How to Get Attention with a Dotcom Complaint
Many of you have noticed that LJ has stomped on a number of journals today in a manner reminiscent of a particularly large-footed and inattentive toddler. Smash! There goes the community devoted to the discussion of the classic novel, Lolita. Splat! There goes one of the longest running erotic fiction and art archives in the HP fandom. For more details, consult About that LJ Rumor.
Now, the big question is how to respond?
Phone calls. Particularly phone calls from the owners of the accounts involved.
Electronic communication will have little effect. Emails will be counted, categorized vaguely (as "suspension inquiries" or "profile violations" or whatever terms the LJ Abuse system has current) and responded to with the boilerplate response. Even if the responders wish they could do something different, they are not permitted to deviate from the script.
Phone calls? They get noticed at a dotcom. This is the voice of experience. Having supplemented my meagre academic stipend for several years as a well-paid dotcom drone totally awesome online community producer and manager, I tell you that my old customer service people were great people (and co-workers!) but sometimes problems were not seen by the community producers until they had blown up because people were just following the party line and repeating the same old scripts in their email responses. But a phone call, especially one that goes to a head office manager? That gets noticed, instantly. (And let me tell you, it is no fun to get you ass whipped via long-distance because of a customer complaint that you'd never heard about but just became head office news -- however, it is intensely motivating!).
I'm not suggesting everyone barrage Six Apart (the company behind LJ since the takeover a while back). But it would be, erm, salutary for a few of the concerned people to pick up that phone tomorrow and dial the SF offices of Six Apart *cough* numbers can be found here *cough* And anyone else whose LJ is up for renewal might call the offices to speak to Sales and express their disinclination to be putting money into a company that's a bit too trigger happy when it comes to "permanent suspensions".
This is not a fandom-only issue. LJ's heavy-handed response threatens support groups and researchers. By telling users (after that fact and in contradiction to their own FAQ) that you can receive a permanent suspension, proactively, for having an "illegal" interest, pretty much everyone's at risk.
While we all know that LJ is a business, free to operate under the terms it sets out, we don't have to journal where we're subject to such mercurical oversight. Speak up loud. Speak up proud.
In short? Don't take this lying down. There are concrete steps that can be taken, but sending emails will not be enough. That is the voice of experience, people. I have been in an office just like this company's. I've worked in a dotcom and seen what works (as well as what doesn't).
ETA: Courtesy of photoash, here are some specific people to ask to speak to: Scott Kraft, the Executive Vice President of Marketing for Six Apart, and Denise Paolucci, the Manager of Customer Service for LiveJournal. Since it is start of business day on the West Coast, be prepared to leave a voicemail as no one's been able to speak to anyone live yet, myself included.
Now, the big question is how to respond?
Phone calls. Particularly phone calls from the owners of the accounts involved.
Electronic communication will have little effect. Emails will be counted, categorized vaguely (as "suspension inquiries" or "profile violations" or whatever terms the LJ Abuse system has current) and responded to with the boilerplate response. Even if the responders wish they could do something different, they are not permitted to deviate from the script.
Phone calls? They get noticed at a dotcom. This is the voice of experience. Having supplemented my meagre academic stipend for several years as a well-paid dotcom drone totally awesome online community producer and manager, I tell you that my old customer service people were great people (and co-workers!) but sometimes problems were not seen by the community producers until they had blown up because people were just following the party line and repeating the same old scripts in their email responses. But a phone call, especially one that goes to a head office manager? That gets noticed, instantly. (And let me tell you, it is no fun to get you ass whipped via long-distance because of a customer complaint that you'd never heard about but just became head office news -- however, it is intensely motivating!).
I'm not suggesting everyone barrage Six Apart (the company behind LJ since the takeover a while back). But it would be, erm, salutary for a few of the concerned people to pick up that phone tomorrow and dial the SF offices of Six Apart *cough* numbers can be found here *cough* And anyone else whose LJ is up for renewal might call the offices to speak to Sales and express their disinclination to be putting money into a company that's a bit too trigger happy when it comes to "permanent suspensions".
This is not a fandom-only issue. LJ's heavy-handed response threatens support groups and researchers. By telling users (after that fact and in contradiction to their own FAQ) that you can receive a permanent suspension, proactively, for having an "illegal" interest, pretty much everyone's at risk.
While we all know that LJ is a business, free to operate under the terms it sets out, we don't have to journal where we're subject to such mercurical oversight. Speak up loud. Speak up proud.
In short? Don't take this lying down. There are concrete steps that can be taken, but sending emails will not be enough. That is the voice of experience, people. I have been in an office just like this company's. I've worked in a dotcom and seen what works (as well as what doesn't).
ETA: Courtesy of photoash, here are some specific people to ask to speak to: Scott Kraft, the Executive Vice President of Marketing for Six Apart, and Denise Paolucci, the Manager of Customer Service for LiveJournal. Since it is start of business day on the West Coast, be prepared to leave a voicemail as no one's been able to speak to anyone live yet, myself included.