Forocoches: why is it so impossible to become a member?
Forocoches, the Spanish forum, operates an invitation system many consider absurd and others see as necessary. Testimonies from banned users and frustrated hopefuls reveal how it works.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Forocoches: the invitation system nobody understands
Owning a Forocoches account since 2004 does not guarantee you can stay: a single insult directed at a minister is enough to get you banned for life. And without an invitation from an existing member, you cannot even register. The controversy over this community's admission policy has been brewing for years, and recent testimonies from expelled users and frustrated hopefuls shed light on a model many call elitist and others defend as a necessary quality filter.
The invitation wall: business or quality control?
The only way in is through an invitation from an active member. These invitations are obtained mainly by making purchases from the site's sponsors, which turns the process into an economic engine for the platform. Some criticize it for shutting the door on newcomers without connections or without the willingness to spend, while others see it as an effective way to keep trolls out and maintain a minimum standard. There is also mention of the option of paying 10 euros to an NGO as an alternative, though it is unclear whether this is still available. The fact that some members have obtained invitations through social media such as Instagram suggests a certain randomness in the process.
Selective moderation: ideological censorship or an iron fist?
Several long-standing accounts, one from 2004 and another from 2003, tell of being permanently banned for insulting political figures. The most frequently cited case is that of a member expelled for calling a minister a "faggot", which fuels accusations that moderation is left-leaning. Some claim the site has gone "proge" and punishes any criticism of the pogre agenda. Others, however, argue the rules are clear and that homophobic insults have no place there. The controversy intensifies when it is pointed out that certain accounts seem untouchable and that there are paid members who keep the site active, suggesting control beyond the usual.
The profile of the expelled: from Podemos militants to immigration critics
A curious detail that emerges is that Forocoches, despite being labelled a left-wing site by some (even "Foropodemos" in 2014), also hosts discourse critical of immigration. This creates a paradox: the very people who call the site a "left-wing fascist site" find harsh anti-immigration opinions in its discussions. The explanation may be that the community is not monolithic and that political labels are simplifications. What does seem common is the feeling that the admission and ban system generates a sense of exclusion and frustration among those who do not fit the desired profile.
The open question is whether Forocoches has managed to build a solid community through strict filters or whether it has become an echo chamber that expels dissenting voices. What is clear is that, for many, the dream of belonging runs into a wall of invitations and bans that few manage to get past.
Related debates on the forum
Owning a Forocoches account since 2004 does not guarantee you can stay: a single insult directed at a minister is enough to get you banned for life. And without an invitation from an existing member, you cannot even register. The controversy over this community's admission policy has been brewing for years, and recent testimonies from expelled users and frustrated hopefuls shed light on a model many call elitist and others defend as a necessary quality filter.
The invitation wall: business or quality control?
The only way in is through an invitation from an active member. These invitations are obtained mainly by making purchases from the site's sponsors, which turns the process into an economic engine for the platform. Some criticize it for shutting the door on newcomers without connections or without the willingness to spend, while others see it as an effective way to keep trolls out and maintain a minimum standard. There is also mention of the option of paying 10 euros to an NGO as an alternative, though it is unclear whether this is still available. The fact that some members have obtained invitations through social media such as Instagram suggests a certain randomness in the process.
Selective moderation: ideological censorship or an iron fist?
Several long-standing accounts, one from 2004 and another from 2003, tell of being permanently banned for insulting political figures. The most frequently cited case is that of a member expelled for calling a minister a "faggot", which fuels accusations that moderation is left-leaning. Some claim the site has gone "proge" and punishes any criticism of the pogre agenda. Others, however, argue the rules are clear and that homophobic insults have no place there. The controversy intensifies when it is pointed out that certain accounts seem untouchable and that there are paid members who keep the site active, suggesting control beyond the usual.
The profile of the expelled: from Podemos militants to immigration critics
A curious detail that emerges is that Forocoches, despite being labelled a left-wing site by some (even "Foropodemos" in 2014), also hosts discourse critical of immigration. This creates a paradox: the very people who call the site a "left-wing fascist site" find harsh anti-immigration opinions in its discussions. The explanation may be that the community is not monolithic and that political labels are simplifications. What does seem common is the feeling that the admission and ban system generates a sense of exclusion and frustration among those who do not fit the desired profile.
The open question is whether Forocoches has managed to build a solid community through strict filters or whether it has become an echo chamber that expels dissenting voices. What is clear is that, for many, the dream of belonging runs into a wall of invitations and bans that few manage to get past.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (39 replies).
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