#and this is why block buttons and filtering online exist

[excelsior9173]

…

being a person with both an extremely inflammatory temper but also crippling anxiety is an incredibly frustrating experience

i am so quick to anger and want to lash out so badly- i know i’m ridiculously reactionary and most definitely blow things out of proportion. i get so much more vicious about things than i need to be and i hate that

but then when it comes to moments where i feel like i should be defending myself and that anger feels a little more righteous, the panic flares up and i freeze. i end up stuck in this cycle of agonizing over whether or not to say anything, or if what i say is going to come off in a way that is civil and articulate and doesn’t give anyone further ammo to patronize or talk down to me. and then i just end up not saying anything and instead tearing myself apart from the inside out. i end up internalizing everything and it becomes self-flagellation of the highest degree because that anger needs to be vented somewhere and if i contain it to myself then i at least don’t look like a complete asshole to the people around me.

i feel like those videos of dogs you see where when there’s a barrier the dog seems incredibly mean, ready to rip your face off. but as soon as the barrier is removed and you confront the dog it’s immediately submitting and tucking tail. i am a coward of epic proportion. i only bite the ones i love and i have no bark with which to warn

[horrorshow]

Can you talk about why you think blocking and moving on is a bad thing? I thought it was a way to curate your space and avoid drama

idk maybe i'm too idealistic but fandom is a much more friendlier, welcoming, supportive, creative, engaging, active, diverse and interesting space when it's treated like a community where people are encouraged to participate and talk about their interests and where there's space for niche or more unpopular opinions without these people having to worry about being blocked and feel unwelcome by the majority of the fandom they are in. i can't stand how blocking everyone you disagree with has become the first thing to do.

you say its 'to curate your experience'. but blocking people does not only curate YOUR experience. you're also forcefully curating other users' experiences. and not for the better.

people say 'i will block you for literally anything' and then those same people wonder why engagement is down, why no one sends asks, why no one reblogs, why rarely anyone talks in the tags anymore and why this place feels so dead and boring and quiet. i wonder why!!!!

people treat real people as annoying ads they can dispose of at their whim. but that's not how a fandom or a site like tumblr works. (besides, if you really care about people curating their own experience you wouldn't block people. you can filter and blacklist and never see them again while still granting them the same freedom instead of actively making their experience worse.)

you say its to avoid drama. but seeing a post you dont agree with is not 'drama'. and blocking is not solving anything except for you personally. fandom was more fun when we remembered that every user is a real person you share a space with, and probably some mutuals as well, so you find a way to live with each other. starting with a restraining order seems a bit excessive and is not contributing to anything. it's not that hard to be respectful and tolerate others and acknowledge people have different opinions and interests and still co-exist in peace. its not that hard to be nice to people and try to find common ground with them and interact with the stuff you DO like. you do this in every aspect of your real life, so why not online?

i hear you say: 'but that requires WORK and i don't NEED to do any of that bc i can just block them'.

yeah, you can try to create your own bubble and only hang out with like minded people but you wont EVER fully achieve that (no matter how much you block, social media WILL keep feeding you posts you disagree with bc it makes them money). social media WILL pressure you into an 'us vs. them' mentality where you constantly feel like everything online is a threat or an argument you have to win and where being mean and unnuanced gives you the most notes and where you don't even see, let alone be able to treat, other users as people anymore bc you don't interact with them anymore other than to block or fight them. that's not how i want it to be online. it's not fun to me. and maybe i'm a pessimist but i think it will eventually be the death of online fandom and sites like tumblr. look at the state of twitter right now. DOES blocking give you a better experience in the long run? i doubt that it does. overall, i think it makes people even less tolerable and more vulnerable to hate and fear mongering, and social media an even more hostile place.

it's everything i hate about social media and everything i want to fight against and WILL fight against. i won't pretend my meager contribution will change anything, but i LIKE to just scroll past posts i don't vibe with and not see every argument online as a personal offense. it keeps me curious. most posts aren't that bad when you know the person behind it. i mean, you do you, i'm not gonna say what you should or shouldn't do bc that's up to you, but i recommend it: free yourself of the block button and bring back supportive user communities based on a shared love for the same thing and focus on what you have in common with people, just like you would do in real life. save the block button for the rotten apples who DO keep trying to pick fights and exclude others.

(which is, now that i think about it, probably the main difference: most people see the block button as a neutral way to prevent worse. but. that's only the case on an individual level. and treating everything online as an individual choice to which there are no further consequences, especially if they happen on a larger scale, is already a loss.)

[lexintothenex]

I can't help but feel guilty about all this nonsense shipping drama - I made a post the other day on my sideblog replying to an anon who came into my inbox mentioning how they were uncomfortable with the rayfrog age gap, to which I agreed. because even if they're both adults, it is a large age gap! it's completely reasonable to be uncomfortable with it.

HOWEVER.

HOWEVER.

PLEASE. read those words again. "they're both adults". they ARE, in fact, both adults. people can be uncomfortable with a pairing without necessarily trying to claim that it's Problematique.

some people will be uncomfortable with the ship. and that is okay! it is not a personal attack, I promise. if someone IS trying to attack you for liking it for no other reason than the fact that you like it, then that is obviously not okay. no one should be attacking anyone in this situation. let's just all hold hands and be friends okay.

not a fan of rayfrog? cool! me neither. that's why it's such a delightful thing that tag filtering and content filtering exists. block the tags! block people if you need to! curate your own experience. it is OKAY.

love rayfrog? also cool! see someone complaining about the ship in the tags and think it's annoying? block 'em! it's YOUR online experience!

both parties, just stop going at each other's throats, PLEASE! this is supposed to be a community! we're all buddies here! some of us don't see eye to eye, AND THAT. IS OKAY. BLOCK! BLOCK, BLOCK, BLOCK. I cannot stress this enough. THE BLOCK BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND.

people have different boundaries. what you think is fine and dandy might be someone else's discomfort. that's just how things are! just look the other way and move on with your day.

bonus points: if you use tumblr on desktop, install xkit! it's got an extension that completely removes posts with filtered tags/keywords. no more "this post contains filtered tags". it's gone! out of the world.

[barbatosgossipsection]

Okay y'all need to calm down about "Proshipping". These are literal demons in hell that want to eat us. Also they're alllllll fictional. Fake. Not real beyond what is on your screen. Dark media has existed for thousands of years, you're not a good person for policing people, you're acting as a dictator of what can go in fandom.

If you cannot curate your own content intake you do not need to be online. Be responsible, use your block button. Filter tags, block tags, it is bafflingly easy to do, yet some of you can't wrap your minds around it.

I cannot stand seeing you fully grown adults send suicide baits to a fourteen year old because they like to ship Lucifer and mammon.

It's pathetic, and the fact that I have seen y'all bragging on other sites of supposedly getting people to go through with it is disgusting.

You play a game that is full of so much problematic shit, but you can't stand when someone actually expands on it? Literally the thing y'all have been begging the devs to do? Why do you think they haven't when you react like this to fans doing so?

Shameful. Get a life and leave people alone.

— Anon

[babybells123]

Oh. My. God! You’re always whining about people not liking jonsa! Like seriously who cares. Just be happy and ship your jonsa why do you care if others like it or not.

Hi anon.

Tbh, this fandom talks more about how much they hate Jonsa more than I talk about the unjustified hatred myself…. Often the arguments against it are very shallow and inherently vitriolic and it often plays into fandom psychology i.e following the grain, which is again - intriguing to note in comparison to other fan theories.

But in any case, there is something wonderful called the block button, and I really urge you to use it. It’s what I do when I’m made privy to an account / content I don’t like or agree with, I don’t waste my time reading through any of it . The posts which address the antis largely stem from anon messages that I receive (and delete), and other social media forums where I may come across hateful content. I don’t go actively searching for it because as I stated, they’re often extremely weak arguments that can be countered and don’t come from a place of critical thinking or nuance ; simply a matter of “nah that could never happen because I said so.”

And here’s the thing, Jonsa shippers don’t actually venture to pro other ships tumblr. We all have that content filtered/blocked most likely. But there is certainly a strange pattern when it comes to antis who usually ship other pairings loving to invade the Jonsa tag and send hate upon hate, reblog, write numerous essays as well.

There’s a lot more anti content towards Jonsa than there is for people calling out the antis. And it’s not just a matter of people “not liking it,” since that’s really not what it boils down to. It’s really not that tame nor simple. I don’t care if someone dislikes Jonsa, if it isn’t your cup of tea then I have no qualms. I take issue with people who are consistently bothered/offended by it’s mere existence and have participated in online bullying such as creating anti blogs and hate accounts, doxing people, forcing people to delete their art/edits, and sending death and rape threats over a *checks notes* ship. That’s very uncalled for and very unhinged.

Anyway, I find the way that this fandom collectively responds to Jonsa so mind boggling. I can only laugh at the blatant hypocrisy. See, you’re clearly unaware as to how deranged people get because you’re on the other side, so you think it’s just a matter of people disliking a ship. In my many years across multiple fandoms I’ve never seen such a level of vitriol! And that is saying something. But I’m confident in what I’ve analysed/written. I have faith in the metas and theories and at the end of the day, it’s really all just fiction.

And you know what anon, I reckon I’ll increase how much I post about Jonsa hate, just to piss you off ;). You’ll probably lurk on here, and you’re free to - but I really urge you to block if you’re so riled up and go back to your side of the fandom with like-minded people.

Have a blessed day !

[kuramirocket]

Why are antis like this. They always straight up lie about proshippers and the proshipping community. It must be the self projection.

Proshipping literally means ship and let ship. Let people enjoy fictional content even if you personally find it distasteful and disgusting. It's why tags, filters and the block button exist. Proshipping is inherently also an anti censorship and anti harrasment stance.

There is NO underlying malicious intent of being a proshipper. Proshippers are NOT pedophiles or predators.

This isn't the first time antis spread lies and fear mongering such as the above. Antis have twisted and lied about its actual meaning so much. It's why so many people don't know or understand what proshipping and being a proshipper mean. But again, proshipping has only ever had one meaning as I said in the second paragraph not whatever lies antis spew.

I'll also say it once more, this is why it's important to teach children and others the red flags, signs and tactics that actual predators would use to lure in children. This way people actually have the tools and knowledge to stay safe no matter what online community/spaces they are in.

[fidenciocryptidcreechur]

Pet Peeve of Mine

Sometimes I'm reminded that folks don't know how to regulate and curate their online experience, most notably in fandom or in fictional media but also just in general. I understand everyone has their likes and dislikes, someone's yum is someone's ick. I also get that plenty of folks have stuff going on that makes them distressed when they do see certain images or topics etc. Certainly, one should do what they need to do to make sure they're comfortable and aren't becoming overly distressed by their online experience. This is why block buttons on social media exist, this is why there are filters and search functions on nearly every site. To help curate content you like in art, topics, tropes, settings, images, text, or animations etc and block content you dislike in these as well. There are ways to navigate things online, by using those tools provided by the site or even by using add-ons etc. The Internet is a Public Space, there are many different types of sites and topics and activities for everyone including topics, activities, and people one might not like or might find odd. For example, Someone with a fear or distaste for insects and other invertebrates might not like an entomology enthusiasts group or a bug appreciation community.

However, because the Internet is a Public Space, the responsibility of ensuring one doesn't see things or interact with things they don't like falls on the person. It falls on the individual to block the topics and contents one finds distasteful or upsetting. If an individual doesn't like bugs then they must block the bug and/or insect tag or exclude it from their feed/search on the site they're using with the site's filter. If an individual finds yandere, dark fics or angst distressing then they need to utilize the functions of that site to remove it from their feed. It is not the job of the entire Internet and/or community one is in to completely censor and cater itself to that individual especially if the site or platform they're using has features and tools for them to use to prevent this and to help them personalize their online experience anyways.

What's truly odd is when these individuals take it upon themselves to harass others instead of simply using the features of the site. To throw a tantrum while completely ignoring the built in tools provided to both prevent this and to address this. It's extremely rude and immature to harass another person, another human being, simply because of an inability to self-regulate. Especially in fiction. Does every dark topic in fiction beget a murderer or criminal? By the logic of many of these individuals, people interact with fiction and immediately embody it. Do you read about the mafia and then immediately search your local area for a recruiter for organized crime? Does fiction truly manifest in reality so completely? If so, then the entirety of the horror genre must be churning out Hannibals and Freddy Kruegers everyday in the millions. Does everyone who reads a single Sherlock Holmes book or who watches a single Conan episode become a top notch detective as well? Do these people also think that you can rival Gordon Ramsey if you play enough Cooking Mama? To think this and then lash out at people with this thinking is immature and petty behavior. It shows A lack of comprehension and an extreme underestimation of people's ability to think and to determine their own selves. This is childish and mainly shows that such an individual is unable to take care of themselves and doesn't know how to use or is unwilling to use the site features but is willing to lash out at a stranger for this. For someone to go after artists, blogs, writers or site users for something that didn't have to be interacted with, that could've simply been blocked or filtered is unhinged especially if that creator/site user has never initiated interaction with them in the first place.

This is just my pet peeve hence why there are no super specific tags besides my own plus the ones i use for my blog. It's just deeply irritating to see and to encounter because it's the same movements and talking points that have happened before since the beginning of fandom, since Star Trek (arguably the oldest and one of the first fandoms though if you stretch the definition then it definitely goes beyond then to when written novels first came around etc). Technically, Fandom discourse has been around since humanity could share stories and discuss them. It's just now you can be an anonymous tantrum ghost on many sites specifically to bicker and it's not even fun like a book club or gossip or getting heated discussing different takes over snacks and drink etc. No, it's usually someone being a faceless no name ghost that's likely obsessively refreshing a page hoping to see a reply or response on whatever site, platform or forum they're on.

It's just annoying to see the same age old stuff but rehashed. Much of it isn't even particularly interesting or different. Same rants about purity (mental, emotional or otherwise), same rants about worrying that it was destroying society, same rants same words same message. It's been rehashed since Victorian times and beyond, concerns about fiction have been around since the days people thought the human body was made of humors and biles and have been rehashed since the days people worried a woman's uterus would fly out of her body if she got in a train. I truly can't bring myself to care or take it seriously tbh... Half of these folks sound like the reincarnated soul of Sigmund Freud. I keep Half expecting some to even spout off about how there should be a way to cut these thoughts out of the brain (reinventing lobotomy) or how "you can just tell by the way someone looks" (reinventing phrenology, the racist idea that someone's head shape can detail their entire life, morality, and their destiny).

Like i just can't. (This isn't direct at anyone really, more so a general phenomenon)

[ghostingcrows]

Like it or not Keath doesn't get to control what other people think about their characters/what art gets made.

They chose to display these things publicly. The only thing they have a right to ask is that the people who draw/write the things they don't like won't send their work to them/tag them in it/that it'll be tagged appropriately so they can filter and block as needed.

They don't get to go full Anne Rice like they did on Twitter and ask people to actually police each other's work and report it to get copyright striked (which btw they have no legal right to do bc fanworks are transformative and fall under fair use).

If they weren't prepared to enforce their boundaries reasonably and legally then they shouldn't have put themselves in the public eye this way.

The fact remains that their discomfort is valid but censorship isn't. Any reaction they have to their emotions has to happen within legal boundaries (not trying to enforce a law that doesn't apply here to avoid potentially seeing something they'll find upsetting) and reasonable expectations.

I mean how are you going to ask thousands of people you don't know not to do something just because if you see it you'll be upset? Where does that end? Do people get to ask e/o not to wear clothes they find upsetting to look at or eat food they find gross in public or can we all admit this is kind of not how being a person works? Learn to curate your own experience and avoid things you don't want to see instead of expecting everyone around you to take responsibility for your emotions. You're not a toddler, Keath, you're a fucking adult and you need to act like it.

I mean I really really hate foot fetishes but I wouldn't try to get them scrubbed from the internet if people made them with my characters- in fact I've accepted that this has almost certainly happened already, and I'd just remember that block buttons were invented for exactly this reason.

Oh and before you even start on the assumptions:

- I haven't even seen the art they're complaining about and probably wouldn't like it myself

- The Chappell thing is another matter entirely and idk why you thought they belonged in the same post/are at all related issues. One is about a woman wanting the freedom to go out in public without being physically assaulted or harassed. The other is about a grown adult getting mad that they willingly posted something publicly in an internet they have presumably known things about already and as a result can't control who sees it or how they react. I mean ffs Keath can eliminate this whole problem by turning off their computer/phone/whatever and whatever they were upset about is gone. Chappell is having psychos call her parents and sexually assault her in public. What sane person thinks those are comparable?

Good lord-

Alright first off I included Chappell Roan because I was specifically thinking about people complaining about her cancelling her appearance at the music festival and being absolute assholes to her despite the fact she doesn't have to perform or share her art with us especially not when we are being assholes

Also

Don't fucking mansplain womens freedom to exist in public to me I am very much AFAB and have been harassed both verbally and physically in school and in public since I was in elementary school

And with Yaelokre

Thats not what censorship is you chronically online fuck stick

Yaelokre making the simple request that people treat them and their creations, which again are a PRIVILEGE for us to see and engage with ourselves, with a bare level minimum of respect is not fucking censorship

Yaelokre is not the fucking government and as you said they can't enforce it beyond blocking people

But they are still allowed to request people not be weird about it and be upset by people making absolutely horrible gross jokes about assaulting their characters

I'm not entirely sure when we decided that saying shit like that was normal and okay and not an absolutely bat shit insane thing to say to ANYONE much less someone you don't know but it IS

[hiphop24x7]

How To Buy Web3 Domain Names and Secure Your Digital Presence?

The rise of blockchain technology is ushering in a new decentralized future. As we move increasingly online, control over our digital identities and data is shifting from large corporations to individuals. Web3 domain names are at the forefront of this transition, offering users true ownership over their online presence via the blockchain. 

In this blog, we will explore how to buy web3 domain name and set it up with full control and security. We'll cover selecting the right domain name, browsing marketplaces, making purchases and configuring settings. Tips for optimizing security and potential investment opportunities will also be shared. Let's begin our guide to stake your claim in the emerging new internet! 

Why Web3 Domain Names Matter 

Web3 domain names will play an important role in defining one's online identity and presence in the future. As more aspects of our lives move online, how we represent ourselves digitally through usernames, profiles and domains will become increasingly meaningful. 

Blockchain domains decentralize this control by placing it in the hands of individuals. Your web3 name becomes a verifiable record of your online identity that you truly own forever without fear of removal. This level of ownership and persistence is empowering for anyone looking to shape their brand online in a decentralized way. 

Additionally, web3 domains will essentially serve as building blocks for a new internet. They allow users to own digital assets, showcase creations, and interact socially across decentralized applications. A web3 name functions as a universal profile that translates seamlessly between different blockchain-based services and virtual worlds. 

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Purchase Web3 Domain Names 

Purchasing a web3 domain name can open the door to true digital ownership and building your online identity on the blockchain. However, interacting with crypto wallets and decentralization for the first time may seem intimidating. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process from start to finish in easy to understand steps. 

Set up your crypto wallet 

A crypto wallet is like your digital wallet that allows access to the blockchain. Popular multicoin options include MetaMask for browsing or Trust Wallet for mobile. Visit their websites and download the appropriate version for your device. 

During setup, generate a strong random private key or password and store it securely - this unlocks your funds. You can also write down your seed phrase (12-24 words) as a backup. Do not share these with anyone. Deposit a small amount of Ethereum (ETH) which will be used for transactions. ETH is the fuel for the Ethereum network where most domains exist. You can buy web3 domain name directly via debit/credit card on exchanges like Coinbase. 

Browse domain marketplaces 

Now it's time to search for available domains. The two largest options currently are ENS (Ethereum Name Service) and Unstoppable Domains. Spend time exploring different categories, recently sold names and featured domains for inspiration. Both sites have intuitive filters to help narrow your search by top-level domains (TLDs), keywords or other criteria. Keep in mind that shorter and more recognizable names or popular TLDs like .eth will likely have higher price tags. 

Inspect domain listings 

Once you see a name that interests you, click through to its dedicated marketplace webpage. Carefully review key details like purchase price, ownership expiration date, any special configurations and messaging from the seller. Also read terms of sale to understand your rights post-purchase. Check if the domain is available for immediate to buy web3 domain name in an open auction requiring bids. Some listings allow making an offer as well. 

Interact with domain listing 

If the domain is available to buy directly, click the prominent "Buy Now" button. This will open a popup window asking you to confirm transaction from your crypto wallet. For auction-style listings, place your maximum bid amount and the date until which the bidding is active. You can also "fuse" or associate the domain with your wallet address for persistence after purchasing. 

Complete the transaction 

Now your wallet interface will open where you can review transaction details like gas fees and total amount to be paid. Click "Confirm" to sign the order on-chain using your private key. This initiates a crypto transaction that takes a few minutes to validate on the blockchain before you buy web3 domain name. You may see a spinning icon during processing. 

Check your profile 

Once complete, the domain should appear listed under your marketplace profile immediately. If not, give it some time as blockchain processing varies. You have now secured digital ownership of your web3 domain as an NFT on the ledger! 

Configure domain settings 

The next step is to register your new domain on a blockchain DNS service like Unstoppable DNS. This will allow mapping it to websites, IPFS addresses etc. Enter your domain and select appropriate record types during registration. Some wallets like MetaMask enable domain resolution directly as well. You can also update additional metadata like profiles connected to your domain. 

Manage and promote your domain 

You now have full control to develop your online identity under your domain. Update records, point it to new destinations, list it for resale and market your blockchain brand. Interacting with the emerging decentralized web 3.0 landscape has never been easier. 

Tips On Enhancing Security Measures in Web3 Domain Name 

As with any digital asset, it's important to properly secure your web3 domain name and private keys associated with it. Taking some key security steps upfront will save potential headaches down the road. 

Enable two-factor authentication for your domain marketplace login and wallet for an extra layer of protection. 

Use a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor for keeping your private keys offline and safer from hacks when transacting. 

Consider setting up a 'vault' on wallets with required confirmations from separate devices to withdraw high-value funds. 

Avoid exposing private keys by storing them securely offline rather than on digital devices or cloud. You can also split keys for added security. 

Be cautious of phishing attempts trying to steal your keys. Only enter details on official sites and check URLs. Stay wary of suspicious emails/messages. 

Keep your wallet and operating system software updated to patch vulnerabilities. Outdated apps are vulnerable to exploitation. 

Enable transaction signing functionality to only specific trusted devices when needing approval for domain operations. 

Set spending limits and approved signatures appropriately based on domain value to prevent unauthorized transactions. 

Taking proper identity, wallet and private key security precautions will help protect your web3 domains worth thousands of dollars over the years. A little added security goes a long way. 

Potential Investment Opportunities 

Just like physical real estate, premium web3 domain names that are scarce, memorable and relevant can appreciate nicely in value over time. As the blockchain space matures, these digital assets are becoming favored investment vehicles for tech-savvy individuals. 

By holding desirable domains, you are betting on continued growth of the decentralized web. If demand outstrips available supply, resale prices tend to rise. Moreover, attaching premium brand names to new projects and products can boost their visibility and importance exponentially. 

Speculators like to scoop up diverse top-level domains before they become widely used. For example, owning. nft addresses early provides a competitive edge in that niche. The goal is to sell high later as others recognize that domain's prestige. 

Flipping domain portfolios or affording the most coveted names requires budget. But occasional deal-hunting on secondary markets may yield gems at affordable prices too. Overall, selective domain investing aims to benefit from inevitable proliferation of blockchain identity and branding. 

Conclusion  

By following the best practices covered, your web3 domain can become a verifiable and persistent record of your online identity within a free and open digital world. With the decentralized web still in its early stages, now is the time to get ahead of the curve before countless others also see value in this new paradigm. 

Securing the right web3 domain name puts you in a great position to establish yourself as the blockchain space and its infinite use cases continue growing. So venture forth and begin building your digital presence today on the framework of tomorrow. The future of online identity is yours to shape - see you on the blockchain! 

[speed-seo]

Social Media: Harmful Content and Brand Protection

As a digital marketing agency, protecting our clients' brands and mitigating harmful content on social media is of the utmost importance. Our clients entrust us with managing their online presence and reputation, so we must take every precaution to avoid controversy or backlash that could damage how the public perceives them. The Dangers of Harmful Content for Brands Social media has opened up many opportunities for businesses to connect with customers and build their brands. However, it has also given a platform for anyone to say anything, and not all of it is positive or brand-safe. Harmful, unethical, dangerous or illegal content spreads quickly online and can tarnish a brand through no fault of its own. It's our job to minimize these risks and ensure our clients' social accounts remain a welcoming, constructive space. The Role of Social Listening in Mitigating Harm One of the biggest challenges is monitoring all social platforms around the clock. Negative comments, inappropriate hashtags, misleading information - it's impossible to catch everything immediately as it happens. That's why community management is so vital. We empower our clients' social communities to self-moderate through clear guidelines, then respond quickly if issues arise. Positive reinforcement of good behavior helps shape the discussion. Tools for Social Listening Many tools exist to support large-scale social listening programs. Some popular options include: - Social media management platforms like Sprout Social and Hootsuite incorporate monitoring capabilities along with publishing and analytics tools. - Specialized social listening tools like Awario, Talkwalker, and Linkfluence offer robust functionality for tracking brand mentions, keywords, influential users, sentiment, and more. - Social media analytics tools like those from Quintly, Sprout Social, and Rival IQ analyze audience demographics, engagement metrics, and competitive benchmarking. - Consumer research panels like ProdegeMR, FocusVision, and Opinium involve surveying representative consumer samples to gain qualitative insights around social media usage and brand perceptions. Proactive filtering also helps block problematic content before it's posted. We carefully curate approved hashtags, mentions and keywords for each client based on their values and messaging. Automated moderation tools can then flag unapproved terms for human review. Over time, machine learning improves our filters' accuracy. Pre-moderation buys time to thoughtfully address edge cases while avoiding knee-jerk reactions. Enforcing Clear Community Guidelines When issues do pop up, transparency and accountability are key. We have protocols in place for escalating serious matters to clients immediately. For less severe offenses, a respectful explanation of the community standards often resolves things. Deletion is a last resort. Our goal is educating people, not punishment, so they understand why some behaviors undermine the brand's purpose and culture. Strategies for Enforcing Guidelines - Empower moderators - Provide moderators with clear decision-making frameworks to act decisively on violations - Respond quickly - Remove harmful content and address policy violations as soon as they are reported or detected - Offer warnings - For minor first-time offenses, issue warnings before proceeding to account suspensions - Disable violator accounts - For repeated or serious violations, temporarily or permanently suspend violator accounts - Involve legal counsel - Consult legal experts when evaluating content that may involve illegal activities or intellectual property infringement Leveraging Brand Safety Technology It's also wise for businesses to avoid hot-button topics where possible. While advocacy has its place, wading into political or social controversies often does more harm than good. Sticking to discussions centered on a company's products, services and values helps maintain focus on the real goals - serving customers well and generating interest in the brand. Powerful brand safety tools offer: - Keyword blocking - Pre-emptively block posts with prohibited keywords from being visible in branded discussions - Deep learning AI - Leverage artificial intelligence to identify policy violations based on textual content and metadata from posts - Image/video analysis - Scan images and videos and flag adult or violent content using computer vision - Whitelisting - Only allow posts from pre-approved profiles or domains to appear in branded areas - Blacklisting - Automatically hide content from high-risk profiles like known trolls or repeat offenders - Automated enforcement - Automatically remove violating content based on rules configured by the brand When evaluating options, brands should choose brand safety partners that: - Integrate with the brand's primary social media platforms - Offer flexible customization based on the brand's guidelines - Have capabilities to block emerging new forms of harmful content - Provide intuitive dashboards and analytics for tracking enforcement activity The right brand safety tools are invaluable for preserving brand reputation by eliminating unwanted user-generated content. You can see more about this on Sprout Social Crisis management preparedness is another important part of our process. We work with clients to develop a response plan for if/when something damaging slips through. Having pre-approved messaging, spokespeople and a process for engaging journalists or stakeholders in a timely, transparent manner limits damage from an incident. It's better to address issues sincerely and directly than ignore them and fuel speculation. A consistent, human voice also goes a long way. Automated social media can come across as inauthentic or tone-deaf. We assign real employees to manage major accounts, with guidelines for responding to customers personally and compassionately. Personalization builds trust that a real person is behind the brand and cares about stakeholders. It's easier for communities to self-police if they feel heard by the company. Ultimately, the best defense is a good offense. Fostering positive conversations, useful content and a welcoming environment through community engagement reduces the need for moderation. When people feel valued by a brand, they're less likely to say harmful things or try to hijack discussions. Our role is elevating brands by helping shape online spaces customers want to spend time in - places where they feel respected, informed and part of the family. Mitigating the risks along the way protects that experience. Key Takeaways: Mitigating Harm to Build Trust Although social media exposes brands to risks like damaging posts and misinformation, thoughtful mitigation strategies centered on social listening, community management, and brand safety technology can help companies reclaim control over their digital presence. Here are the key takeaways for brands looking to mitigate harm: - Monitor social media discussions related to your brand for early detection of policy violations using robust listening tools. Look for hate speech, misinformation, dangerous content, impersonator accounts, etc. - Establish clear guidelines detailing prohibited content and user expectations. Promote these rules across social channels. - Empower moderators to quickly remove violating content and enforce policies consistently. Disable accounts of repeat offenders. - Leverage advanced brand safety technology to automatically block inappropriate posts before they spread based on keywords, metadata, images, videos, and user patterns. - Continually refine policies and evaluate brand safety tools as social media landscape evolves and new variations of harmful content emerge. With vigilant listening, firm and fair enforcement, and proactive technical safeguards in place, brands can nurture the positive social media presence that builds communities anchored on trust and meaningful engagement. Closing words In conclusion, social media management requires constant vigilance combined with compassion. Clear standards, proactive tools, crisis plans, and a human touch help guide conversations to keep brands safe and true to their purpose. It's a balancing act, but one that's vital for any business with an online presence. We're proud to utilize our expertise and strategies to shield our clients' reputations while bringing people together in constructive discussion. The benefits of social far outweigh the challenges when it's approached with care, wisdom and heart. Read the full article

[rayshippouuchiha]

yo i'm seeing a lot of dishing about the purity culture of fandom and i absolutely agree

but i'd like to ask

do 'incest fic' count, i mean specifically i'm in the batfam fandom and if you try and write pairing with batman's adopted kids /former robins together everyone and their mother starts screaming at you both online and on ao3, and if you point out the lack of blood relation all you get it 'it's still incest oh my god you're a horrible person who doesn't believe in adopted sibling relationships' and like... i just wanna smush the two pretty vigilante characters together, it's very exhausting, and it also applies to discord, the fandom is very hardcore about policing this and like I get it to an extent because I've seen a lot of posts about how 'seeing batcest on my dash turns my stomach' 'having to scroll past bastcest on ao3 to get anything good is disturbing and disgusting' and tagging, is not enough for these people, i've seen some poor fools pointing out instances of real life adopted siblings who've ended up together due to the adoption being their parents decision ect and the vitriol that's met with is very aggressive, they basically just don't want it to exist and don't want people who ship it to feel safe talking about it out in the open on tumblr because it's weird and something to feel ashamed of that you shouldn't force 'normal people' to see.

And it's like, why do I have to be treated like a fucking leper in online spaces over a ship? It's literally scarlet letter shit where if someone posts something with nightwing x red hood art even if it's cute and utterly harmless like one of them blushing over a hot chocolate people will literally go into their mutuals askbox and 'warn' them that that person you reblogged from likes batcest. Legitimately. It's so toxic.

See, if you're tagging your ship correctly, if you're rating it correctly, if you're posting it in the appropriate places, if you are making it clear what it is that you've created so that others who don't want to interact with it can keep scrolling without clicking or can use their blacklist functions, then you're not doing anything wrong and your responsibility is pretty much over.

And that goes for any ship, any trope, and any fic in any fandom.

It does not matter.

No singular person or group of people has the right to police an entire fandom just because there's content being created that they don't personally like or agree with.

As long as those creators are keeping their content to the appropriate places (i.e. not posting explicit material in a general audience server or purposefully putting ship content under the wrong tag to force others to see it) then it's everyone else's responsibility to curate their own fandom experiences by using blacklists, mute functions, exclude filters, the block button, or just not clicking on content they know they don't like or agree with.

There are ships and tropes that turn my stomach. I don't want to see them, consume them, or even think about them because they squick me out.

And that's on me.

So I block, I blacklist, I mute, and I don't click.

Because the burden of responsibility for what I consume in fandom is on me.

Fandoms are like villages. Yeah, we're all living in close proximity but that doesn't give anyone else the right to come into my house uninvited and tell me they don't like my decor or that I can't cook this particular meal in my kitchen because they are allergic to it even though I never invited them to dinner.

So ignore the people who try and do that.

Tend your roses, fill your shelves, make your meals, and enjoy yourself instead.

[taeslovehandles]

I never meant to target you and I'm sorry you felt that way. You properly tag everything and adhere to the "don't like, don't read" rule. I don't follow you nor you follow, because we simply don't vibe together and that's okay.

But there are posts that are on the more "innocent" side that do represent fat people as a joke and it's like they don't even realize it because it's something so well ingrained in our fatphobic society.

For example, all the characters are having fun except the fat one or referring to someone as "twice his size" (like... If they want to say he's huge, they should just say it, not imply that there's a "right size" for someone to be).

I don't think authors should censor themselves, just acknowledge the role they play in how fat characters are perceived by the community they write for.

-🍓

First of all, since you obviously haven’t blocked me, you could have come to me via direct message. This is not a topic that needs to be brought out into the public eye even more than it already is. I have worked with anons before, I would have been the last person to reveal who you are. You could have made a trash account to message me in dm’s, but since you didn’t, I will reply to you here.

I want to make one thing clear. This will be my last response on the topic. If you do not like me as a member of the community please use the block button and filter me out, because I will stay. I have many friends here, and know that many people enjoy my content. Just because a small handful of people don’t appreciate dark themes in fiction, the contents of which they can easily protect themselves from, won’t make me falter.

Now, I want to debunk this ask because your ‘apology’ actually made me very upset.

I know you don’t mean it when you say you are sorry because you’re backpedaling on what you’ve told your friends and it really rubs me the wrong way. You could have owned up to your mistakes and apologized sincerely like others had but you continue to play victim and excuse your behaviour with tales of your own trauma, projecting your own insecurities onto my blog and thus hating me.

I know for a fact that you despise my blog, especially my writing, because you do not like how “obviously skinny people write about weight gain.”

Honey.

I couldn’t be any further from skinny.

I don’t mind sharing my actual weight, which has actually gotten worse due to COVID. I weigh 490lbs. I am morbidly obese. I have always been morbidly obese. For you to come and be “nitpicky” about a genre you don’t even enjoy? Why are you even reading my fics then?

The way I write about obese people, their struggles with literally everything… that comes from real life experience. I write this to share embarrassing and exhausting daily life tasks I personally struggle with.

A skinny person would never write some of the stuff I do, because they simply don’t know. They don’t know how scary it is to hear the line “we are going to a restaurant.” They don’t know how scary it is to go into that new restaurant, scan the chairs and think “Shit, am I gonna fit? Is the chair gonna creak? Is there enough space for the next table? What if I won’t fit?” A thin person doesn’t have to think this way.

And, let me tell you something else. Yes, I agree. The world is fatphobic.

In one of my recent posts I talked about movies and shows where they make fun of fat people because I hate it. Because it is REAL LIFE. And I am all for the body positivity movement and I do believe that all bodies are beautiful, because they are.

You do not know me personally.

And that leads to my next point. If you personally have issues with the phrase “twice my size”, then that is on you. And guess what? I cannot count how often I’ve heard lines like that my whole life.

“Oh wow two people would fit in one of your pant legs.”

“Wow, you are so fat, I could use your pants as a tent.”

So trust me, I know. I KNOW. But anon, this is the important part for me. Everyone processes trauma differently.

Inked ch3? Or literally any story I have written with a fat character being forced, insulted and talked down to like they’re dumb? That’s what I have been living with my entire life. Most of these stories, some obviously more extreme than how I had experienced them since it’s fiction, have been recordings of trauma I have went through.

My own dad force fed me. Forced me to eat food and gain weight. My first boyfriend was a feeder that manipulated me into gaining more weight and took measurements. Called me pig names and abused me. Hit me, manipulated me into having s** with him and then let all of his fantasies out on me.

I don’t make this shit up. I hate my brain for being so twisted now, that I actually find it hot and arousing. It’s weird. I know, but that’s how it is.

I’ve also never had friends in school. Not even kindergarten. Why? Because my “fat incased body could spread like a virus.” I was being bullied like JK was in Pondus.

I had hot water thrown at me, got glue put on my seats and hair, had my hair ripped out and even got a cigarette burn mark on my arm. Just because I was fat. Just because of how my body was shaped.

I was strangled and locked into a small locker for a night. I was almost killed for running away from my abusive dad from his car and had to listen to things like, “You are going to die when you are 30. No one will ever love you and your body.” That I have trust issues now and am paranoid about everything and everyone.

Those dark stories. I use those dark stories to try to work through my trauma. And yes, it may be absurd to you. It may disgust you, what I write. But sadly, most of it? Most of it really happened to me. To me and other people I’ve talked to as a friend or seen online. Most of what I write will be dark because the human species is made up of terrible creatures.

Fatphobia is an important topic, and I am happy the media has been slowly getting better about it, that people accept us more. But my writing is how I work with my trauma. If I can make fictional characters feel the same things I had to feel, that makes me feel better.

And I’m not hurting anyone with it. So how is it wrong?

I do not support any of this behaviour in real life. I never bullied anyone, I always try to speak up for my friends and tell people if they are being assholes. Because I hate them too and it makes me angry when good people get shit when they do nothing but breathe.

And how @pudgecuddles already said. I don't need you to advocate for body positivity and all that shit when you go out of your way to bully someone that may have experienced the same shit you have. I do not know you or what you went through in your life, but I am sorry. I’m sorry you feel like my stories aren’t okay to write, but this is how I work on my trauma and I need you to respect that.

I���ve said this before. We don’t have to be friends, or even talk to each other.

Just be neutral.

Block me. Filter me out. Pretend I don't exist. But, whatever you do, don’t make posts that call me out while making it obvious you’re talking about me, with the cover that you are advocating against fatphobia. That’s got a name. Cyber-bullying.

Have you hurt me with those posts? Yes you have, but I’ve never wanted bad blood. As you may have noticed, it wasn’t me that made a post. It was my good friend. Because I told her how exhausting it was and she knew about the posts back then.

I have a good idea of who you are.

I remember you.

But I kept my mouth shut. Because this community is my home and the last thing I wanted was for the people who like both of our types of content to feel like they have to choose sides.

In the end, we all rub one out to fat gay boys in a band. No user is better than the rest, and if there are topics you do not enjoy, there is a button for it. No need to drag everyone into it with posts. It’s exhausting and irritating.

Now, I do not accept your apology because you lied to me and I also do not feel like you meant it sincerely knowing what I know now after reading some dm’s. But I also won’t sit here and start shit.

This is my last post about this.

Please block me and enjoy the content you do like.

Nonetheless, I hope you have a nice day and a lovely weekend. Whatever you are experiencing or going through, I hope it gets better. Because even if you hate me personally for creating content you do not support, I’d say that I am a really friendly and nice person.

I do not believe that anyone deserves to be bullied like that and talked down in official posts. It happened before with a friend of mine and you probably remember that I did speak up about it.... But apparently no one learned from it. I really hope this time you do.

Insult me and shit talk me all you want in dm’s, but don’t do it publicly. No one deserves that kind of hate or passive aggressiveness. No one. Since you sound like someone that went through a lot of shit too, you should know better. You should know how it feels to be bullied and what damage it can cause.

I’m already depressed enough and I have bad lows. Let me write my erotica and just enjoy it? That’s all I want? I am a part of this community just like you were. You leaving because you did not like my content, is not my problem. If you cannot block me or ignore it and go so far as to read them and then rant about them negatively, what do you want me to do? I won’t leave the scene just because you don’t like me.

So, you either trash talk me in dm’s from now on so that I do not see it, or you block me. The latter of which would be the more mature thing to do. The more humane thing to do. Because talking behind someone’s back is just as bad.

Again, I don’t know why you felt like it was necessary to send me an ask with lies in it when I got screenshot proof of something else you have said/issues with, so don’t backpedal on me. I know Hun. I know already.

At least stick to what you said and actually apologize or, if you can’t, just block me.

But this ask? This ask just upset me.

Have a nice day.

p.s: The fact that this even needs to be talked about is so absurd and ridiculous to me. The whole thing is a petty party in my eyes that isn't even worth anyone's time? Do people on here really not have any other issues right now or am I in the wrong movie?

[fallout-lou-begas]

A lot of people have accused yjj of being racist, particarily in regards to one of their comics involving Joshua graham, and in general saying that they glorify colonization. I mainly understand the other things they’ve done, but the racism seems inexusable. A lot of people have also been saying that yjj and their followers have harassed people. I want to get both sides of the story on this, so basically I’m asking what the deal with all this is?

Hi, anon. I'll provide my thoughts since you asked politely.

This post is quite long and can be considered an extension of my previous post on the matter.

Besides the infamous and self-admittedly ill-informed chancla comic, for which they've apologized, essentially all of the claims that Yesjejunus is racist stem from their depiction of the Dead Horses and Sorrows relative to their depiction of Joshua Graham and their original character Joan in their fanfic No Light (and to a lesser extent Learnin’ the Blues), which is heavily grounded in the setting of Honest Hearts. I think it's unambiguous that the depiction of vaguely defined "tribals" in Honest Hearts, assembled through a mishmash of disparate signifiers and recycled stereotypes and named like Warrior Cats and completely helpless without Joshua Graham's guidance, is indeed thoroughly racist, even if it was intended to be more nuanced and came from a place of self-admitted ignorance on the part of the developers. What I struggle to understand is that the developers and writers of Honest Hearts—and of Fallout: New Vegas as a whole since the entire game is rife with such mishandled, insufficient depictions of "tribals" with no explicit inclusion at all of any specific Indigenous people or presence—are given miles and miles more sympathy and leeway for their poor handling of these characters in the source material than a fanfic writer is for using the tools and setting that they were given by that source material, including the "lore" and naming conventions of the Dead Horses and Sorrows, to tell a story that means a lot to them personally, inspired by their own deepest fears and experiences with abuse, and ignited by their charismatic yet deeply and blatantly monstrous interpretation of Joshua Graham. Given that it uses the setting of Honest Hearts as a backdrop, there aren't any living characters in Honest Hearts who aren't "tribals" besides Joshua Graham and Daniel, and post-canon, Daniel wouldn’t be there. When Yesjejunus is accused of sidelining the Native characters or relegating them to the background, it's because they're just not writing a fanfic about Follows-Chalk or Waking Cloud as main characters: they're writing a specifically intentioned story about the Courier and Joshua Graham, a story that for better or worse remains faithful to the source material’s depiction of Joshua Graham’s unilateral authority over the tribes in Zion, a baked-in element of Honest Hearts and a critical narrative component of No Light. To accuse Yesjejunus of being racist on this principle in and of itself would be like accusing me of being lesbophobic if I wrote a Dead Money-set fanfic with Father Elijah as the main character instead of Christine. If you want something that centers these other characters then you'd just have to read a different story, or write it yourself.

As a final note, I do think that Yesjejunus is a skilled writer. This thought exists simultaneously with the acknowledgement that like everyone else in fandom, they're writing as a hobby and do not have the oversight of an editor on the work that they produce personally and for free. It's not lost on them that there's things about their story that they could have handled differently or more sensitively, such as the oft-cited example of the death of the pregnant Dead Horse character in No Light, with more forethought or planning at the time—even if they were bound by the constraints of Honest Heart's own setting (such as the dearth of non-tribal characters who could have possibly been in the scene instead) while writing the story. Everyone is free to critique this aspect of the story as much as they are to critique any other aspect, or to be discomforted by the whole thing (given it's a very intentionally uncomfortable story throughout), but the suggestion of so many of these "callouts" that Yesjejunus must have been cackling maniacally about the plight of poor access to medical care among real Indigenous people is a suggestion made entirely in bad faith, and one that I simply don't care to entertain.

As for the point about harassing people: if anyone's only evidence of being "harassed" by a single, specific person is anonymous messages on tumblr dot com, then I don't believe the evidence. If people are accusing Yesjejunus' "supporters" or "associates" of harassing people, then if the accusation is that this harassment is occurring either on Yesjejunus’ behalf or otherwise with their approval, then it is also going to require more evidence than the mere existence of the mean anonymous messages themselves. This goes for the rumor that they have "spies" in fandom Discord servers or whatever, too, which is a rumor that I think has only manifested among its spreaders by either self-appointed individuals speaking on no one's behalf but their own, and by the metaphorical snake eating its own tail in paranoia. Yesjejunus, and I, and all of our mutual friends have been nothing but annoyed at best and horrified at worst by the efforts of some self-appointed individuals to "defend" them with such excess vitriol. Speaking plainly, we generally avoid literally any kind of anonymous or public interaction with anyone who's vocally opposed to us as a rule, specifically to avoid this kind of debacle, and when I say "we" and "us" I'm not referring to some sort of shadowy cabal of conspirators scheming to advance the nefarious YJJ agenda, but to a group of friends. I don't know how to explain to some people who question why we praise their work or share their art sometimes how normal friendships work online.

I also take severe umbrage with the validity of the breadth of these anonymous harassment accusations because of how patently fraudulent several other claims are. Yesjejunus has recently been accused of "grooming,” for example, an accusation only even worth considering if one temporarily forgets what grooming actually is and pretends that grooming is when someone older interacts in literally any capacity with someone younger. Some will say that they’re not accusing them of grooming per se, or not of grooming by that name, but in any case, the meaning is that Yesjejunus has interacted with minors and this on its own is intended to scare and upset you. I have seen only two users actually named as "victims" of these “interactions,’ however, sas-afras and comrade-shrimp, but both users have publicly refuted this accusation because neither of them were minors when they first interacted with Yesjejunus. Frustratingly, though, these literal refutations from the literal so-called "victims" are either dismissed out of hand or muddied by hand-wringing mutterings of "well, I could have sworn they were actually minors, though" and "well they claim that they weren't actually groomed, but who really knows." The spreading and trust in completely anonymous accusations, combined with the total rejection of statements from the only people named in these accusations when their statements contradict the accusations, suggests to me that the existence of these actual interactions (and assuming these interactions occurred both intentionally and with Yesjejunus’ being fully aware of the other person being a minor) is not nearly as important as pushing the narrative that "Yesjejunus is a groomer" or “preying on minors” onto the fandom, and ensuring that anyone who doesn't take this claim completely at face value appears complicit in something horrible. As for anyone who still feels "uncomfortable" at how sas-afras or comrade-shrimp or me or anyone who is very much an adult but just so happens to be younger than Yesjejunus could ever become endeared to them, I reiterate that sometimes I don't know how to explain to people how normal friendships work online.

I want to conclude by saying something that I've said many times before: you don't have to like Yesjejunus (or me, or everybody, or literally anyone else) and no one is holding a gun to your head to befriend them or read their work or look at their art. The block and filter and unfollow buttons are very conveniently located on your dashboard and are totally free to use. Everything I've written here is not intended as some argument as to why everyone on the planet needs to be following their blog and leaving kudos on Learnin' the Blues. Still, while I think everybody has the right to curate their own dashboard and remove the content that they don't want to see, I also think it's reasonable for me to not want my friend to get their name dragged through the mud by the exaggerated and misinformed claims of petty, grudge-bearing brigadiers and self-aggrandizing fandom security guards when they'd like to just dump funny shitposts about the Burned Man's chode in peace.

[lostchildofthenewworld]

Genuinely curious why the rhaegar and lyanna stans are so pressed? Most Elia stans I know are great at tagging things with the anti tags, and sure a mention of the names such as the anti rhaegar tag will put that post in his search but the anti tag is there for people to filter it out???? They never need to see the post at all if they curate their online experience better. And on top of that the block button exists. Block all the Elia fans and find peace 🙏.

And if they’re talking about not kind to r,l, and r+l fics on ao3 using their proper tagged names.... HA! If Elia/Rhaenys/Aegon fans have had to put up with dead/evil/doesn’t want the crown/only winning if he married a stark Aegon or just a harem girl/evil stepsister (or worse a simp for lyanna) Rhaenys or doormat Elia fics infesting their tags(which is the majority of the fics in their tags) then they can put up with some fics that don’t fawn over their ship and don’t make lyanna a loved queen or keep her son as a bastard who doesn’t get the throne. Y’know, like the book canon is probably doing. (Are the books bullying them too? ). At least many pro Elia fics do the curtesy of putting not for rl fans in the tags or notes.

SPEAK YO TRUTH ANON!!

Literally we give a fair warning and so much so I don’t even mention Rumpled Tissue and Lumbar Support by name anymore lol. I think we all know they shadow stalk our blogs and get mad at the legitimate critiques that we have.

Also that side of the fandom?

[prayerith]

a flaw in the code

Kaiba runs his Twitter more or less automatically, including a function to mass-block people who interact with Tweets he has blocked. Unfortunately, this sometimes means that he blocks people he doesn’t mean to block. When he gets confronted over this, how will he respond?

my introduction to canon x oc (the oc being kazuko kubota, the child of me and @duelistkingdom ) and it’s from kaiba’s pov (feat unrequited rivalship), because of course it is. enjoy! read on ao3 here

“Kaiba.”

Kaiba’s spine stiffened at the familiar voice. He clutched his books to his chest, their reassuring weight giving him the courage to spin on his heel. As he expected, Yugi Mutou was behind him. Or, not Yugi, but the other Yugi. He was wearing the uniform jacket properly, unlike his tendency during Battle City, but he was no less imposing.

Kaiba swallowed, hoping his voice came out naturally. “Yugi. What’s this about?”

“My partner was discouraged this morning. When I asked him why, he pulled up his phone instead of actually talking to me. So, I will do the same to you: care to explain this?” With all the flair he usually saved for revealing a Spell card, the other Yugi flipped his phone towards Kaiba. Kaiba had to squint—he wouldn’t be caught dead in his reading glasses at school—but when he finally made out the text, he frowned.

“So you’re blocked by somebody on Twitter? Please, Yugi, this isn’t something to get worked up about. It’s not like it’s a personal attack.” He ignored the voice in his head reminding him that he had written a program for his own Twitter that would block anyone who associated with certain tweets. Tweets that featured Yugi boasting about his beautiful, talented, clever girlfriend in particular.

“Just somebody, huh?” The other Yugi fixed Kaiba with a stern look. It should have seemed out of place on Yugi’s round, friendly face, but Kaiba couldn’t help but feel suddenly small. “Try again.”

Kaiba sighed, but took Yugi’s phone in his own hand, finding the appropriate position where he could read the text with the least amount of eye strain. And— “What is this?”

The other Yugi was right; he wasn’t blocked by just any random loser on Twitter. The screen was on Kaiba’s own Twitter page. Instead of the Kaiba Land promos and Duel Disk news he had most recently retweeted, however, the screen was gray, apart from a block of tiny letters. “You are blocked by this user,” the website proclaimed, though as Kaiba met the other Yugi’s piercing eyes again, it felt more like an accusation than a simple statement of fact.

“I’d think you would know,” the other Yugi replied, voice startlingly cool.

To his horror, Kaiba found himself at a loss for words. “I don’t—I mean—” He cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a couple deep breaths. As he did so, he searched his memory, but he couldn’t recall hitting the block button on Yugi. At least, not of his own volition.

“Use your words, Kaiba.”

Kaiba growled, but forced his eyes back open. “I didn’t block you.” At the other Yugi’s raised eyebrow, he rushed on, words running into one another in his haste to get them out. “At least, not on purpose. In fact, my account is more or less completely run automatically, using programs that I wrote specifically for that purpose. Some of these scripts do involve blocking users, so it’s possible that your account got caught in some filter accidentally.”

The other Yugi frowned, crossing his arms and tapping his fingers against his elbows. “So what you’re saying is, your computer programs blocked my partner by mistake?”

“Exactly.” Kaiba couldn’t help but feel a jolt of envy at how quickly the other Yugi picked things up. “It was a quirk of the system, nothing more. Tell Yugi that he can stop moping about it.” He felt ridiculous asking someone who, for all intents and purposes, was Yugi to pass along a message to Yugi. Ever since Battle City, though, he’d found himself a bit more amenable to the ridiculous, implausible things that happened around Yugi Mutou.

The other Yugi, for his part, perked up substantially at the mention of his own name. “I can do better than that!” A genuine grin spread over his features, drawing Kaiba’s attention to his plush lips, the dimple on his left cheek. “I can bring him out so you can tell him yourself!”

He continued speaking, but aside from a few mentions of the word “partner,” Kaiba was no longer listening. Ice had shot down his spine, while paradoxically, heat bloomed in his cheeks and sweat formed on his hands. “That won’t be necessary,” he snapped, interrupting the other Yugi’s joyful monologue. “Just tell him what I said. Goodbye.”

With that, he turned on his heel and fled the hallway, books still clutched close to his chest. He could feel his heart hammering in his ears, even as he turned into the men’s room and locked the door behind him. The wooden door was cool against his back as he sunk to a sitting position against it, letting his school supplies fall from his arms.

God damn it. Kaiba exhaled sharply, dragging his hands down his face, before pulling out his phone and opening Twitter. A rare occurrence, as of late; there wasn’t much that he needed to keep up with online, and he rarely wanted to check the inane tweets his contemporaries made. When his profile opened, he navigated to the “Blocked Users” page. There was quite a bit to scroll through, but eventually, he was face-to-face with Yugi’s smiling profile picture.

Almost immediately, he turned his phone off, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in his crossed arms. He really did block Yugi. Prevented from interaction with one of the only people he actually wanted to interact with by his own programs.

He allowed himself a moment of despair, before pulling himself back together, unlocking his phone once more. Even so, he still flinched at the reappearance of Yugi’s picture. Keep it together, Seto. You’re just seeing what triggered the block. Think about it like a programming error.

One of the benefits of Kaiba’s auto-block program (nicknamed “Crush Tweet Virus” by Mokuba) was that if Kaiba blocked a tweet, not only did it block the person who made it, it also hid the profiles of anyone who interacted with it. What’s more, it allowed him to see the blocked tweet a given user had liked or retweeted. This was a nominally useful feature. In Yugi’s case, however, the reason for the block made Kaiba’s blood run cold. God. Anything but that tweet.

Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to blink it out of existence, the proof was there. Kaiba opened the blocked tweet in question, and his stomach immediately turned over. He didn’t have a name for the emotions burning in his gut. All he knew was that the image of Yugi pressing a kiss to Kazuko Kubota’s outstretched hand, the caption declaring “These two are couple goals,” threatened to overwhelm him with discomfort. He had blocked it for a reason.

In fact, there was a theme to the posts he had blocked. They all contained some reference to Yugi Mutou, Kazuko Kubota, and/or the fact that they were currently in a relationship. As much as he wanted to lie to himself, he knew what irked him so much about the reminder that Yugi was dating somebody. It was the fact that he wanted to be the person whose hand Yugi was kissing—the reminder that Yugi clearly didn’t have the same feelings toward Kaiba.

His face was burning. If only he could take his uniform jacket off, splash water on his face, anything to calm him down without ruining his composed appearance. Instead, he navigated back to his “Blocked Users” page, once again making eye contact with Yugi’s smiling headshot. If his fingers trembled at all as he hit the “unblock” button, Kaiba certainly wouldn’t admit to it. He would have to reprogram “Crush Tweet Virus” to exempt Yugi entirely, as he would almost certainly interact with other tweets about his girlfriend. Girlfriend—the word made Kaiba’s stomach do another unpleasant flip.

He thought he was done with the whole endeavor. In fact, he was almost at peace, comfortably eating his lunch on the roof a few days later. Part of that had to do with the fact that he hadn’t interacted with Yugi in all that time, but nobody needed to know that. Unfortunately, things couldn’t be so easy for him.

“Hey, Kaiba! They told me I could find you up here.”

Kaiba nearly spit out his mouthful of rice. Surely, his ears were playing tricks on him. Kubota went to Rintama, she wouldn’t have time to make it onto the roof of Domino High during her lunch break. Yet, as he craned his neck up from his lunch, his stomach dropped. Those baby-pink hair buns could belong to nobody else.

He jumped to his feet, uncomfortable with looking up at the much-shorter duelist, then cleared his throat. “Kubota. What are you doing here?”

Kubota just grinned at him, though it looked more like a hostile baring of teeth to Kaiba. “I was in the neighborhood. Figured I’d drop by and thank you for unblocking Yugi.”

“You knew about that?” Kaiba said, keeping his gaze fiercely locked with her lavender eyes.

“Of course! Yugi and I don’t keep things from each other,” she responded, sounding hurt. “He was really upset when he realized you blocked him, so finding out that it was a mistake made him feel way better. So, uh, thanks.”

Why was she thanking him? He and Kubota didn’t speak much, but when they did, she was usually admonishing him. The lashing she gave him at Duelist Kingdom flashed through his mind; he suppressed a shudder. Yet, analyzing her body language, he didn’t think she was being sarcastic.

She cleared her throat, then, and gestured towards him. Right, she had said, “Thank you.” What was the right response to give? He settled on a curt, “You’re welcome,” and a brief jerk of his head, an abridged bow. Yet, she didn’t turn to leave. Instead, she glanced up and down his form, hands on her hips. One side of her face twitched—a suppressed smile?

“So, the stowaway tells me your Twitter account is basically automated,” she said casually, slipping one of the straps of her bright red bag off so that it hung from one shoulder instead of both.

“Stowaway?”

“Right, you don’t hang out with us much. That’s what I call the other Yugi.”

Kaiba flushed with embarrassment at the memory of the prior conversation. “I see. Yes, he’s right. That is how Yugi got blocked.”

Kubota leaned in, one eyebrow raised. “So, what program blocked Yugi? ‘Cause Stowaway tells me that he didn’t think you were lying about it being an accident, but I haven’t heard of anything that blocks people so liberally.”

“What do you mean?” Kaiba asked, frowning. “One person getting blocked by my program doesn’t mean that I’ve blocked everybody.”

“Are you sure about that?” Kubota wasn’t looking at him anymore, instead focused on her own phone. She scrolled for a moment, fingers moving in time with the rhythm she chewed her gum, before turning her screen towards him with a cry of triumph. “This thread says otherwise.”

Again, Kaiba was forced to squint at someone else’s phone screen, and almost immediately, he regretted ever signing up for Twitter in the first place. The first tweet was from Mai Kujaku, reading, “Lmao, guess I pissed him off somehow!” It was accompanied by a familiar screenshot: Kaiba’s own profile, with the text “You have been blocked by this user.”

The next tweet was from Kubota herself, remarking, “Lol, I’ve been blocked since Duelist Kingdom.” After that, the replies were full of Yugi’s friends, all posting similar screenshots and complaining about (Mazaki) or rejoicing (Jonouchi) being blocked by Seto Kaiba.

Damn him for forgetting that Kubota was an excellent strategist in her own right; he shouldn’t have let his guard down around her. He would never admit he had been thrown off, though. Instead, he straightened his posture, using the extra inch of height to sneer down at Kubota. “So my program kept the dweeb patrol from interacting with me. Seems like it’s working as intended.”

“But you didn’t want it to keep Yugi out, right?” Kubota said, a confident gleam in her eye that he recognized from when she dueled. She was right, of course, but he kept his mouth shut rather than admit it. “Whatever your program does, it obviously has a chain effect, since I haven’t interacted with any of your tweets. Maybe it doesn’t involve your tweets at all? I can puzzle this out all day, Kaiba.”

“Fine! If I tell you, will you stop talking?” Kaiba growled, frowning all the harder when Kubota grinned in response.

“Sure.” Her voice was as bouncy as the curls escaping her buns. Kaiba hated it.

Kaiba paused, trying to collect his thoughts. All the while, Kubota rocked on her heels, humming a melody he didn’t recognize. Finally, he happened on a good starting point.

“I thought I was aromantic.”

To his dismay, Kubota appeared to choke on air, coughing hard before breaking into disbelieving laughter. He crossed his arms, glaring at her, until she finally collected herself enough to say, “I’m sorry, I just— That is not what I expected you to say.” At Kaiba’s silence, she sighed, putting her hands up in a placating gesture. “Fine, I’ll be quiet. I guess you’re not aromantic?”

Kaiba thought about saying something in response to her air-quotes, but thought better of it. “I thought that I was above all of that. I didn’t have time for romance anyway—I still don’t. But then, you and Yugi got together, and it made me feel...ill.” Kubota’s face twisted, but he didn’t address it. “At first, I thought I was having romantic feelings towards you—”

“What?” Kubota’s horrified cry was a bit much, in Kaiba’s opinion, but he felt the same way.

“Calm down, that wasn’t the case.” He narrowed his eyes at Kubota’s exaggerated exhale, but continued. “After some thought, it became clear that… I was experiencing romantic attraction, but not towards you.” The other words on his tongue died once that horrifying revelation was out, and he snapped his mouth shut, letting his confession linger in the air.

Kubota’s brow was furrowed, however. Why was she confused? Kaiba had told her everything she needed to know! He was about to accuse her of taunting him when she gasped, eyes widening. “Are you… Coming out to me?”

Kaiba’s already-pale face became even whiter. “No?”

“Yes, you are! You’re coming out to me! And you started your coming out speech by telling me my boyfriend was your gay realization?” With every step, she advanced on him, until she was close enough that when she pointed her finger for emphasis, it brushed his chest.

“That’s—a blunt description, Kubota.”

She just shook her head. “I mean, it’s fine, I’m bi, but it’s a weird way to tell somebody you’re gay. And this relates to Twitter...how?”

Kaiba scoffed. “I could be bisexual.” When Kubota’s brow raised, a familiar irritation began coursing through him. Better than embarrassment. “I could! You don’t know that I’m—that I don’t like girls.”

Kubota scoffed right back, undaunted by his bristling. “Whatever you want to tell yourself. I just want to know what this has to do with blocking Yugi on Twitter.”

“It has everything to do with that,” Kaiba said, but his mouth dried up as he realized exactly why Yugi and the rest of his friends were blocked. He cleared his throat, then balled his fists and looked away from Kubota. The words felt like venom in his throat; the only way to alleviate the burning they caused was to spit them out. “I set up a program to block anybody who liked certain posts. Posts that talked about yours and Yugi’s relationship.”

A raised eyebrow. “Just talked about? That’s kind of a broad net, even for you, Kaiba.”

“Fine. They were posts which included photographic or video evidence of you being a couple. Usually with highly supportive comments. Those were the kinds of things I blocked, and the virus associated with it blocked anyone who interacted with a post I blocked using this system.”

Kubota shook her head. “Even your weird Twitter bots are like Duel Monsters cards. I’d say to get a hobby, but it seems like you’ve got your hands full already.”

“Are you challenging me? Because I’ll wipe the floor with you in a Duel, we both know that,” Kaiba growled.

“No,” Kubota said lightly, “but not because I think I’ll lose. You’re so predictable, Kaiba. I should have seen this coming, though I didn’t think you would be this weird about me and Yugi. Guess I was wrong!”

Arms folded, Kaiba surveyed his adversary. Five-foot-nothing, blowing a bubble of gum at him while she rocked back and forth on her booted heels, skateboard underneath one arm. Her Buster Blader cards came to mind, and he cringed internally. He made a mental note: find a copy of her Battle City deck and run simulations against it, to discern ideal counter-strategies.

But, he needed to respond to her before that could happen. “Hmph. As long as Yugi doesn’t forget who his true rival is, I suppose I don’t need to make a fuss about his romantic decisions.”

Kubota’s shoulders shook, but she looked him in the eyes and nodded. “Thank you, Kaiba. Are you...sure you’re okay?”

“Of course I am,” Kaiba said, more off-kilter than he’d ever been. “Now, the bell’s about to ring, and I haven’t finished my lunch.”

Checking her watch, her glossy lips parted in surprise. “Shit, you’re right. I gotta get back to Rintama. Don’t be a stranger, Kaiba!” With that, she ran toward the stairs, waving at him over her shoulder before the door slammed behind her. Kaiba exhaled slowly, and looked at the remains of his bento. He wasn’t very hungry, all of a sudden.

What had he done?

[fanficmemes]

My thing about Marvel, advice for the young Marvel stan, is that the movies really embraced the "team/ us v them " mentality. If you like one character then it seems like you're joining a gang or mafia and your loyalty is now to that character and whatever team they "fall" under. There are some INSANE stans who can't seem to see beyond that fictional loyalty and will attack the other characters you like and then you personally for liking them, amplifying all the bad, not willing to have mature discussions that both sides of an interesting character can exists, tear into others in movies that didn't/ couldn't really expand or explore concepts fully into 2 or so how....

My advice is to find your Fandom friends. People who can enjoy things a lot but know where the line in, know which friend likes which character and who likes to gush about them, set up boundaries and keep them, think heavily if the arguments they want to fight are worth it(with the extreme ones is a losing battle bc they've already decided that's the hill they're gonna for angrily on) , use tags and filters to your advantage, block button too. Be careful when searching tags, best of luck, but at the end of the day remember why you liked that character. Why they made you smile or believe. Watch the movies/ shows, read the comics if possible and want and maybe use the online to keep up to date with releases, follow gif blogs so you get the content but not their personal commentary( but you can follow blogs who analyze stuff if you want, but go through the blog first, see if it vibes with your likes and if the creator/ author fuels you or drains you. )

Best wishes, older/ seasoned Marvel stan

Oh damn this is some really next level advice!! Here u go nonnie