Hey all, I've been into the scene for about a year now and really wish I'd gotten into it when I was younger, things seemed to be more lively in the 2010's, especially on this site.

I'm shocked at the age of some of the accounts on here, I think I saw someone with 19 years! This is more a question to the "old timers", but anyone can chip in, of course. That question being, do ya'll think the popularity of Urban Exploration is increasing or decreasing? With YouTube channels like "The Proper People" getting millions of views, I'd like to think the hobby is gaining some traction. Obviously it's far easier to sit on your ass and watch Youtube then to fill up the ol' backpack, lace up your boots and walk into the nearest abandonment, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Popularity is sadly increasing but all for the wrong reasons, it's getting more and more mainstream and the best spots getting fucked faster than ever.

Social media have changed the game forever.

It's more about "look im here!" thans anything else now.

Posted by Urban Downfall Popularity is sadly increasing but all for the wrong reasons, it's getting more and more mainstream and the best spots getting fucked faster than ever. Social media have changed the game forever. It's more about "look im here!" thans anything else now.

That's sad to hear. Even if these people are respectful of the locations, which, from the locations I've revisited, they really aren't. No one is maintaining these places, some of them simply can't handle the extra foot traffic.

From what I've seen it seems that most people are still trying to uphold the ethics of take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, but is that not enough? Does Urbex really have to be a niche and secretive hobby?

I'd say it peaked in the early 2010s and dropped off in the mid-2010s. For a while there was a goldrush of YouTube explorers who would get sponsorship deals to travel around the world. It was pretty ridiculous, and over time mainstream audiences started to bore of them.

Nowadays there could be a revival, but I think it will be more like people copying those corporate-backed explorers from last decade, without the corporate backing.

Social media has driven this, placing Exploring with Josh above Access All Areas. But if there's any consolation, the people who get famous by chasing likes tend to drift away over time. They realise they can get at least as many likes by going to quirky cafes, or telling stories from their own basement, or whatever.

Posted by Steed I'd say it peaked in the early 2010s and dropped off in the mid-2010s. For a while there was a goldrush of YouTube explorers who would get sponsorship deals to travel around the world. It was pretty ridiculous, and over time mainstream audiences started to bore of them. Nowadays there could be a revival, but I think it will be more like people copying those corporate-backed explorers from last decade, without the corporate backing. Social media has driven this, placing Exploring with Josh above Access All Areas. But if there's any consolation, the people who get famous by chasing likes tend to drift away over time. They realise they can get at least as many likes by going to quirky cafes, or telling stories from their own basement, or whatever.

Never heard of Exploring with Josh before, but my god, I thought click bait was bad enough, lol. The money these people are pulling in through Youtube I'm sure is creating a feedback loop of "influencers."

Speaking of Access all Areas, did Ninjalicious use this site? I'd assume he did since that book is the only reason I know this place exists.

Social media ruined the hobby.

Posted by RustyShackleford47 Speaking of Access all Areas, did Ninjalicious use this site? I'd assume he did since that book is the only reason I know this place exists.

Yes, he was among its first members. His website was infiltration.org. Go there and see what happens when you click on Forums.

Yes, he was among its first members. His website was infiltration.org. Go there and see what happens when you click on Forums.

Oh look at that, very cool, RIP Ninjalicious.

social media ruins everything honestly.

The popularity of it has increased exponentially for the last five or so years which is not a good thing at all, due to how many absolute morons more interested in internet fame and likes and views are doing it.

When I began exploring in 2009 - late by a lot of people's standards - there wasn't any of that to worry about and the community was many orders of magnitude smaller and more tight knit. Right now in 2023 it's a fucking disaster zone.

Social media ruined the hobby.

social media ruins everything honestly.

The popularity of it has increased exponentially for the last five or so years which is not a good thing at all, due to how many absolute morons more interested in internet fame and likes and views are doing it.

something something The tools meant to bring us closer together only drove us further apart (Crying Emoji x13)

Ok, this is interesting. As an "old timer" I can weigh in on this.

So, when I first came here, the UEDB was a big deal. We wanted to document places and serve as a resource for other explorers. I noticed the shift a while back to people posting locations in the forum and not the DB. Then it seemed a lot shifted to social media. The whole-time stuff was just moving toward that "instant gratification" reward. People doing this for "likes" more than to document locations and their history.
I'm still active in the hobby but I have mixed feelings about it and its popularity. Case in point, I recently explored and empty 14 story office building. I still took photos, but I haven't shared them here or anywhere for that matter. Not sure if I will. I wanted to put it on the UEDB, but I'm not sure many people really value that anymore.

Posted by RustyShackleford47 something something The tools meant to bring us closer together only drove us further apart (Crying Emoji x13)

It really has made a mess of the hobby. You asked.

I'd rather say it screwed everything up by moving the goalposts and creating a new generation of celebrity "explorers" who lack awareness of ethics and sustainability and instead chase instant social media gratification.

Posted by Steed It really has made a mess of the hobby. You asked. I'd rather say it screwed everything up by moving the goalposts and creating a new generation of celebrity "explorers" who lack awareness of ethics and sustainability and instead chase instant social media gratification.

Oh for sure, I agree with the social media statements. Just being a pisser. Attention is worth more than the dollar nowadays.

So, when I first came here, the UEDB was a big deal. We wanted to document places and serve as a resource for other explorers. I noticed the shift a while back to people posting locations in the forum and not the DB. Then it seemed a lot shifted to social media. The whole-time stuff was just moving toward that "instant gratification" reward. People doing this for "likes" more than to document locations and their history.

That's a big draw for me to this site. Shame to hear that no one really uses it anymore. I'd like to attempt to update the locations in my area and add the few I know of if I ever make full member.

Posted by RustyShackleford47 Hey all, I've been into the scene for about a year now and really wish I'd gotten into it when I was younger, things seemed to be more lively in the 2010's, especially on this site. I'm shocked at the age of some of the accounts on here, I think I saw someone with 19 years! This is more a question to the "old timers", but anyone can chip in, of course. That question being, do ya'll think the popularity of Urban Exploration is increasing or decreasing? With YouTube channels like "The Proper People" getting millions of views, I'd like to think the hobby is gaining some traction. Obviously it's far easier to sit on your ass and watch Youtube then to fill up the ol' backpack, lace up your boots and walk into the nearest abandonment, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

It’s terrible now compared to how it was years ago. It got worst probably around 2015 and then 100x worse since Covid hit. Seems like a lot of explorers came out of the wood work when Covid hit. Stuff is just posted as if there is no care in the world anymore and I get shit talked when I say about keeping certain spots hush hush. One of the reasons I kind of slowed up a lot recently, or travel, instead of doing stuff in the US anymore.

I don't know if this explains anything.

The Cave Clan started in the summer on 1985/6 in Melbourne. I played a huge part in it for 30 years and loved it.

If I came across the Cave Clan of the last 5 or so years I would never join it. Not because it's bad or anything like that - it mirrors the scene of the 2020's, which is nothing like what we started or wanted.

Post by Doug I don't know if this explains anything.

Says quite a lot, Doug. You must be the "Dougo" acknowledged in Access All Areas, then? My god you must have quite the collection of stories under your belt.

Also, in regards to people saying the good years were between X to X, I have a different take on it.

When we started there was no real scene. Some guys at Sydney Uni did drains once a year, The Suicide Club were around for 5 years in San Francisco, students did local place hacking & of course there were the cataphiles under Paris (I'm talking very early days pre-Cave Clan - I'm sure I've missed plenty) but most of it was localized and stayed that way for along time.

The scene in Australia during the late 80s/early 90s was probably the first time a country became part of the urbex scene. Then Cave Clan members started going overseas to explore. The early ones that I remember were Silo, Curly, Dsankt among others.

The scene gradually grew and was so much fun during the 90s.

Then September 11 happened and everything changed. For people more into Infiltration or the more sensitive locations, things got tough. My theory is that over time things started to get better again & by the 2010's things were great again.

One negative thing I can definitely comment on is if I broke it down to the 80s, 90,s right through until the 2020s, the last ten years has seen more locations be locked down than ever before - locations that some thought would always be doable.

Nowadays I just do my stupid videos & don't mention locations. I don't get too upset about locations anymore as it's beyond our control & casually exploring a location seems to happen less these days because someone went in a week ago & did something dumb.

I'm sure new explorers still love the scene just like we did back in the day.

Cheers

Posted by RustyShackleford47 Says quite a lot, Doug. You must be the "Dougo" acknowledged in Access All Areas, then? My god you must have quite the collection of stories under your belt.

Ah yeah, Ninj & I had urbex zines that both started with i & we both wrote something for each other

Posted by Doug Ah yeah, Ninj & I had urbex zines that both started with i & we both wrote something for each other

Beautiful stuff right there, man