ext_27009 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
libgirl.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
otw_news2007-05-31 11:17 pm
libgirl.livejournal.com) wrote in otw_news2007-05-31 11:17 pm
Entry tags:
A Question....
Has there been any consideration about age restrictions at the suggested archive?
As a long-time, multi-fandom participant and talking with another one this week over the issue at LJ and with fanlib, two things came up:
1. As long as we're paying someone else to host our things, they can decide not to host specific things. Also, people will attempt to make a profit off of us in any way possible. The best solution is to host our own site with a dedicated server than can house us all.
2. We were talking and we both agreed that if there was a multi-fandom fanfiction hub, we wouldn't want it to be along the lines of ff.net. Everyone I know cringes when a news source goes to ff.net to talk about the "fandom phenomenon". That said, admitting fic.'s based on quality is tricky and subjective. If we create something, for ourselves, then I hope that we would both cover ourselves legally and present ourselves professionally. There is a legal issue involving minors and NC-17 material than can only really be remedied by not allowing minors. The easiest solution seems to be creating a panfandom archive for underage readers either in association with or as part of the larger archive, requiring a age statement to sign up and logged-in-only access to adult material. Also, if there are no underage readers allowed, then there is less likelihood of creating another ff.net.
I know that this will probably not be a popular opinion. I know that many people in fandom, particularly on LJ are underage and "passing" or "socking" in order to read adult material. I'm not saying that some underage readers cannot handle adult material or aren't already participating in adult activities; however, from a legal standpoint, it seems more responsible to take precautions.
Additionally, in light of the recent LJ events, it's obvious that much of what gets archives, websites, journals and fic.'s shut down is a perceived danger to the "childrenz". If this is a site by adults, for adults it's less likely to come under that sort of negative fire. After all, we're going to have to deal with the legal ramifications of intellectual property and copyright laws already.
I'm truly not trying to rock the boat or ignore the many and important contributions of underage fans to fandom. I'm just trying to ascertain how the issues of liability will be dealt with.
As a long-time, multi-fandom participant and talking with another one this week over the issue at LJ and with fanlib, two things came up:
1. As long as we're paying someone else to host our things, they can decide not to host specific things. Also, people will attempt to make a profit off of us in any way possible. The best solution is to host our own site with a dedicated server than can house us all.
2. We were talking and we both agreed that if there was a multi-fandom fanfiction hub, we wouldn't want it to be along the lines of ff.net. Everyone I know cringes when a news source goes to ff.net to talk about the "fandom phenomenon". That said, admitting fic.'s based on quality is tricky and subjective. If we create something, for ourselves, then I hope that we would both cover ourselves legally and present ourselves professionally. There is a legal issue involving minors and NC-17 material than can only really be remedied by not allowing minors. The easiest solution seems to be creating a panfandom archive for underage readers either in association with or as part of the larger archive, requiring a age statement to sign up and logged-in-only access to adult material. Also, if there are no underage readers allowed, then there is less likelihood of creating another ff.net.
I know that this will probably not be a popular opinion. I know that many people in fandom, particularly on LJ are underage and "passing" or "socking" in order to read adult material. I'm not saying that some underage readers cannot handle adult material or aren't already participating in adult activities; however, from a legal standpoint, it seems more responsible to take precautions.
Additionally, in light of the recent LJ events, it's obvious that much of what gets archives, websites, journals and fic.'s shut down is a perceived danger to the "childrenz". If this is a site by adults, for adults it's less likely to come under that sort of negative fire. After all, we're going to have to deal with the legal ramifications of intellectual property and copyright laws already.
I'm truly not trying to rock the boat or ignore the many and important contributions of underage fans to fandom. I'm just trying to ascertain how the issues of liability will be dealt with.
no subject
Which, actually, is what I was trying to suggest/ask. I'm not saying that underage fen should be excluded, I just wanted to know what the options were for protection as well as inclusion on this matter.
I think doing something along the lines of fiction alley or schnoogle would be fine. I just hadn't heard any discussion of this and wondered what the consensus was.
Not all fen are members of the HP fandom and not all fandoms are as organized as either the HP or XF fandoms. They don't all even have major archives dedicated to that fandom.
I didn't want to assume that solutions that are used in HP fandom were going to be applied in this case (I don't even know if all the people here are part of the HP fandom).
I apparently haven't worded my question as carefully as I hoped to.
no subject
Well it seems to me that fiction alley/schnoogle/dark arts works. It was the only reason I brought it up. Sort of like a sub domain. I guess. I know not things that are technical. I have no idea how feasible that would be either, depending if the archive was set up like livejournal, I don't really imagine it would be.
Why are you talking so much about the HP fandom? I am just. I can't follow your leap.
HP fandom is, as far as I know, the largest fandom in recent history and therefore, probably easiest to draw diverse example from. It was my last fandom where I looked to archives and other websites than livejournal for fan fiction. This is why I used it as an example. I don't expect everyone or even many to have been a part of it. Obviously with this archive we are trying to be organized.
Um, I don't know, can't most questions asked be worded better with hindsight? Yours was probably fine. Although if you really wanted to start a discussion I personally would have said something which would have been far, far stupider. Although may I suggest to either not apologize in your post for what you are saying? It makes me as a reader assume you have something to apologize for, but I come from the "apologize when the shit hits the fan" school of thought.
no subject
Why are you talking so much about the HP fandom? I am just. I can't follow your leap.
I was trying to say that I hadn't initially suggested the solution that FA chose because I didn't know how many of the fen here are familiar with it. Or, alternatively, if other fandoms have found other solutions that might be more appropriate I didn't want to exclude them.
Although if you really wanted to start a discussion I personally would have said something which would have been far, far stupider. Although may I suggest to either not apologize in your post for what you are saying? It makes me as a reader assume you have something to apologize for, but I come from the "apologize when the shit hits the fan" school of thought.
I don't understand the first sentence here. I wasn't, necessarily, apologizing for what I'm saying. I was trying to make it clear that I'm not against underage fen...that's not what I was asking...I'm for protecting all the fen. I know that everyone is a bit sensitive right now and I thought it would be best to be as transparent and honest about what I was asking/intended as possible.
I don't think that asking a question about what is a true legal issue affecting any archive is something to apologize for, but if I worded in such a way that what I was trying to ask/say wasn't clear, that I can apologize for.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject