IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Vid content notes at VividCon 2015 and beyond

[renenet]

Recognizing that vidder-provided content notes on vids have become a standard feature not only for web-based vid events/repositories, such as Festivids and the AO3, but also at VidUKon, the world's *other* leading vidding convention (as well as at one-off vidshows taking place at some other, more general, fan-run conventions)...VividCon has decided to implement vidder-provided content notes for all of our vidshows beginning with VividCon 2015. We are confident that this change will benefit existing members--both those who have discussed their warnings needs with us in the past, as well as those who have been silent--and that it will reassure potential new attendees who may desire this information so they can better manage their viewing decisions in a convention environment.

We have not lost sight of the concerns expressed by some vidders several years ago when this topic was first raised. We believe that several years of Festivids' and VidUKon's implementations of content notes indicates that a robust "choose not to give content notes" option can address most vidder concerns. In cases where vidders are not the ones directly submitting their vid or cannot be consulted, the default content note will be "choose not to give content notes." We consider it vital to VividCon that vidders establish the content note(s) attached to their own vid(s); therefore, VividCon will never place any content note (other than "choose not to give content notes") on a vid without vidder consent and participation.

Our submission form will be updated to require vidders to select one or more of the following options:

• no standardized content notes apply
• choose not to give content notes
• sexual violence
• physical triggers (e.g., strobe lights, bright lights, 'stuttery' cuts between 2-3 stills)
• other (you may use this text box if you would like to indicate the presence of other content, for example: self-harm, blood/gore, medical trauma, or anything else)

We plan to adopt VidUKon's system of simple symbols for each of the standardized content notes listed above, placed in the title or blurb section of the program at VividCon. A key to the symbols will appear in the front matter of the program and will also indicate where in the program one can find the Additional Notes for the content notes provided by the vidder in the "other" box. Please take a peek at VidUKon's past-year vidshow listings page if you are interested in seeing the symbol system in action.

We would like to express our great appreciation to Festivids and VidUKon for adapting and refining the AO3's warnings system for vids and for working out the kinks with it in order to meet the needs of the vidding community in the online and convention environments.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions, I shall do my best to answer them in the comments below. As always, you may also reach the con by email at vividcon@vividcon.com.