New site maintenance policies: Thread archival and NSFW

[Lylith]

I dislike and disagree with the NSFW policy regarding avatars.

 

[IntrusivePenDesperateSword]

I dislike and disagree with the NSFW policy regarding avatars.

Because plant gore isn't banned! Thank you for joining me in my cause, let's stand up against the brutality today!

 

[Astaroth]

I dislike and disagree with the NSFW policy regarding avatars.

This has actually always been our policy, we just made clearer what the policy regarding avatars and signatures entails because things were getting looked over and some of our Security Staff were confused. This means a lot more NSFW avatars were slipping through and we were only getting the ones that were extreme cases. People were also getting upset when we messaged them and asked for a change, because we didn't have clear lines drawn for them to follow.

Having these guidelines may be a bit restrictive, but they are clear and prevent a community atmosphere that we do not want to present, and keep people from getting in trouble when accessing Iwaku from certain environments. I'm sorry that you dislike it, but we don't have plans to change it anytime soon.

 

[Lylith]

Because plant gore isn't banned!

So silly.

But no... That's not why.

If someone finds a mildly revealing avatar offensive, I'm sorry, but there's no reason to go this far to defend someones sensibilities if they're offended or uncomfortable with sexuality.

If you're offended by that, you probably just don't need to be on the internet.

 

[IntrusivePenDesperateSword]

If someone finds a mildly revealing avatar offensive, I'm sorry, but there's no reason to go this far to defend someones sensibilities if they're offended or uncomfortable with sexuality.

If you're offended by that, you probably just don't need to be on the internet.

It's not only about being offended about or uncomfortable around it, but also the situation it's being viewed in. It's a reason it's called Not Safe For Work; if a coworker peeks over your shoulder and the first they see is some cleavage-heavy image of a loli or something, chances are they'll draw conclusions- none you want to be drawn about you.

 

[Lylith]

Not Safe For Work; if a coworker peeks over your shoulder

There's the root of the problem right there though...

Why are you at work and messing around on here anyways? Honestly people... Do your job. Get off Iwaku.

Responsibilities first, then play. Work, then pleasure.

Stop ruining it for the rest of us just because you're lazy and irresponsible.

You're being paid to do a job, not peruse Iwakus forums and DEFINITELY DON'T complain HERE about NSFW images when it's YOUR ACTIONS that caused the issue in the first place.

 

[IntrusivePenDesperateSword]

There's the root of the problem right there though...

Why are you at work and messing around on here anyways? Honestly people... Do your job. Get off Iwaku.

Responsibilities first, then play. Work, then pleasure.

Stop ruining it for the rest of us just because you're lazy and irresponsible.

You're being paid to do a job, not peruse Iwakus forums and DEFINITELY DON'T complain HERE about NSFW images when it's YOUR ACTIONS that caused the issue in the first place.

I suppose it is my fault for not working every waking moment at school, or for that matter at home around family, or anywhere else I am among people with a computer and free time.

 

[Astaroth]

There's the root of the problem right there though...

Why are you at work and messing around on here anyways? Honestly people... Do your job. Get off Iwaku.

Responsibilities first, then play. Work, then pleasure.

Stop ruining it for the rest of us just because you're lazy and irresponsible.

You're being paid to do a job, not peruse Iwakus forums and DEFINITELY DON'T complain HERE about NSFW images when it's YOUR ACTIONS that caused the issue in the first place.

There are a lot of people who also live with kids, live with their parents, or have no choice but to access from school or work because they don't have other options. People who have to access at the library because they don't have a home computer. People who only get free time on their commutes to and from work, when they have to take public transportation. It's not just people being irresponsible. You're being really presumptive right now. o__o

 

[Winter]

There's the root of the problem right there though...

Why are you at work and messing around on here anyways? Honestly people... Do your job. Get off Iwaku.

Responsibilities first, then play. Work, then pleasure.

Stop ruining it for the rest of us just because you're lazy and irresponsible.

You're being paid to do a job, not peruse Iwakus forums and DEFINITELY DON'T complain HERE about NSFW images when it's YOUR ACTIONS that caused the issue in the first place.

The term NSFW is used as a term relevant to multiple situations, whether you're at work, in public, at home where a parent might look over your shoulder etc. Point is, we want people to be comfortable when participating in RP here and if people are worried about scrolling down onto unwanted NSFW images then we're enabling an uncomfortable situation which is not something we're looking to accommodate. There are spaces in the internet and even on Iwaku where NSFW has more relevance and leniency, but, not in public spaces and that's not an unreasonable thing to ask.

 

[Astaroth]

Another thing to keep in mind is what kind of image our avatars and signatures send to people looking to join the site. That's what people are going to see first regardless of what's inside of threads, blogs, etc. If everyone has half-naked avatars, people get ideas about what kind of roleplay site we are. It's the same reason that even though we allow almost total freedom about sexual content, we have those forums set up in a way that they don't contribute to Google's tools for learning about a site. We're not an ERP site or a sexually-oriented site, and getting members who think they can cyber and hook up here is already something we deal with as is.

 

[Lylith]

You're being really presumptive right now. o__o

I'm dealing with being limited because of the mistakes or situational happenstances of other people and OTHER peoples abuse of their freedoms, and I don't like it.

Am I not free to express my dislike of a rule that I find dumb?

 

[Astaroth]

I'm dealing with being limited because of the mistakes or situational happenstances of other people and OTHER peoples abuse of their freedoms, and I don't like it.

Am I not free to express my dislike of a rule that I find dumb?

You absolutely are. But you were also making comments under an unfair assumption about other people because you're blaming them for the fact that we asked you to change your avatar. I'm sorry you got caught just on the other side of the line, but it's not the fault of people goofing off at work.

Your opinion is totally valid and I understand your complaint.

 

[Winter]

I'm dealing with being limited because of the mistakes or situational happenstances of other people and OTHER peoples abuse of their freedoms, and I don't like it.

Am I not free to express my dislike of a rule that I find dumb?

The policy isn't implemented due to the actions of others. It's implemented simply because it is a neccesity for us to portray the correct image of Iwaku that we're looking for. As Astaroth pointed out, we don't want people to think we're all about libertine roleplay. As for your freedoms, you're free to voice your complaints in the appropriate areas, but be prepared that not all will see things the way you do. Furthermore it's good to note that we as staff don't do anything without an adequate reason, so we'll more than likely have responses and reasons to peoples questions and concerns.

 

[IntrusivePenDesperateSword]

Am I not free to express my dislike of a rule that I find dumb?

Sure, as much as we are to express why we disagree with you, in turn.

Why do you want a NSFW avatar or signature anyways?

 

[Lylith]

Sure, as much as we are to express why we disagree with you, in turn.

Why do you want a NSFW avatar or signature anyways?

Because I enjoy making avatars and I enjoy expressing a darker and mysterious attractive female usually as the focus of my artistic exploits. I don't see a problem with using my artwork as my avatar... Especially since all of my work is non nude and typically has a flavorful artistic class to it.

I don't do tasteless nudity or exposure. There's no point.

NSFW

 

[Lylith]

The policy isn't implemented due to the actions of others.

There has NEVER been any written rule or law in the history of mankind with the goal of preventing an action that hasn't already been done...

 

[Winter]

There has NEVER been any written rule or law in the history of mankind with the goal of preventing an action that hasn't already been done...

That's not true at all, otherwise the word 'preemptive' wouldn't exist within the laws of legislation, policy and law.

 

[Lylith]

You are incorrect, mostly because the word "preemptive" in law doesn't mean "creating a law to prevent something from happening"...

Preemptive laws are laws where the Federal laws must be taken into consideration before local or state laws.

If you have evidence to the contrary, please list it. But the explanation of preemptive laws can easily be found if you use google. I encourage you to do so.

But my point remains... Why is the WHOLE of the community being restricted for the actions of a few? I understand that it's for publicity and public opinion of the site as a whole, but why can't you simply punish the ones who go too far rather than making a blanket law that pertains to EVERYONE? Certainly there has to be a better way...

 

[Sidhe]

You are incorrect, mostly because the word "preemptive" in law doesn't mean "creating a law to prevent something from happening"...

Preemptive laws are laws where the Federal laws must be taken into consideration before local or state laws.

If you have evidence to the contrary, please list it. But the explanation of preemptive laws can easily be found if you use google. I encourage you to do so.

But my point remains... Why is the WHOLE of the community being restricted for the actions of a few? I understand that it's for publicity and public opinion of the site as a whole, but why can't you simply punish the ones who go too far rather than making a blanket law that pertains to EVERYONE? Certainly there has to be a better way...

Because Iwaku isn't that kind of site. We have sections that allow sexual freedom, but we aren't a dedicated sexual role-play forum. Like, I understand that you enjoy tastefully nude art; that's cool, so do I. But why can't you just display that in, like, an art thread, instead of in your avatar itself? I don't understand why this is such a big problem. I also have several avatars that I will no longer be able to use with these new (rather, clarified) guidelines. Whatever; I have like 100 more that I can use. It's not worth getting upset over.

It seems, rather, that changing the rules would be to the benefit of a few.

 

[Astaroth]

Whether it's preemptive or reactive is beside the point. o__o The truth is that yes, a minority of people CAN ruin something for everyone else. That's just how life works. That's why laws exist.

We used to do everything on a case by case basis; this was when we were a smaller site and could reasonably enforce this based on our own opinions of what was acceptable.

Now we are a site where our active membership is in the thousands. Just messaging individuals based on personal interpretation no longer cuts it. Our Staff team is constantly changing and it isn't the same ten people who've been on the site forever, and they're going to all have different opinions on what is okay and what isn't. So too is our member base. We also are so large now and the culture has changed from a tight-knit group of friends so much that members of the community don't just blindly accept it when Staff ask them to change something that isn't spelled out in the rules. That's the entire reason for this policy change, so that there's a clear set of rules. When you enforce things individually with a group of unconnected individuals, there's going to be feelings of inequality in how something is being enforced. That's why unilateral application of rules is less confusing and fairer.

We have to draw a line somewhere. Those images are not tasteless, no, but they're sexualized. We've drawn the line at sexualized, since that's the spirit of the rule we've always had.

I wish we could enforce the rules individually, but I've come to accept that is no longer realistic for this community. We do not have the manpower in our volunteer staff, and it has not been working out. If you want to blame someone, blame all the people who have complained every time we've asked them to change something that wasn't specifically worded in our policies. We've had to switch to emphasizing letter of the law over spirit to avoid causing problems.

You will not be punished simply for using a NSFW avatar. You will just be asked to change it. It's a mild inconvenience that has no repercussions.