Mod: Copyrighted material usage
Regardless of the differing opinions which exist concerning this matter, I've decided to make an announcement nonetheless on where this community stands among the issues which have been brought up as of late.
I'd appreciate no names of individuals being brought up in the comments which follow this announcement, simply for the reason that I don't wish to bring up a debate around the issue since all the hashing necessary is taking place elsewhere, and if you desire, please take your arguments there ^_^
It has come to our attention that our fandom faces a very real threat of exposure to the companies which have built themselves on the merchandise we buy and the actors we support. However much we may choose to turn a blind eye to the ugly word, a large amount of illegal activity does go on within our communities, and these are not limited to the use of copyrighted images, but also to the piracy of DVDs and CDs. These latter aspects of our activity worry me more than individual image rights, but what's more damaging than the other isn't up for debate here. Regardless of the medium, everything has always been a risk for exposure and repercussions, we've just never faced a threat of that exposure before, and I believe it prudent to act wisely upon it now that we have.
I have always stressed the locking of media posts, whatever it is they may contain, screen caps, video rips, mp3s, everything, and I must further stress the importance of this now. If you have made a post in the past containing any of these, please use your best judgement and friend's lock the post in the community. I cannot ask you to take this into your personal journal as well, but consider it highly recommended.
We are not going to crack down on copyrighted image usage here, and we will not ban people for using icons with those images. However I will encourage politely informing individuals of the use of copyrighted images, and I ask that everyone take the courtesy to remind their neighbor if they see an image being used in this community. (However, I will not hesitate to warn and ban anyone that acts rude, insulting, or degrading in their comments with regards to these copyrighted images.) I personally am not aware of every privately owned image that exists on the internet, and thus I consider it impossible for me as a moderator to regulate their usage, which is why I ask that we, as a group, remain firm in our bonds as a community and look out for each other in this matter. In turn, I promise to do all that I can to continue to provide our community members with alternate sources of image material, in the hopes to slowly wean us away from the use of riskier images if these private companies should ever come looking at our journal pages.
Distance and language barriers will always place American fandoms based around Japanese commercialism at a disadvantage, which is why I am not asking for an entire cease-and-desist for illegal activity. It is not my place to do so, and I am just as guilty, if not more so, than other fans for my own contributions toward piracy and the distribution of illegal material. I do not believe that we can end these trends, nor do I believe that it is fair to those who are not as fortunate as I am to have the money and the means to acquire these goods. We're all in this fandom for the same underlying reasons, and thus I ask that we all do our part to protect our integrity by increasing awareness concerning copyrighted material usage, and make use of the means given to us to protect our communities and the people therein.
Thank you everyone for your time and cooperation,
KY the Mod
I'd appreciate no names of individuals being brought up in the comments which follow this announcement, simply for the reason that I don't wish to bring up a debate around the issue since all the hashing necessary is taking place elsewhere, and if you desire, please take your arguments there ^_^
It has come to our attention that our fandom faces a very real threat of exposure to the companies which have built themselves on the merchandise we buy and the actors we support. However much we may choose to turn a blind eye to the ugly word, a large amount of illegal activity does go on within our communities, and these are not limited to the use of copyrighted images, but also to the piracy of DVDs and CDs. These latter aspects of our activity worry me more than individual image rights, but what's more damaging than the other isn't up for debate here. Regardless of the medium, everything has always been a risk for exposure and repercussions, we've just never faced a threat of that exposure before, and I believe it prudent to act wisely upon it now that we have.
I have always stressed the locking of media posts, whatever it is they may contain, screen caps, video rips, mp3s, everything, and I must further stress the importance of this now. If you have made a post in the past containing any of these, please use your best judgement and friend's lock the post in the community. I cannot ask you to take this into your personal journal as well, but consider it highly recommended.
We are not going to crack down on copyrighted image usage here, and we will not ban people for using icons with those images. However I will encourage politely informing individuals of the use of copyrighted images, and I ask that everyone take the courtesy to remind their neighbor if they see an image being used in this community. (However, I will not hesitate to warn and ban anyone that acts rude, insulting, or degrading in their comments with regards to these copyrighted images.) I personally am not aware of every privately owned image that exists on the internet, and thus I consider it impossible for me as a moderator to regulate their usage, which is why I ask that we, as a group, remain firm in our bonds as a community and look out for each other in this matter. In turn, I promise to do all that I can to continue to provide our community members with alternate sources of image material, in the hopes to slowly wean us away from the use of riskier images if these private companies should ever come looking at our journal pages.
Distance and language barriers will always place American fandoms based around Japanese commercialism at a disadvantage, which is why I am not asking for an entire cease-and-desist for illegal activity. It is not my place to do so, and I am just as guilty, if not more so, than other fans for my own contributions toward piracy and the distribution of illegal material. I do not believe that we can end these trends, nor do I believe that it is fair to those who are not as fortunate as I am to have the money and the means to acquire these goods. We're all in this fandom for the same underlying reasons, and thus I ask that we all do our part to protect our integrity by increasing awareness concerning copyrighted material usage, and make use of the means given to us to protect our communities and the people therein.
Thank you everyone for your time and cooperation,
KY the Mod