[Oni]

I saw this when browsing the rank unlocks that Bronze gives access to SE. If memory serves me correctly, you could previously earn Bronze in some way.

Out of interest, why place a paywall behind the Social Engineering section of the forum? I contributed a decent amount to the SE section of the site in 2025 during its previous incarnation, but I don't know how I feel about now paying to access it.

You can still earn Bronze with 150 posts, as the rank can be purchased for 150 SP. We considered scrapping the section, but limiting it to upgraded members was a much better alternative.

The goal was to lessen the amount of moderation needed and prevent people from posting services since our rules changed.

If you can still earn the rank and don't have to only pay to obtain it, then fair enough - I can respect that. I was originally aiming to reach Bronze on the previous iteration through 150 SP, so I guess all the more reason to get familiar with the other parts of the site.

I figured the purpose of placing a wall behind the SE section was to gatekeep it, what with the historic and ongoing information being useful for refunding activity. I remember mothered used to potentially use others' progress threads as feelers to gather intel on how different companies operated.

Yes, that is the purpose. I miss @mothered as well. At the moment we do not want the section to be public, but maybe that will change in the future.

As I said, you can still earn access via posting to get Bronze. Alternatively, it's only $15 if you choose to pay for it instead.