Astaroth
[*screaming into the void intensifies*]
Original poster
STAFF MEMBER
DONATING MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
- Invitation Status
- Not accepting invites at this time
- Posting Speed
- Speed of Light
- Slow As Molasses
- Online Availability
- It varies a lot depending on my schedule, unfortunately.
- Writing Levels
- Advanced
- Adaptable
- Preferred Character Gender
- Primarily Prefer Male
- Genres
- Psychological horror
Body horror
Supernatural
Giallo
Splatterpunk
Dark fantasy
Historical
Low fantasy
Magipunk
Weird West
Noir
Thriller
Gothic horror
Southern Gothic
Gaslamp fantasy
Cyberpunk
Space saga
Clockpunk
Space Western
Space opera
Paranormal
Modern fantasy
Dieselpunk
Post-Apocalyptic
Crime drama
Medieval fantasy
Hello members of Iwaku, your Maintenance Admin here with a few notes about future moderation of the forums!
First, we're happy to announce that by popular request, we will be cutting roleplays a little more slack with a longer grace period before archival for inactivity. Instead of a 30-day expiration date, roleplays will now be given 60 days from the last post in the IC. This applies to roleplay IC and OOC info threads only. Partner requests, ads, and non-roleplay threads will all stick to 30 days. This is good news for all of our slower posters who sometimes take as much as a month to reply, or for group games hitting vacation times or back to school season when everyone gets busy.
Remember, if your thread does get archived for going past 60 days, you can always request it be revived!
Next, we've noticed a great deal of confusion regarding NSFW images and a lot of reports to sort through. Our image guidelines were meant to accommodate both users who are mature enough to handle racy imagery and those who access images from school or work or other zones where said images might cause problems. Unfortunately that hasn't been working out.
In light of this realization, we've decided to lay out a new policy on NSFW images. First, though, let's talk a little bit about NSFW image policy.
What is NSFW?
Not Safe For Work means, simply, that an image is suggestive (generally sexually) in a way that could get you in trouble with your boss. On Iwaku, our user base includes teenagers, people accessing the site from college or the office, and some people who simply are not comfortable with sexual imagery and would prefer not to see it. Out of respect for all/any of the above, we require that all images used for avatars and user signatures be appropriate for a professional environment, because avatars and signatures cannot be easily blocked from view.
Avatars and signatures cannot contain any of the following:
- Images that draw eyes to genitalia or breasts through their composition. Sexually-charged facial expressions and figures.
- See-through clothing, panty shots, or clothing that barely covers genitals or female nipples except in cases of non-sexualized activity-appropriate apparel such as swimwear.
- Sexually suggestive poses, such as leaning in to enhance cleavage, bouncing breasts, hands in crotches, spread legs, butts turned up at the "camera", blow-job face, or any pose that looks like a cropped hentai still where there's something sexual happening out of the frame.
- Exposed penis, vagina, butt cheeks, female nipples, or majority-nude figures. Over-generous side-boob and cleavage.
- Visible camel-toe or bulges.
- Anything that's obviously intended to look like cum. It doesn't matter if it's "just ice cream".
- Sex toys or bondage gear such as ball gags.
- Pornography. Erections. Cum. Visible intercourse, be it penetrative or not. This is not allowed on Iwaku period.
- Obvious troll attempts for NSFW outside of the sexual arena, like KKK avatars or a giant swastika. Come on guys.
- Violent death or mortal injury of a human or animal.
- Photographs/photorealistic artwork depicting graphic gore or decay of human or animal corpses.
- Large amounts of blood/gore.
- Drug paraphernalia such as bongs. Visible use of illegal drugs.
What, then, about images posted in forum threads or the Gallery? Under the rules up to now, we do allow more freedom. Outright nudity must be under spoilers, and we simply have asked that anything questionable be put under spoilers or come with a visible warning as well.
Where exactly do we draw the line? What's "questionable"?
This is where it gets tricky. Different people will look at one image and have different responses when asked if it is safe for work. Until now, it has been the job of the Security Department to determine a general consensus on whether any given image passes muster, needs a spoiler to hide it, or should be removed altogether. But I can tell you right now that much like everyone else, each individual member of Security will have different standards for "work-safe". It's even more complicated trying to decide, "Is this artistic nudity or is it porn?"
Real-life pornography and nudity cannot be allowed on the site under any circumstances, for legal reasons and the protection of our members. That much is here to stay.
As to the rest, though, keeping the policy we have creates a huge strain on moderation and is unclear for our members.
So what do we do?
There are a handful of alternatives:
1. All images except outright porn/sexually graphic nudity are allowed outside of spoilers and without warning anywhere on the forum. Everyone has to suck it up.
We don't like this idea, because it severely increases the chances of members getting caught out with an image in an awkward situation. It traps people into not accessing the site wherever they want. It increases the chance of prohibited images being posted under the impression that it's okay.
2. All images have to be held to the same standards as avatars and signatures. Welcome to Disney Town.
We hate this. It would be the easiest solution, but it's condescending to the users and it's overkill. We don't like censorship and you all are mature enough to handle a little skin.
3. Everything not fit for the Disney Channel has to be under spoilers.
We don't like this either. It wouldn't solve the workload issues for Security and still feels condescending. Iwaku is not and never has been family-friendly.
And finally, there's what we came up with to avoid all of that, and afford you both freedom and security to the best of our abilities.
Our new NSFW image policy:
Pornography, whether drawn or photographic, is not allowed on Iwaku. Real-life nudity is not allowed. Sexually suggestive artwork of prepubescent characters has not ever and will not ever be allowed. (Nude or sexual photographs of anyone under 18 is illegal child pornography. So is explicit sexual artwork of prepubescent characters. Posting either of these is an instant ban and you will be reported to authorities.)
Barring the above exceptions, all sexually suggestive images are allowed within the Redstar and Bluestar areas of the forum and Character Gallery. Entering these areas can be considered warning that you may see suggestive images. As these are sections aimed at sexual written content, it is up to you as users to determine where is the most sensible place to access these areas and to establish with your partners whether sexually suggestive images are allowed in your own threads. Other, non-sexual NSFW material is still subject to forum-wide standards, as follows:
Outside of these threads, use of spoilers and/or clear warnings (e.g., in the title of a thread or as a thumbnail in the Gallery) is advised for anything that is judged questionable by the poster. All members reserve the right to report an image they personally find questionable. If the reported image does not comply with standards for avatars and signatures, the poster will be required to use spoilers, a thumbnail, or a warning. Moderation by Staff will be restricted to removing images that are prohibited and to processing reported images. This puts you, the users, in control of deciding community atmosphere and what is appropriate for our site beyond legal measures.
Frivolous reports of bare skin/tight clothing or as a means of harassment/trolling another user will be ignored. Do not think that we'll blindly enforce any report made. Please refrain from reporting questionable images in one-on-one roleplays or those marked as Private unless you are a participant.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this update, please let us know!
First, we're happy to announce that by popular request, we will be cutting roleplays a little more slack with a longer grace period before archival for inactivity. Instead of a 30-day expiration date, roleplays will now be given 60 days from the last post in the IC. This applies to roleplay IC and OOC info threads only. Partner requests, ads, and non-roleplay threads will all stick to 30 days. This is good news for all of our slower posters who sometimes take as much as a month to reply, or for group games hitting vacation times or back to school season when everyone gets busy.
Remember, if your thread does get archived for going past 60 days, you can always request it be revived!
Next, we've noticed a great deal of confusion regarding NSFW images and a lot of reports to sort through. Our image guidelines were meant to accommodate both users who are mature enough to handle racy imagery and those who access images from school or work or other zones where said images might cause problems. Unfortunately that hasn't been working out.
In light of this realization, we've decided to lay out a new policy on NSFW images. First, though, let's talk a little bit about NSFW image policy.
What is NSFW?
Not Safe For Work means, simply, that an image is suggestive (generally sexually) in a way that could get you in trouble with your boss. On Iwaku, our user base includes teenagers, people accessing the site from college or the office, and some people who simply are not comfortable with sexual imagery and would prefer not to see it. Out of respect for all/any of the above, we require that all images used for avatars and user signatures be appropriate for a professional environment, because avatars and signatures cannot be easily blocked from view.
Avatars and signatures cannot contain any of the following:
- Images that draw eyes to genitalia or breasts through their composition. Sexually-charged facial expressions and figures.
- See-through clothing, panty shots, or clothing that barely covers genitals or female nipples except in cases of non-sexualized activity-appropriate apparel such as swimwear.
- Sexually suggestive poses, such as leaning in to enhance cleavage, bouncing breasts, hands in crotches, spread legs, butts turned up at the "camera", blow-job face, or any pose that looks like a cropped hentai still where there's something sexual happening out of the frame.
- Exposed penis, vagina, butt cheeks, female nipples, or majority-nude figures. Over-generous side-boob and cleavage.
- Visible camel-toe or bulges.
- Anything that's obviously intended to look like cum. It doesn't matter if it's "just ice cream".
- Sex toys or bondage gear such as ball gags.
- Pornography. Erections. Cum. Visible intercourse, be it penetrative or not. This is not allowed on Iwaku period.
- Obvious troll attempts for NSFW outside of the sexual arena, like KKK avatars or a giant swastika. Come on guys.
- Violent death or mortal injury of a human or animal.
- Photographs/photorealistic artwork depicting graphic gore or decay of human or animal corpses.
- Large amounts of blood/gore.
- Drug paraphernalia such as bongs. Visible use of illegal drugs.
What, then, about images posted in forum threads or the Gallery? Under the rules up to now, we do allow more freedom. Outright nudity must be under spoilers, and we simply have asked that anything questionable be put under spoilers or come with a visible warning as well.
Where exactly do we draw the line? What's "questionable"?
This is where it gets tricky. Different people will look at one image and have different responses when asked if it is safe for work. Until now, it has been the job of the Security Department to determine a general consensus on whether any given image passes muster, needs a spoiler to hide it, or should be removed altogether. But I can tell you right now that much like everyone else, each individual member of Security will have different standards for "work-safe". It's even more complicated trying to decide, "Is this artistic nudity or is it porn?"
Real-life pornography and nudity cannot be allowed on the site under any circumstances, for legal reasons and the protection of our members. That much is here to stay.
As to the rest, though, keeping the policy we have creates a huge strain on moderation and is unclear for our members.
So what do we do?
There are a handful of alternatives:
1. All images except outright porn/sexually graphic nudity are allowed outside of spoilers and without warning anywhere on the forum. Everyone has to suck it up.
We don't like this idea, because it severely increases the chances of members getting caught out with an image in an awkward situation. It traps people into not accessing the site wherever they want. It increases the chance of prohibited images being posted under the impression that it's okay.
2. All images have to be held to the same standards as avatars and signatures. Welcome to Disney Town.
We hate this. It would be the easiest solution, but it's condescending to the users and it's overkill. We don't like censorship and you all are mature enough to handle a little skin.
3. Everything not fit for the Disney Channel has to be under spoilers.
We don't like this either. It wouldn't solve the workload issues for Security and still feels condescending. Iwaku is not and never has been family-friendly.
And finally, there's what we came up with to avoid all of that, and afford you both freedom and security to the best of our abilities.
Our new NSFW image policy:
Pornography, whether drawn or photographic, is not allowed on Iwaku. Real-life nudity is not allowed. Sexually suggestive artwork of prepubescent characters has not ever and will not ever be allowed. (Nude or sexual photographs of anyone under 18 is illegal child pornography. So is explicit sexual artwork of prepubescent characters. Posting either of these is an instant ban and you will be reported to authorities.)
Barring the above exceptions, all sexually suggestive images are allowed within the Redstar and Bluestar areas of the forum and Character Gallery. Entering these areas can be considered warning that you may see suggestive images. As these are sections aimed at sexual written content, it is up to you as users to determine where is the most sensible place to access these areas and to establish with your partners whether sexually suggestive images are allowed in your own threads. Other, non-sexual NSFW material is still subject to forum-wide standards, as follows:
Outside of these threads, use of spoilers and/or clear warnings (e.g., in the title of a thread or as a thumbnail in the Gallery) is advised for anything that is judged questionable by the poster. All members reserve the right to report an image they personally find questionable. If the reported image does not comply with standards for avatars and signatures, the poster will be required to use spoilers, a thumbnail, or a warning. Moderation by Staff will be restricted to removing images that are prohibited and to processing reported images. This puts you, the users, in control of deciding community atmosphere and what is appropriate for our site beyond legal measures.
Frivolous reports of bare skin/tight clothing or as a means of harassment/trolling another user will be ignored. Do not think that we'll blindly enforce any report made. Please refrain from reporting questionable images in one-on-one roleplays or those marked as Private unless you are a participant.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this update, please let us know!
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