How do people get to know about the Controversial section?

Hi, it's me again!

Since late 2016 we have had the Controversial Topics section, in which it is allowed to discuss controversial topics. You need to ask Krysyy to get access to this section, otherwise it is hidden.
Now, I suppose most of us know this. But I'm not sure if all of us do. When this was released, it was in the news, of course, but dozens of members have joined since then. How do they get to know about the Controversial Topics section? When you don't have access to it, it is completely hidden from the forum overview, and it doesn't appear in the Rules either.

I honestly always assumed that this was the point of making it hidden in the first place...

Like, I think Kryssy was quite explicit in saying this move would remove it from the sight of most. It was always way to make it quietly die

Such controversy!!!

this is controversial, can we please have this thread moved to the controversial section of the forums

l o l

Are you serious? I would be really sorry if it were true.

But even if it were, you could change it. Controversial Topics has evolved to be a significant part of EMC, with several active threads residing there. Everyone should see the threads there in the Recently Active Threads box, unless perhaps they wish not to or a person has shown to not be able to handle the more delicate topics.
It does seem like the average number of active participants of threads in the Controversial Topics section compared to the average number of active participants in threads in, for instance, the Community Discussion section is lower than it was four years ago. I'm not sure, though. In any case, assuming it's not in the new player book or lander page (it really shouldn't be there ) etc either—and I think it is fair to assume so, after these responses—the risk is too high that players that would contribute to threads in the Controversial Topics section do not, simply because they don't know about it. And we (including staff) should think about ways to fix that.

Let me quote the beginning of the stickied thread in the Controversial Topics section:

Feel free to reread the rest of that post too. There is nothing in it that suggests what chickeneer was insinuating, as far as I can tell.

I wouldn’t call the controversial section a ‘significant part of EMC’ tbh. The thing is all but dead. I just like going in there because I like arguing (not something I get to do a lot in it though) and it gives me a way to polish my writing/explanation skills lol

Is it bad I didn’t notice I don’t having the controversial section. Like now I feel like I’ve missed out on juicy drama.

I'm very glad to hear that!
It would make sense if it were true, which is why other people and I believed it, I guess, but such an obscure, roundabout way of phasing it out seems unlike the usual policy of EMC, and I am glad it is untrue.

It gets quite some posts (mind that EMC in general is less active than it used to be), but they are from a very select number of authors. I think the reason might be that several active members don't know about the section.

There hasn't been any EMC-related drama there recently, as far as I'm aware. Of course drama is discussed, and sometimes contrasting opinions are shared and there are cases of a lack of understanding, but it's been a long time since there has been flaming.
Personally, I've learnt a lot about several topics from the controversial discussion, mostly handling of COVID-19 (that thread has been very inactive lately though), but also other political topics.

The reason that I'm asking about this now is that I have been intending to create a thread about a topic that should concern everyone, but is controversial (climate change). It would be a shame if only three people saw it.

Even if there's only three of us who'd see it, I'd actually greatly appreciate you posting it Ecosystem-related things are way more of my forte than anything else previously discussed in that section and I'd love the opportunity to have a discussion about that stuff, but I've never actually had the chance.

That sounds intimidating.
(SoulPunisher often makes me look stupid with his way more insightful posts than mine)

Just opted In. I’m part of the it crowd now. 🤪

stroke?

Stroke of genius.. Apparently I needed to opt in after I stepped down from Mod duties yet I honestly didn’t realize I wasn’t seeing any controversial threads..

im thinking time to get controversal shown on forums and let krysyy and moderators approve players