Six Apart sucks so hard, it would make a Hoover blush
So LJ has permanently suspended ponderosa121 and elaboration for posting explicit HP fanart. For more info, go here and here.
There are two things about this whole pile of crap that piss me off the most.
First, the characters in the pieces of art that got both these artists suspended were not underage, nor did they look underage. I mean, I can understand LJ getting worried about art (fan or otherwise) that clearly depicts a child in a sexual situation with an adult. But just two pieces of art that shows two men in a sexual situation? Dude, there are so many things wrong with suspending that.
According to LJ, though, the characters were apparently underage, because this is all they said to Ponderosa right when they suspended her account:
contains drawings depicting minors in explicit sexual situations. Such content is in violation of our policies, and we take action when it is reported to us.
Seriously, someone at Six Apart needs a pair of fucking glasses.
But hey...let's give Six Apart the benefit of the doubt here...let's say they really believe the characters were underage, and for that reason they don't want that kind of art on their servers...it's their business, after all. In this case, surely they'd contact these artists, explain what's up and ask them to remove the images, and all's well in the world again?
Right?
Except they don't, and that brings me to my second point.
I HATE the way LJ just suspended these artists without any communication, save for an email telling them they were suspended. They never gave these artists the chance to explain themselves or remove the fanart in question. No, they just suspended their accounts, no questions asked.
One look at these artists' journals will tell you they're just artists...not criminals or predators out to get little kids. I'm all for keeping the bad people away from the little kiddies, sure, but I'm also for giving people (paying customers!) a fair treatment and a chance to right their perceived wrongs. Clearly, Six Apart doesn't.
What kind of bullcrap is that?
Seriously, I have a corporate history. I've worked in marketing and PR departments. And I have never seen a business fuck up their communication with their customers more than Six Apart manages to do it every single fucking time.
And I hate the kind of environment LJ has become because of Six Apart's pathetic communication skills. We're now at a stage where when we log in during the morning it's a game of chance to see if our account will still be there, or if we'll all be permanently suspended.
And I hatehatehate that.
Six Apart...suck it up and just give us a clear set of rules. Tell us, in detail, what you want or don't want from us fandomers. And for the love of porn...give us a fucking chance to correct ourselves before suspending the hell out of us.
And since a fandom move seems rather inevitable now, I'm maeglinyedi at GreatestJournal, JournalFen, and InsaneJournal.
ETA: Almost forgot...if you're upset about this as well, and if you haven't done so already, leave a comment on the latests post on news and lj_biz, and go join fandom_counts with all your fannish journals.
There are two things about this whole pile of crap that piss me off the most.
First, the characters in the pieces of art that got both these artists suspended were not underage, nor did they look underage. I mean, I can understand LJ getting worried about art (fan or otherwise) that clearly depicts a child in a sexual situation with an adult. But just two pieces of art that shows two men in a sexual situation? Dude, there are so many things wrong with suspending that.
According to LJ, though, the characters were apparently underage, because this is all they said to Ponderosa right when they suspended her account:
contains drawings depicting minors in explicit sexual situations. Such content is in violation of our policies, and we take action when it is reported to us.
Seriously, someone at Six Apart needs a pair of fucking glasses.
But hey...let's give Six Apart the benefit of the doubt here...let's say they really believe the characters were underage, and for that reason they don't want that kind of art on their servers...it's their business, after all. In this case, surely they'd contact these artists, explain what's up and ask them to remove the images, and all's well in the world again?
Right?
Except they don't, and that brings me to my second point.
I HATE the way LJ just suspended these artists without any communication, save for an email telling them they were suspended. They never gave these artists the chance to explain themselves or remove the fanart in question. No, they just suspended their accounts, no questions asked.
One look at these artists' journals will tell you they're just artists...not criminals or predators out to get little kids. I'm all for keeping the bad people away from the little kiddies, sure, but I'm also for giving people (paying customers!) a fair treatment and a chance to right their perceived wrongs. Clearly, Six Apart doesn't.
What kind of bullcrap is that?
Seriously, I have a corporate history. I've worked in marketing and PR departments. And I have never seen a business fuck up their communication with their customers more than Six Apart manages to do it every single fucking time.
And I hate the kind of environment LJ has become because of Six Apart's pathetic communication skills. We're now at a stage where when we log in during the morning it's a game of chance to see if our account will still be there, or if we'll all be permanently suspended.
And I hatehatehate that.
Six Apart...suck it up and just give us a clear set of rules. Tell us, in detail, what you want or don't want from us fandomers. And for the love of porn...give us a fucking chance to correct ourselves before suspending the hell out of us.
And since a fandom move seems rather inevitable now, I'm maeglinyedi at GreatestJournal, JournalFen, and InsaneJournal.
ETA: Almost forgot...if you're upset about this as well, and if you haven't done so already, leave a comment on the latests post on news and lj_biz, and go join fandom_counts with all your fannish journals.