Oh, LJ, you so crazy.

[apocalypsos]

I was rewatching the "fatty cholesterol-laden American favorites" episode of Top Chef earlier today and found yet another reason to want to smack Micah (and Hung, but mostly Micah because I hate her more). It was that face she made about fried chicken and the way she'd said she'd never eaten it. As in, "That's so completely gross." And part of me thought, "Are you freaking kidding me? Fried chicken may be bad for you but it's one of the yummiest things ever!" And another part of me thought, "Aren't you a chef? Aren't you supposed to LIKE food?" Argh.

Also, my back is killing me. I don't know how wrong I could have possibly slept on it last night to make it feel this way, unless I'm sleep-contorting or something.

So! Anyway! About LJ staff being a great big pile of suck.

Now, admittedly, I'm not leaving unless they kick my ass off. I'm trollprincess everywhere else, for the record, and I've spent all of today backing up my LJ everywhere else just in case, but I'm not leaving. I think that the fact that this whole situation involves the posting of possible underage smut is clouding the issue for a lot of people outside of fandom. I get the impression that a lot of people are yelling, "Oh, my God, you're defending the pedos!" without realizing that that's not the issue at hand.

The issue comes in two parts:

1. A complete lack of professionalism.
2. "We won't tell you the rules until you break them."

Look, I know a lot of people are acting like asshats in the news comments. People always act like asshats in the comments of anything. Welcome to the Internet! ;)

The thing is, there is a genuine concern and anyone who questions the behavior of those in charge is being painted with the same distasteful brush of there being something wrong with them, rather than the other way around. And this isn't simply a fandom issue. It's where it's originating, but their stance is a vaguely worded summation of what can and cannot be posted and the implication that THEY decide instead of a clearly defined list of things which will not be tolerated on the site. That's not going to end up simply getting rid of fannish things of questionable content, that's going to devolve into getting rid of everything they consider questionable.

I mean, think about it. Nearly every fannish person I know, while they may not be leaving LJ until they're thrown out kicking and screaming, already has backups set up elsewhere. Some have already left. Many are using Semagic to post to multiple journals. In the next few months if most of fandom picks up and goes elsewhere, who's left? I mean, for crying out loud, guys, they already went after breastfeeding icons. Is there anything fannish to be found in an icon with a nursing baby? They're focusing on fandom now, but that's because we're a bunch of loudmouths.

What if somebody decides that a community for artists or photographers which focuses on nudes is obscene? What about if you post a funny picture under friends-lock of your toddler doing something funny in the tub? Remember that blackmail conspiracy in regards to Miss New Jersey and her fairly innocuous Myspace photos? What if the same kind of drunken college-student photos suddenly become the new thing to delete over?

We want to know. Anyone who's not a complete troll would like to follow the goddamn rules. There's just one small problem -- YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHAT THEY ARE.

If they don't have rules for us, they don't have rules for you, either.

P.S. burr86 acting like a dicksmack in a mocking community doesn't help their case any.

(Oh, and that "report this post to LJ Abuse" button? That won't be misused at ALL.)

Comments

[suaine.livejournal.com]

I said so 14 months ago. I guess they didn't hear it.

http://suaine.livejournal.com/397598.html

Skip down to the end for some unintentional hindsight irony by burr86

[catystorm.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

You said it so much more eloquently. <3 I've been trying to explain this to people, both IRL and online, and a good portion of my friends are like "you're taking this too seriously."

*facepalm*

[chichiri-no-da.livejournal.com]

One big, steaming pile of Word.

It has nothing to do with whether or not you like Pond's art. It has to do with the way it was handled. Like the fact that that method breeds fear and uncertainty, and the fact that there has been outright lying involved.

(I'm afraid I don't know the name of the other one who was banned, but this goes for them, too)

[grlnamedlucifer.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I've had way too many people tell me I'm getting way too worked up about underage porn. As if that's what the actual problem is.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

Yep, there's no part of this post I don't agree with.

(Oh, and that "report this post to LJ Abuse" button? That won't be misused at ALL.)

I read a suggestion somewhere that every fannish person should just start reporting every single news post. Ever. But we shouldn't, because that clearly would be *wrong*. And stuff. *looks twitchy*

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

Yup. That would be wrong, and stuff. besides, if I were going to do wrong things like that, I'd be more inclined to start with burr86's posts.

But of course, not recommending. Because, well, wrong. And stuff.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

I imagine that on top of the news articles about his 'hilarious' antics, that would cause burr86 quite a bit of trouble. In theory. If someone did, that is.

[anne-jumps.livejournal.com]

The issue comes in two parts:

1. A complete lack of professionalism.
2. "We won't tell you the rules until you break them."

Precisely.

[hawklaw.livejournal.com]

*stands and applauds* If a store gave this kind of crap customer service, people would be deserting it in droves. Why should LJ be any different?

[poisontaster]

I just started watching Top Chef! The Roommate refuses to watch with me and he already hates Hung and Micah too! And so do I!

The issue comes in two parts:

1. A complete lack of professionalism.
2. "We won't tell you the rules until you break them."

Yes, precisely. Which is why I don't feel safe here. I don't want to leave, but yes, I do worry about getting arbitrarily TOS'd at this point.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Hee! I saw that! Micah's such a complete snob, and what makes it that much worse is that she's totally faking it. Apparently not only was she born in the US and spent most of her life in Massachusetts, but her sister went online and said the accent's a total fake.

Another way to lose me -- "Oh, I never watched the show before I signed up!" Oh, bull. I'd have a hell of a lot more respect for her if she'd just say, "Yes, I watched every damn episode, and love Harold like burning, and thought Katie Lee was a robot, and blah blah complete-fannishness-cakes."

[poisontaster]

REALLY. That surprises me not at all. And as far as I could see, she doesn't have the cooking chops to back up her phony persona.

[notrafficlights.livejournal.com]

*icon congas*

[callmesyd.livejournal.com]

The thing about the LJ dammerung is that the rules being broken are... well... honestly, kind of common sense. Sexually explicit materials, even friendslocked, have the potential of being seen by a minor.

I love porn. I love it in written form and I love it when it's well-drawn. But it's honestly always kind of amazed me that it hasn't been more tightly regulated on places like LJ already.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, if you're going to post porn on the internet you've got to understand that there's a chance that a minor might see it, friendslock or not.

it's honestly always kind of amazed me that it hasn't been more tightly regulated on places like LJ already.

And there's the problem right there. They're not more tightly regulated, and when we ask them exactly how they're regulating them we get a big hazy nothing.

I also think it's digging their hole so much deeper that they have yet to confirm that the particular drawing making the rounds as the reason Pond got TOSsed, especially since it makes Harry appear really freaking mature. He may be underage in that picture, he might not be. Personally, I don't think he looks like a minor in that picture. And that's where things got complicated, because then more than a few people turned around and said, "Wait, if you consider that a drawing with an underage Harry, then what's the cutoff?" And then LJ said nothing and VOILA! Wank!

Really, all they have to do is say something. God knows most of the fen would be perfectly willing not to post anything that might get their journals deleted for all eternity or whatever.

[lots42.livejournal.com]

Devil's Advocate: You can have breastfeeding icons, they just cannot be your default.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Yes, and before they reached that decision they threatened to shut down at least one user's account because it was her default. Hence, they "went after breastfeeding icons."

[ficangel.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this post. I'm freaked out by a lot of what fandom writes, too, but 1) I get all kinds of angry when I see people being punished for rules that can't reasonably be followed because they make no sense, and 2) the fact that they make no sense means that LJ is free to go after pretty much anyone that they decide becomes a liability. I don't need to give my money over to them in exchange for content that they can delete at any time. Why on earth would I go into a store and buy something with that little of a guarantee? It would be madness.

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

Here via metafandom and must say:

You are so right about fried chicken! It is so good I just have to have some every once in a while (home made) though it is bad for the healthy diet to have too often.

And you're also right about LJ.

But fried chicken is v. important!

[demonessjo.livejournal.com]

Sigh. Word. You summed it up pretty nicely.

And fried chicken is one the best things ever! Wtf?