Strikethrough '07
They're calling it "Strikethrough '07" and it's happening right now. If you're reading this and are a LiveJournal account holder, it may be a good idea to inform yourself on the situation by clicking that link. In a nutshell, Six Apart, the people who own LiveJournal, suspended (Without notice) about 500 journals and communities a couple days ago targeting anyone's profile who remotely alluded to an interest in several facets of incest or child molestation. They were targeting a very small subset of dangerous and perverse journals who actually encourage illegal activities but beneficial journals including support groups were caught in the crossfire and accidently suspended as well. Furthermore, "fandoms," creative fan-fiction communities where users write harmless stories involving popular fiction characters, were also suspended. Thousands of people are in an uproar, it's made national headlines already and the situation has spurred two major apologies from Six Apart. Passionate bloggers dubbed it Strikethrough as that is what happens to your username when your account has been suspended or deleted- It gets a strikethrough. Moreover, thousands began associating the pirate hymn, "Hoist The Colours," from Pirates of the Caribbean 3 as a battle call for this situation with thousands leaving comments on the first apology post chanting, "YO, HO, HAUL TOGETHER / HOIST THE COLORS HIGH!"
I think I may have personally known one person affected. elle_da_belle regularly updated her journal until she discovered a new hobby a year or two ago and left her normal journal behind. She began a LJ community where people could gather and read or submit fan-fiction based on Harry Potter characters. But these weren't just any fan-fic stories, these were very perverted and sexual in nature. When she made the journal switch, she lost contact with those of us who didn't follow her to her erotica community. I can relate to her need to be linguistically artistic and if that meant leaving her old journal and the rest of us behind so she could explore her voice, I understood. I never got another change to talk to her again once she made the switch. Throughout this "Strikethrough" event, people have mentioned that several Harry Potter erotica fandom communities were targeted and suspended as they promoted underage sex. Sure enough, Elle's journal is suddenly suspended. I'm sure her community is too.
Fandoms all over the place are crying foul that their first amendment rights are being trampled on. In a second apology from Six Apart posted just a couple hours ago, officials have pulled a 180 and changed their criteria on what journals will stay suspended. Originally, they suspended only journals with certain keywords in the interests portion of the profiles. Now, only journals with obvious illegal intent within the posts themselves will stay down. Fandoms and support groups should come back up but I'm afraid the anger this whole thing has caused will only serve to cause people to stay gone and leave LJ in protest. lil_twitty_1, for example, is protesting, leaving LJ for Greatest Journal.
Personally, I've invested a lot in this Journal. I've been here a little over 5-and-a-half years even got a permanent account a few years back. While I don't think I'd leave in protest if I could, I think this has made me more scared than anything of the potential loss of freedom on this website. I only wonder what's next...
I think I may have personally known one person affected. elle_da_belle regularly updated her journal until she discovered a new hobby a year or two ago and left her normal journal behind. She began a LJ community where people could gather and read or submit fan-fiction based on Harry Potter characters. But these weren't just any fan-fic stories, these were very perverted and sexual in nature. When she made the journal switch, she lost contact with those of us who didn't follow her to her erotica community. I can relate to her need to be linguistically artistic and if that meant leaving her old journal and the rest of us behind so she could explore her voice, I understood. I never got another change to talk to her again once she made the switch. Throughout this "Strikethrough" event, people have mentioned that several Harry Potter erotica fandom communities were targeted and suspended as they promoted underage sex. Sure enough, Elle's journal is suddenly suspended. I'm sure her community is too.
Fandoms all over the place are crying foul that their first amendment rights are being trampled on. In a second apology from Six Apart posted just a couple hours ago, officials have pulled a 180 and changed their criteria on what journals will stay suspended. Originally, they suspended only journals with certain keywords in the interests portion of the profiles. Now, only journals with obvious illegal intent within the posts themselves will stay down. Fandoms and support groups should come back up but I'm afraid the anger this whole thing has caused will only serve to cause people to stay gone and leave LJ in protest. lil_twitty_1, for example, is protesting, leaving LJ for Greatest Journal.
Personally, I've invested a lot in this Journal. I've been here a little over 5-and-a-half years even got a permanent account a few years back. While I don't think I'd leave in protest if I could, I think this has made me more scared than anything of the potential loss of freedom on this website. I only wonder what's next...