Edited to change the thread title and add
Thanks to the Admin to listening
(and I wanted to check about whether or not you really could edit after 24 hours.)
"Soap Box" has a connotation of somebody spewing their opinion to a crowd where "Town Square" has the connotation of a place for informed discussion.
"Soap Box" has a connotation of a mix of participants but a hefty share of incoherency (with a sprinkle of drunkenness) where "Town Square" has a connotation of serious considered opinions.
If quoted by people/media outside of DU it will sound different
"In an article by () at SOAPBOX forum at DU () pointed out . . ."
"In an article by () at the TOWNSQUARE forum at DU () pointed out . . ."
"Soap Box" conjures up the image of Professor Irwin Corey
"Town Square" conjures up the image of Ben Franklin