Update: Photobucket replied.
Hi, Art Travesty fans!
I just thought I'd post the reply Photobucket Support sent me regarding the removed images (bold-face emphases mine):
Dear [Mechtild],
Photobucket.com attempts to maintain a website that is absent of offensive, indecent or objectionable content. That is our general policy and your images were removed in accordance with that policy. The Photobucket.com Terms of Service, found at http://www.photobucket.com/terms.php, reflect that policy by giving Photobucket the right to remove content that, among other things, (a) it deems unlawful, obscene, harmful, threatening, defamatory, or hateful; (b) invades the privacy of any third party; (c) contains nudity, illustrated nudity, pornography, illustrated pornography, child erotica, or child pornography; or (d) Photobucket deems otherwise objectionable. The Terms of Service apply to all accounts whether Free or Pro or Public or Private.
Thank you!
Your Photobucket Support Team
Well, that's pretty clear. It doesn't matter if it's Michelangelo's David or some neighbourhood hottie posing in her bathroom for her boyfriend.
No nudity.
As you all know, I have several Art Travesties that are made from famous paintings in which one or both subjects is nude, not just the ones that came down. The biblical heroes, the nymphs, gods and goddesses. And I have copies of all the source paintings and sculptures in my Photobucket albums, plus many more. None of them are legal on Photobucket. There's no getting around the fact that Cupid and Psyche are nekkid. They are wearing drapes over their pubic areas, but that isn't good enough. The pubic area didn't show in the Clare Park manip that came down, either. I guess that one went under "obscene".
Unfortunately, I can't just walk off from the account in a snit because my albums of screencaps are there, too, which are the source for all my screencap entries for LotR, Flipper, Ridiculous Thoughts, and BBM. It would take FOREVER to upload and re-link all those images.
But what I could do is take down enough to go back to having a free account. Then, when I get the extra time (after my next manip project is up!), I will see about putting all the art and Art Travesties in the gallery that comes with my LJ account, which I haven't used at all because I didn't understand how to use it properly, it's so much more complex than Photobucket.
Livejournal's TOS forbids what would legally be "indecent", which is unclear since I don't know what "legally indecent" would be, and nothing pornish featuring minors (implying that pornish stuff featuring adults would be ok, no?).
Anyway, thank you all for your warm support and encouraging words. I have really appreciated it.
~ Mechtild
P.S. I did find one more image that had been cut. It couldn't count as "nude" since the subjects were completely clothed, so it must have come down as "obscene". The image was a publicity shot from a recent stage production of a Greek comedy called "Bursting the Grape" featuring Bacchus, satyrs, Silenus, etc., in which actors were shown dressed in leotards and tights, fake fur loin cloths, and comedy-phalluses made of stuffed woolen knee-socks in loud colours. Yes, even though they were fully-dressed (and were supposed to look ridiculous, not racy), that image came down, too.
Shees!
I just thought I'd post the reply Photobucket Support sent me regarding the removed images (bold-face emphases mine):
Dear [Mechtild],
Photobucket.com attempts to maintain a website that is absent of offensive, indecent or objectionable content. That is our general policy and your images were removed in accordance with that policy. The Photobucket.com Terms of Service, found at http://www.photobucket.com/terms.php, reflect that policy by giving Photobucket the right to remove content that, among other things, (a) it deems unlawful, obscene, harmful, threatening, defamatory, or hateful; (b) invades the privacy of any third party; (c) contains nudity, illustrated nudity, pornography, illustrated pornography, child erotica, or child pornography; or (d) Photobucket deems otherwise objectionable. The Terms of Service apply to all accounts whether Free or Pro or Public or Private.
Thank you!
Your Photobucket Support Team
Well, that's pretty clear. It doesn't matter if it's Michelangelo's David or some neighbourhood hottie posing in her bathroom for her boyfriend.
No nudity.
As you all know, I have several Art Travesties that are made from famous paintings in which one or both subjects is nude, not just the ones that came down. The biblical heroes, the nymphs, gods and goddesses. And I have copies of all the source paintings and sculptures in my Photobucket albums, plus many more. None of them are legal on Photobucket. There's no getting around the fact that Cupid and Psyche are nekkid. They are wearing drapes over their pubic areas, but that isn't good enough. The pubic area didn't show in the Clare Park manip that came down, either. I guess that one went under "obscene".
Unfortunately, I can't just walk off from the account in a snit because my albums of screencaps are there, too, which are the source for all my screencap entries for LotR, Flipper, Ridiculous Thoughts, and BBM. It would take FOREVER to upload and re-link all those images.
But what I could do is take down enough to go back to having a free account. Then, when I get the extra time (after my next manip project is up!), I will see about putting all the art and Art Travesties in the gallery that comes with my LJ account, which I haven't used at all because I didn't understand how to use it properly, it's so much more complex than Photobucket.
Livejournal's TOS forbids what would legally be "indecent", which is unclear since I don't know what "legally indecent" would be, and nothing pornish featuring minors (implying that pornish stuff featuring adults would be ok, no?).
Anyway, thank you all for your warm support and encouraging words. I have really appreciated it.
~ Mechtild
P.S. I did find one more image that had been cut. It couldn't count as "nude" since the subjects were completely clothed, so it must have come down as "obscene". The image was a publicity shot from a recent stage production of a Greek comedy called "Bursting the Grape" featuring Bacchus, satyrs, Silenus, etc., in which actors were shown dressed in leotards and tights, fake fur loin cloths, and comedy-phalluses made of stuffed woolen knee-socks in loud colours. Yes, even though they were fully-dressed (and were supposed to look ridiculous, not racy), that image came down, too.
Shees!