (e.g. corporations) cannot have accounts.

3. Each individual human may only create one account on the website. In other words, duplicate or second accounts are strictly prohibited.

4. Even if your original account was banned or deactivated or "deleted", then you are still not allowed to create another account. The rule against creating multiple accounts applies to each human for their entire life. In other words, you are not allowed to create a new account at this website (OnlinePhilosophyClub.com) if you ever created an account before in your life.



To ensure those rules are enforced, many new restrictions and questionnaires and identity verification steps will be phased in for potential members attempting to create a new account.

Shortly after that is implemented, non-premium members will also eventually be required to choose between the following three options:

1) Upgrading to premium at full price ($100 per year).

2) Undergoing the extra identity verification steps required of new (and non-premium) members, which will still have a roughly one-time $5 cost, namely due to charges issued to us by third-parties to conduct identity verification steps, not the least of which is the cost to send OTPs via SMS messages for phone number verification and 2-step authentication login processes.

3) Discontinuing their membership with website entirely.


Each day that goes by, it gets harder and harder for a person to prove their own humanity and identity because the AIs and bots are getting better every day at pretending to be human. Thus, the longer you wait to get in, the harder it is going to be to get in.

Unlike humans who take 9 months to come out, 100 billion AI bots can be created in seconds. The ratio of bots to humans will very soon be 1000000000:1 if it's not already there.

I intend for this to be one of the few websites in which we success keep out that 1000000000 and only let in members of that 1 in the 1000000000:1.

Generally speaking, anyone who is already a premium member or who upgrades before the end of August will be exempt from any additional costs for identity verification, and will be exempt from most of the new identity verification requirements. In other words, for the most part, once you've proven your humanity while it's still relatively easy, you will be exempt from having to re-prove it in the near future when it's much much much harder and much much much more expensive.

Your understanding is appreciated!


With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott

[Bertha Jackson]

Scott, you have to do what you have to to protect the integrity of this platform. How does someone know if they have premium status or not?

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

Scott, you have to do what you have to to protect the integrity of this platform. How does someone know if they have premium status or not?

You have premium status.

As of right now, anyone who can post in the In It Together Discussion Forum is also therefore a premium member. That's because, as a thank you to all those who supported me by buying my book when I needed the support, I previously gave everyone who bought a copy of my book premium status. That is, assuming they sent me the receipt.


For anyone who bought my book before today, and who does not yet have premium status and/or does not have access to post in In It Together Discussion Forum, they can simply email a screenshot of the receipt to me at Scott@OnlinePhilosophyClub.com and I will upgrade their account for them at no charge.

However, that offer only applies to people who bought my book before today. It's meant as a thank you gift to them.

I don't want people who refused to buy my book (which is only $5 on ebook) for over six months to buy it just as a way to get around paying the premium membership fee (which is currently $100 for a lifetime membership but will go up soon).

However, I am thinking about offering a $10 per month option for those who don't want to invest the full $100 upfront. That way folks can see how much better premium is without having to spend the full $100 upfront, so they can test it out before deciding to jump in fully.


Members can also determine if they are in the Premium Members usergroup by checking the Groups tab on the User Control Panel.

[Melody Otieno]

Sounds incredible and nicer everyday...continue with the good work you are doing

[Samantha Green Tolson]

I think that the new rules are a fabulous idea! Bots are making harder for people to make an honest living. Plus, their work is absolutely awful!

[Youngreader720]

Well done Scott! Hopefully, this tackles the problem effectively.

[Mehul P]

I was thinking. Will we be able to see an application for our beloved OnlineBookClub? I'm kind of using the website version on both my laptop and my phone. Laptop version is so smooth and fun but the mobile version really annoys me. Additionally, my mobile's a bit laggy so that adds to my annoyance.

[Budding Author]

I second "Mehul P". I'd love to see an application for OnlineBookClub. It's a great online platform, why not make an application so people can enjoy it on their ease.

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

OnlineBookClub.org does have a mobile app. It's called "OBC Reader" and is available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.