Annoyed...

[per_solo]

As a backup plan, I've created another journal elsewhere. Hopefully, LJ will pull its head out of its ass, and actually DEFINE their TOS.

I could care less on some of the issues that are being batted back and forth. Some of it is wankery, on both sides. But, there are enough free speech issues, and issues of condoning "pro-anorexia" groups, and being brow-beaten by religious groups, which seriously, is their choice. As a corporate entity, they can do whatever the hell they want.

I was once accused of not understanding "business", or how things truly work in a corporate environment. And, there may be a bit of truth to that.

However, I do understand people better than some. And I understand that when you piss off your userbase? All of a sudden, a microscope is focused. And every problem, every issue, is magnified.

If LJ had someone who was dedicated to being a spokesman between LJ/6A, and the userbase? It might make it easier. The problem right now is that none of LJ's paying (or non-paying) users are going to trust any corporate mouthpiece. You wanna talk about a position that might rival Tony Snow for mistrust..

So, I'm making the plans, and we'll see what happens from there. I want to have hope for Livejournal. I want to think that they aren't being run into the ground, but when Brad Fitzpatrick (the creator) is no longer actively involved, that sends a bright warning sign.

I've enjoyed this account for many years. I like that I can keep up with friends here that I cannot keep up with otherwise (especially in the last year). I like that even with e-mail, it is easier to keep up with friends who are out of state..to get that little peek of what is going well for them, what is going bad..what is just going along.

I have no solution for LJ. I have no solution for fandom. I don't see a way for both parties to coexist. I really think the only thing that will make LJ wake up is when a lot of people leave, and suddenly, there is one less revenue stream for them.

Comments

[defixione.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it. For the first time, thoughts of ending my lj managed to creep in recently. That didn't even happen with the first big drama a few months back.

[per_solo]

We'll see. I hope it doesn't go horrible, but everyone's trust in LJ is sorely lacking.

And wow, now am caught up on Season 2 of Weeds...Zoey Deschanel...awesome. :-)

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

I'm just staying low and seeing how it all plays out.

On another note...Coupling icons??? Where did you get that?? I want! :-)

[per_solo]

*nod* I got two of them that I regularly use..I think I may have put "Coupling" into my interests, and looked for an Icon community. If either appeal, feel free to snag. :-)

As far as the rest, yeah..I've got the account, but I'm going to wait and see. I have NO idea what LJ is thinking, especially when they keep shooting themselves in the foot with bad spokespeople..

In other news, when are you all going to be at Gencon? I'll be around quite a bit, helping Smirk and Dagger, and wandering looking for fun. :-)

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

*squeals over Coupling shiny things* Anyhoo...

We all have to work until Friday afternoon...we're going to scramble to make it up for the Friday comedy concert. Then we'll be at large on Saturday and Sunday...and we've all got outfits for the Black and White Ball. That oughta be fun...I don't get dressed up often.

[per_solo]

*nod* I've hooked many people on that series. Too bad it ended as it did.

Ah, will have to catch up with you at some point. Black and White ball?

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think that there has been a lot of unnecessary dramarama.

Yes, I think that the whole situation could have been handled better, but it seems to me that instead of addressing the issue like rational adults, many people instead turned into entitlement bitches. (And, I'm NOT talking about the support communities - those were a different story than this latest event.)

I mean... there's reason why slash used to literally be an "under the table" sort of thing. With the advancement of teh intarwebs, fanfic and slash became an above-the-boards kind of activity... though, let's be honest, here. Just because you can post pictures and stories of minors (fictional or otherwise) engaged in explicit sexual behavior, doesn't mean you have the unalienable right to do so - especially if you are, essentially, leasing the space.

Yes, I think that LJ/6A need to have a sit-down and really go over the TOS... and I'm all for being able to express oneself, but you know what? I'm kind of glad they're tightening things up, a bit. I mean, I can remember when "fandom" meant, "any person who is a fan of Subject X"... and not "any person who reads/writes fanfic/slash about Subject X".

I joined a couple of fandom-related communities on here, because I do scholarly research on fans and fan behavior. (In fact, I have a huge project in the pipeline regarding fans and their affinity to their favorite characters.) Over the past year, however, it seems that the ONLY topics that are posted about are slash and more slash and what do people think of this pairing in slash, and so on.

There are all of these people who threaten to leeeeeeeeeavezomg, but I say, fine. There are twelve million accounts on here, and I highly doubt that all of them feel the same way.

I'll be sad if some of my friends leave just because of that. I had hoped that the reason I was on their friends list was because the liked reading MY journal, and liked sharing bits of their own lives with me. But, if that's not the case, then there's nothing I can really do, except to say good luck... and then continue doing what I've been doing for the past five years, since my bestest IRL friend gave me my LJ invitation code. (;

[per_solo]

*nod* I agree with most of this.

My problem is that, instead of LJ coming flat out and saying "Ok, this is the TOS, this is how we are dealing with this", they're contradicting themselves, not taking a serious stance on anything, and allowing too many of their people to speak, before they think. It's gotten quite a bit beyond the "Oh, this person handles this angle", and goes to the fact that they have no cohesion, or cooperation amongst each other.

Like I said, I think some pretty major mistakes have been made. I disagree with a lot of the Slash I have seen before, but for LJ to pull out an "well, this is obscene,", that bugs me. Because the problem with a broad statement like that is that my definition of obscene is different than an 18 year olds (well, maybe not that much), and both definitions are likely different than a 67 year old woman. They cannot say they are banning things because they are obscene, because there is no definition for that.

I enjoy reading you. I plan on being here, but am also planning ahead, in case of mass exodus. As far as 12 Million people..in my opinion, all it will take is a few more events to create a tipping point, and people will flee here. When they don't feel they can trust their journal space, they won't feel a need to go there.

I vaguely remember hearing about the invitation codes..I've been here since 2003. :-) I really really like this place. But, I have a really bad spot about bad customer service, and LJ's got it right now. :-)

[echoweaver.livejournal.com]

OK, could you point me to what you're reacting to? Apparently I'm the only person who hasn't cared enough to track it.

A lot of slash and sex fiction is pretty objectionable. If LJ wants to define a TOS that forbids it and then enforce that, I have no problem with it. Your problem seems to be that they can't seem to come up with a coherent policy and are making fools of themselves with other people's accounts. That does irritate me, though not enough to leave LJ at this time.

So here's my meta-problem. LJ is a coherent environment that helps people read the journals of their friends as well as posting to their own. When people leave LJ and create their own blogs, I find that those people never go back and read the blogs on LJ anymore. So, I can read and comment on that friend's blog, but the communication becomes one-sided. And that makes me sick of it after a while. So, if you leave, come back and read. I will go read you wherever you end up.

[per_solo]

No, you're not the only person. And, part of it is likely me just looking at some things and going "WTF? More information needed".

The last was in the LJ-Biz, watching an LJ employee go back and forth, and not really saying anything.

The trick is that LJ keeps using nebulous terms to define their TOS, but won't do a good definition.

Latest was..

http://femmequixotic.livejournal.com/314145.html

http://insomnia.livejournal.com/753868.html

http://community.livejournal.com/lj_biz/241884.html?thread=12745948#t12745948

And, Apparently, a new one I haven't read, on Slashdot.

http://slashdot.org/~herejackback/journal/178719

Now, the one that bothers me is the implication that the Pro-anorexia communities are ok. If LJ is going after a "safety of others" perspective, then those communities should be nuked too, as I see more harm in those communities (which, per what I've read, and admitted not seen with my own eyes, gives ways for people to not be noticed in anorexia), than what I've seen in any slash community.

I don't agree with slash fic, or any of the HP fandom crap that seems to be going around. But, LJ seems to be unable to define what is and isn't allowed, and seems to be going back and forth on such a definition.

What they need is one single point of contact, who will be the interface between the corp. decisions and statements, and the userbase. This, to my mind, is fairly textbook PR. And yet they have a small group of people, all saying different things, with the main point being that "this is not allowed". If the users aren't aware, or made aware, of exactly what the rules are, then yeah, revolt is likely.

I really doubt I'm leaving, but I'm also not wishing to stay if LJ can just define whatever they want. Some of the comic books I've read may not scan well with their interests. As I'd said before, my definition of obscenity is likely different than others. Once they say that a nebulous "obscenity" rule is broken, what stops them from going after other groups they do not like? Does Polyamory get hit next? Homosexuality?

Yes, those two are extreme cases of where this could potentially (and most likely not) go, but without a defined TOS, how do we know? :-)

*hugs*

[confusedjew.livejournal.com]

i dunno. i like lj and to be honest i really don't know all that's been going on. sigh...i like being able to blog and keep up with people and i'm not sure i'd really want to go elsewhere. i know lj and i know at least somewhat how it works....for now i'm sticking where i am and just seeing how it's all handled.

[per_solo]

*nod* I know that idea well.

[confusedjew.livejournal.com]

it seems like the best plan for now. *shrug*

[ankita-1.livejournal.com]

Just call me "duh" and tell me what's going on now?

[per_solo]

I like that "now"? question. :-)

A few above this comment, I posted some links and more of my thoughts. I don't know what's going on, exactly, and that is apparently what's bugging a lot of people.