Data analysis of LW: Activity levels + age distribution of user accounts

Abstract

This analysis examines the activity of new and old users on LessWrong 2.0, focusing on four activity types: posts, comments, votes, and views. The study found that LessWrong 2.0 is attracting both new and old users, with new user engagement surpassing historical levels in voting and viewing. While new user posting remains similar to historical levels, commenting has declined, likely reflecting a broader trend in LessWrong’s comment volume. The analysis segmented user accounts into four age groups based on their engagement time in each activity type, showing that activity comes from a diverse range of users with varying levels of experience. Overall, the data suggests that LessWrong 2.0 is successful in engaging both new and existing users, despite the continued decline in commenting activity.