Huntersglenn wrote:
> Tycho wrote:
> > I think you'll find that most authors would agree, that these are
legitimate
> > grievances. But, for example, when the story in question is rated
R(or M for
> > the new ratings system) and contains a description of ****ity using
words no
> > more offensive than breast or nipple - well within the boundaries
of the
> > guidelines - and it gets pulled. Or another similarly rated fic
for using
> > the word 'hell'..... I think you get my point. These stories are
not getting
> > pulled for plagiarism, breach of the guidelines or being misrated.
They are
> > being pulled for the same reason that half the all time best seller
list are
> > also on the most requested black list. It's censor****p at its
worst.
> >
> > Tycho
> > tychompx@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Mors Principium Est
> >
>
> Which authors have grievances against ff.net? You've offered vague
> examples, but nothing concrete. There have been no listings of
stories
> that have been pulled for those reasons. It seems to me that you and
> possibly others are getting confused between censor****p and a PRIVATE
> company/group exercising their rights to do what's best for their
> concern. Not every letter submitted to a newspaper or magazine will
be
> published. Not every article submitted to a magazine will be
published.
> Why? Because the editors and publishers will look out for the best
> interest of the magazine or newspaper in general, and if a letter or
> article doesn't meet their requirements or guidelines, then they
won't
> publish it. It's not censor****p, and it's not a free speech issue.
> It's a money and responsibility issue.
Though this doesn't sound like a comparable issue. What it sounds like
she is suggesting is that indivual readers with some sort of grudge
against the author makes a complaint, and the story is pulled without
any investigation into the validity. If this is indeed the case, I
would agree that it's not a fair policy. (Certainly magazines don't
remove author's work based on a single complaint from a reader...) FFN
DOES have guidelines, and nowhere do they say, for example, that the
word 'breast' is forbidden. So if a story is removed for that reason,
I would have to wonder what's going on.
My question is how common this 'problem' is. Looking at the poll, it's
a bit hard to determine. 17% of respondents claimed to have had a
story pulled. However, the next question asks if the writer was given a
reason, and far more than 17% of respondents go on to answer that
question. (Logically, only those 17% should have responded, but over
50% did.) I know that on the ER pages, it is very unusual for a story
to vanish, and it usually seems to be the result of poor reviews, or
the writer voluntarily choosing to remove her stories for any of a
variety of reasons. Certainly there are plenty of fics with
potentially offensive content that remain on the site.
Fanfiction.net is not the only
> archive out there who has rules and guidelines regarding stories, nor
> are they the only one who will turn down stories. They are not
required
> to host anything by anyone. Fanfiction.net is privately owned and is
> not a government run or sponsored entitity, and therefore CAN censor
> anything submitted if they wish to.
While this is true, what's going on here isn't, strictly speaking,
censor****p, since the site publishes everything submitted to it. It's
only after the fact that they may opt to remove a story.
If the complaint is valid (in that ffn is constantly yanking stories
based on single, false complaints), I think it's a reasonable
complaint. But I'm just not seeing it happening. (When I made my
complaint, it was clearly investigated before any action was taken.)
Naomi
>
> If you don't like the way ff.net does business, then either get your
own
> website or take your stories to another archive. Boycotting a
business
> is far more effective than polls or petitions about grievances that
may
> or may not have any weight to them.
>
> Cathy
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