#content takedown orders

[fishermod]

https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22949293/tumblr-nycchr-settlement-adult-content-ban-algorithmic-bias-lgbtq

For those who don't remember, here's the lawsuit two years ago where Tumblr (or specifically Automattic) settled with the New York City Commission on Human Rights regarding Tumblr's terribly implemented porn ban targeting LGBTQ folk more than it should. Here's an excerpt detailing what the NYCCHR ordered Tumblr to do:

The settlement gives Tumblr 180 days to hire an expert on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) issues and provide related training to moderators. It must also hire someone with experience in this area as well as expertise in image classification, who will review Tumblr’s moderation algorithms to see if they’re more likely to flag LGBTQ content. As part of an overall review, Tumblr will reexamine 3,000 old cases where a user successfully appealed a takedown, looking for patterns that could indicate bias.

Now, on a totally unrelated note, here's the complaint page for reporting discrimination to the NYCCHR. Completely unrelated to what's going on right now or the rest of this post, I swear.

[edited since it looks like the link broke somehow]

[edit #2: again, for unrelated reasons, here's a link to a post about the San Francisco equivalent]

[skillsahihai]

Twitter Says 50-60 Percent of Tweets in Takedown Orders 'Innocuous'

Twitter Says 50-60 Percent of Tweets in Takedown Orders ‘Innocuous’

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday heard a petition by microblogging platform Twitter against the Central government’s orders asking it to block some accounts, URLs, and tweets. Twitter had challenged the orders on grounds of violation of freedom of speech and the authorities not issuing notice to the alleged violators before asking Twitter to take down content. The Ministry of Electronics and…

[moonjxsung]

Well… here we are.

Just about 1 year since I first saw Stray Kids in concert. Which marks nearly a year that I’ve been using Tumblr. Muses. I wanted to write about them.

This blog began with series of short blurbs, ones I sought to create in order to explore the depths of my sexual repression as a result of 5 years of antidepressants. Sex was almost foreign to me by the time I was 20. It wasn’t fun, pleasure was hardly attainable. And my religious trauma led me to believe it was nearly inhumane. What a healing journey it was, to have funneled all my curiosity and personal experiences into short little drabbles for you all. How well-received many of them were, and the requests were fulfilling, to know that I wasn’t alone in my thoughts. I’m thoroughly grateful.

Art theft, simply put, will be the death of this community. I have had 14 of my works stolen in the year 2024 alone. I have been ridiculed and taunted by wattpad bandits, and my shorter drabbles cease to feel like my own most days.

“What is it that you want, money?”

Profound questions from the wattpad bandits early this morning. No, I don’t want money. I wanted to provide a safe space for this community to safely explore kinks and scenarios as they pertain to our mutual attraction of 8 attractive men. I don’t request anything more, just your unwavering cooperation to not steal my work. And apparently, to many ghost readers on here, that’s too large of an ask.

All shorter drabbles have been thereby deleted from this account, my masterlist has been cleaned up, and though requests had been temporarily closed while they were being worked on, they are now indefinitely halted.

Thank you to all who consumed my shorter drabbles and/or requested something. My aim is that one day I can resume fulfilling shorter smutty requests. But I seem to be *incrementally* more respected when my work isn’t so easily digestible in a pornographic format. I am working on longer stuff in the meanwhile, and I understand if longer stuff just isn’t for you. This account was originally meant to be a little bit of both.

Thank you also to those who have helped me get any and all stolen wattpad content taken down. I love you and I appreciate you. If you see something, please do continue to reach out to me and I will provide evidence from my drive that I am the original author. The work still belongs to me and I am still capable of getting it taken down via a DMCA takedown notice. Wattpad thieves, I will continue to report your shitty actions.

Cheers, may their memories live on in your beautiful hearts (and probably also on wattpad until I find them). Ad Astra!

-⭐️

[mariacallous]

The social media site X (formerly Twitter) went dark last Saturday in Brazil, where it had an estimated more than 20 million users. The ban followed months of tensions between owner Elon Musk and Brazilian authorities.

Musk, who took over the site in 2022, has been increasingly vocal about Brazil’s domestic politics. His personal account has boosted right-wing politicians, cast doubts on the integrity of Brazil’s 2022 election, promoted posts about an upcoming political demonstration, and told foreign investors to stay away from the country.

Musk objected to court orders to suspend certain content on X, including the accounts of many right-wing activists, and last month, he refused to name a legal representative for the company in Brazil. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that if X did not reinstate a representative by Aug. 29, the platform would be shut down.

When the day arrived, in anticipation of the ban, X’s global affairs account posted that Moraes’s moves were “manifestly illegal.” It also pledged to publish confidential Brazilian court filings containing Moraes’s orders. Musk posted that the judge was an “evil dictator.”

“Economic power and the size of one’s bank account do not produce some strange immunity from jurisdiction,” Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino wrote Monday as part of a five-person panel that unanimously upheld Moraes’s ban. In the days since the shutdown, Brazilians have migrated to other microblogging sites, such as Bluesky and Threads.

The ban has reignited fierce debates over Brazil’s approach to online content moderation, as well as the conduct of its powerful judges. Brazilian federal judges stepped up their role in policing what they deem to be anti-democratic online content after the 2018 election that brought former President Jair Bolsonaro to power. His campaign was dominated by disinformation, and social media platforms often fell short of their own pledges to moderate it.

Brazil is globally unique for the extent to which its judges moderate online content, University of São Paulo law professor Rafael Mafei told the Café da Manhã podcast. That’s because “the institution that should be leading this discussion, Congress, is not willing to do so,” Mafei said.

When Bolsonaro ran for reelection in 2022, a group of federal judges tasked with overseeing elections—led by Moraes—ordered X, then still known as Twitter, to remove accounts that spread unproved claims of election fraud and praised demonstrations objecting to the result of the vote. (A mob vowing to overturn Bolsonaro’s election loss later stormed various government buildings in the capital, Brasília.)

At the time, Moraes’s social media policing was generally applauded by Brazil’s political center and left. But a growing number of Brazilians have also slammed his content policing as opaque and excessive. Many of the court’s takedown orders in 2022 and since were never publicized. To critics, the secret proceedings—and the fact that the banned accounts were from similar political camps—smacked of censorship.

Moraes moved alone in ordering the new ban on X; only days later did he get an endorsement from the Supreme Court panel that included Dino. Moraes also received widespread criticism from across the political spectrum for ordering a ban on the use of virtual private networks (VPN) to access X—and a hefty fine for violating it. The Brazilian Bar Association filed a lawsuit to reverse the VPN fine.

Still, many people, including Brazilian digital rights experts and Brazilian lawmakers, have defended the X shutdown. Musk’s open efforts to sway Brazilian politics raised the stakes for regulators to take a stand, journalist Rubens Valente wrote in Agência Pública. “To find something similar to Musk’s crusade, you need to go back 60 years to the role of the United States in the 1964 coup.”

“While the threat of blocking [a platform] is nothing new and is provided for in our legal system, this case stands out as the first one a large scale in which a company has completely ignored court rulings for days—and sought the spotlight for it,” Brazilian researcher Fernanda Campagnucci told Foreign Policy’s Rishi Iyengar. She added that the measure, “although drastic, was necessary.”

[absolutebl]

BL Streaming - Which Service is Worth Your Money?

I’m bored and I have a little extra time this morning so it’s time for ABL to play with the spreadsheet of doom. 

Occasionally I get the question: 

If I were to subscribe to only one platform for BL which should I pick? 

This post is dated May 2023. 

First things first. I am going to be (somewhat) objective about this and not judge on quality of content. Because if KinnPorsche is all you love in life, obvs you need iQIYI, but if you are a HIStory franchise stan, than it’s all about Viki. Those are your life choices, I’m just here to play numbers games, okay? 

Secondly, some shows air on multiple platforms, particularly Viki & Gaga, but sometimes it’s Gaga & YouTube, occasionally it’s even iQIYI + others. This has only started happening in the last few years. Bed Friend was on 3 different platforms (GaGa, iQIYI, YT) - even though it was originally announced for Viki! I honestly don’t know how to track this, so I tend to log the spreadsheet with my preferred watching platform for that language, this will throw the numbers off for those platforms. 

Since I join everything my platform preference choice is based on:  

the quality of the subs/captions   

the quality of the user experience  

My subs experience tends to be: 

YT = best for Thai

Viki = best for Korean and sometimes Japanese, okay for Thai

Gaga = best for Chinese and sometimes Japanese but very weak Thai subs

My user interface preference is: 

YT, Viki, Gaga in that order then everyone else with iQIYI at the bottom. This is because I watch on mobile devices. 

ASplay, WeTV, former Line, Amarin TV, Netflix and the other smaller suppliers (and apps) will all be grouped together for this assessment. Since they have so few offerings, by default I would not recommend subbing those platforms unless you are a hard stan of all BL with disposable income. 

Super bad BLs that I watched back in the day on grey sites or YT (pre 2020 crack down) because there were no other options and I am a completest are still listed as grey. I would never suggest anyone watch these shows anyway, so I don’t care if they have now shown up on legitimate sites. If they are somewhere, it’s likely Gaga. Which means Gaga’s percentage of the market share is probably UNDER reported by my numbers. 

Movies and cinema-only releases that never got international distribution fall into the “grey” category. If I got it off an indie subber, since that too is technically illegal, it falls into the grey category as well. 

Final note: This is from a USA based IP, I don’t use a VPN, so platforms assessments are from that perspective. 

Spring 2023, current state of the spreadsheet. AKA 

Our BL Data Set 

Total # of BLs = 564

# of BLs ongoing (so finished runtime is best guess) = 18 

Just Answer the Damn Question 

Round Number of Actual BLs - % of market share

YouTube = 218 - 38.6%

Gaga = 148 - 26.2% 

Viki = 77 - 13.7% 

Grey = 53 - 9.4% 

BLs I’ve never been able to find on any platform (including grey): 36 - 6.4% 

iQIYI = 14 - 2.5% 

Other platforms = 12 - 2.2% 

Margin of error: +- 1% (look I’m just not driven to be that accurate here)

Subscription Platforms Breakdown  - % of market share

Eliminating YouTube, Grey, and missing BLs. Viki is included because I do not know which of theirs are behind the paywall and which are not. 

Total subscribe-only BLs: 257 

Gaga = 59%

Viki = 30%

iQIYI = 6%

Sml sites/apps = 5%

(rounded) 

Okay but how about actual runtime? 

Gaga = 360 hrs - 44% 

Viki = 311 hrs - 38% 

iQIYI = 98 hrs - 12% 

Sml sites = 50 hrs - 6%

Anyway you cut it... on pure BL standards...

GAGAOOLALA WINS 

Other consideration? In most places Gaga is ALSO the cheapest per month option. 

Final Thoughts

YouTube (America’s Alphabet) 

YT has the most pieces of content and longest overall runtime because of all the Thai stuff. ALSO bootlegs show up there, especially the early Chinese and Japanese stuff. They will often get taken down and you have to hunt for it again. YT takedowns come in waves, every 6 months or so.

However, GMMTV, some Star Hunter, some Studio Wabi Sabi, all the Vietnamese & Pinoy stuff (until now), and a few choice bits of Strongberry are YT content.

YT’s app is the best UX of a poor set (for me), but the web based YT at Premium level doesn’t work with Firefox. I use YT for work A LOT, so the fee for Premium ($13.99) and lack of ads + downloads (travel) is worth it for me, but I think it probubly isn’t if you’re on a budget. 

GaGaOOLaLa (Taiwan’s Portico Media) 

Of the pay to play platforms, GaGa dominates with the most BLs by all metrics. If you’re intersted in darker BL, GL and other queer content, very high heat, the history of the genre, or Japanese stuff - most of that is on GaGa. Also all of Strongberry and some of the newer queerer series (like My Ride).  

At $6.99 a month it’s ALSO one of the cheapest options. 

Gaga is based out of Taiwan, the only Asian country with marriage equality (as of 2022) AND it specializes in exclusively queer content so they need our support. If you can afford them, you should support them. GaGa is the only platform that will always have more BL, guaranteed (so long as Taiwan is autonomous). Ironically, you can follow their YT channel for previews and teasers to their latest series, short content, and acquisitions. 

Their app isn’t great, but their web-based interface is fine. That said: there’s no categories (way to organize), and the way they roll out new episodes is unintuitive. Their mobile app ALWAYS pauses not mater what you actually want it to do and the lack of the quick skip ahead is frustrating. 

Viki (Japan’s Rakutan)

Viki specializes in longer series, mostly Thai, Taiwanese, and a few of the Chinese bromances. It also now has a lot of KBLs. But in general only more recent stuff (2018 is as far back as they go).

At $4.99-$11.99 depending, it’s low to average cost. I’m not sure which one (if any) you actually need for BL. Most of my favorite new shows tend to air on Viki, and I like Rakutan as a parent company, so I don’t mind supporting them. 

They happen to have 5 of my top ten BLs, which is A LOT (since I hand out 10/10 so rarely). So for me they host the objective best BL content. 

They have the second best app (after YT, it’s kinda a combo of YT + Netflix) but the lack of a speed-up option is frustrating for many. Also the desktop version is super buggy. But they DO have categories you can name and control, which I love.

Other Platforms 

iQIYI - is Mainland China based (hello Baidu, you ugly fucker), so the platform getting/pimping BL for an international audience only is… how do I put this?… oh yeah: shitty. I will often rename it Icky, for this reason. It clearly wants to break the market, but… do we want it in the market at all? How long will they host BLs? When will they be shut down and censored? I would say it’s only worth it if you really also like Chinese dramas. And even so, Viki also has A LOT of those. Unfortunately for us, Wabi Sabi seems to have cut a distribution deal with Icky. And, of course, there is the KinnPorsche situation (so ironic that Icky hosts the highest heat). The interface is a nightmare. They have the WORST app, even when you pay, it serves ads, some of which alpha crash the platform. 

Netflix - here in the states it almost never has new BL content. Sometimes some old stuff. They tested the waters with SOTUS and Love Sick. I have a feeling they aren’t particularly intersted in this market. So if BL is what you watch, don’t bother. At last check they still had Gameboys and Your Name Engraved Herein and Wish You. 

WeTV - acts like LineTV used to, has Manner of Death and We Best Love and a few of the more obscure Thai pulps. But probably not worth it for anyone but a completest. 

Grey - Unknown or No Distributor 

Indie subbers: there’s some BLs that you can watch by supporting indie subbers who supply private links to their personal versions. This is not legal, but it is a slightly nicer way to get stuff you can’t find anywhere else. I’ve done this for some Thai and Japanese stuff.

I find the leads for these sources here on Tumblr. If someone is giffing and talking about a show and I don’t know how they are getting hold of it, I simply ask.

DramaCool (USA) & Dailymotion (France) & Bilibili (China) and others - AKA the grey space. You SHOULD feel guilty using these sites, you’re stealing, but it’s where many of us go for BL we can’t find anywhere else (in defiance of what few morals we have left). These are BLs that originally sold to very odd platforms or never got international distribution. Unfortunately, some of my favorites are in this category like Great Men Academy or Seven Days. It’s a nightmare. The ads are terrible and the virus/bug risk is high. They get taken down all the time. Or the leads are faked. I use an old computer to access and suggest you take all necessary precautions yourself.

P’ABL SOAP BOX TIME

Look I work tangential to the entertainment industry, so if you thought I wasn’t going to learn you a little on this subject, you got another think coming. 

HERE’S THE THING: 

You watch a show on one of the grey platforms, ESPECIALLY if it actually has distribution on Gaga or Viki - you better review that shit. You spread the word and advocate for that content here, on MDL, on social media, with fan art, I don’t care. You steal it, you find a way to pay back in your time and/or creativity. 

I get it if you’re poor, but don’t be a goddamn scab. Find a way to reward content creators with non-monetary support. If you had the time to watch the thing you stole, you have time to pay it forward in some substantial way. Do this even if you didn’t steal it but got it for free. Do this if you read fanfic. Do this with articles, blogs, books. Do this with podcasts. 

It isn’t hard to be a decent human and support creators. Don’t you dare just TAKE. If you’re that kind of person stop reading this blog immediately. I don’t want anything to do with you and you don’t deserve my words or my spreadsheet of Doom. 

/rant 

MORE ON THIS TOPIC WITH FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS

Original post on this subject that I adapted for this post. 

(source)

[eretzyisrael]

by Ohad Merlin

Al-Hadaf, a Gaza-based outlet established by and serving as a mouthpiece for the terror-designated Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), deleted an article devoted to Bisan Owda, titled “Journalism in the Crosshairs of Politics... how Bisan Owda became a symbol of resistance journalism.”

This happened only days after Owda was the subject of a letter signed by 150 film industry professionals which demanded the Emmy Awards cancel her nomination over her past ties to the PFLP, which is designated by the US, EU, Canada, Israel, and other countries as a terrorist organization.

In late July 2024, the Emmy Awards nominated Bisan Atef Owda, a Palestinian content creator from Gaza, along with the Qatari-owned media outlet AJ+, for their series, It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive. The nomination was included in the category for Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form.

Following the nomination, it was discovered that Owda has portrayed herself as a member of the PFLP and has even spoken in PFLP events in the Gaza Strip in the past in full PFLP militant garb. Owda also oversaw celebrations. The article’s rapid takedown from the PFLP’s mouthpiece raised further concerns regarding Owda’s affiliation with the organization.

AJ+ (a subsidiary of Qatari mouthpiece Al Jazeera) has been ordered by the US Department of Justice to register as a foreign agent of the Qatari government under the United States Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) because the outlet is “controlled and funded by the Government of Qatar.” Yet the outlet has refused to do so, thereby openly violating United States law. At the same time, Al Jazeera has been a hotbed for antisemitism, holocaust denial, and circulating Hamas propaganda and talking points.

For these reasons, 150 industry professionals signed a letter addressed to the National Academy of Television Arts and Services (NATAS) calling on them to rescind Owda’s nomination, which they believe contradicts the Academy’s own codes of conduct. Despite this, NATAS has doubled down on maintaining Owda’s nomination, claiming that despite the fact that she took part in the terrorist organization in the past, there is no further evidence that she is still part of the group.

[brynnwrites]

red tank top - emily prentiss

warnings: suggestive content, nothing explicit

You couldn't keep your eyes off her if you tried. And you were trying. Hard.

It's not like you could help it. The snug red tank top might as well have been the tempting fruit from the garden of Eden. Apple red and oh so sinful.

"Eyes up here," Emily's musical voice teased with a joking smile.

You jolted, your eyes jerking to meet hers. Your cheeks flamed, like a teenager who had been caught looking at a magazine they shouldn't have.

"I'm just teasing," she knocked your shoulder gently, prodding a stilted laugh from you. Her lips turned down into a frown. "You okay?"

"Huh, me?" You chirped, fiddling with the rings on your fingers. "Yeah. I-I'm fine."

"Okay," she chuckled lightly, wrapping an arm around you. "Why don't we head back to the hotel for a drink, yeah? Celebrate another success."

You just smiled and nodded, allowing her to toe you back to the SUVs. The other team members followed suit, murmuring in agreement about drinks. It had been a tough case—you all definitely deserved to celebrate the lives saved.

You were squished between Morgan and Emily in the backseat. Your face still felt hot, especially given the proximity to your very attractive best friend. You watched her delicate fingers tighten their grip on the handle above the window as the vehicle hit a bump, and you felt your whole body tense up.

"Right, Y/N?" Morgan asked, giving your shoulder a bump.

"Huh?" You definitely had not heard what he was talking about.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Emily chuckled, but she sounded worried. "You've been jumpy and spaced out since we caught the guy earlier. Is something bothering you?"

Her eyes were wide with concern and one of her hands moved to grip your knee. She thought you might have been upset from the case. She had no idea.

You gulped. "No, no, I'm fine, I promise. Just a little tired is all."

She nodded understandingly. "Maybe you should skip drinks and go to bed then. It's been a long week. I might join you myself."

The thought of heading up to bed with Emily while the rest of the team had drinks in the hotel bar made your heart quicken. "Oh, I wouldn't want to miss out on the party."

"I don't think there will be a party tonight," Morgan snorted. "Rossi's already asleep in the passenger seat. Go on and rest, I'm sure most of us will head that way sooner than later."

The SUV stopped in front of the hotel and Emily pulled you by the hand. "Come on, sleepy thing."

She didn't allow you to protest, on a mission to get you the rest you pretended to need. There was no way you could back out now and admit that you weren't that sleepy at all.

"If you're really intent on drinking tonight," Emily spoke as she opened the door to your shared hotel room, "we can order a bottle of wine up and watch a movie."

"Yeah, sure," you spoke absentmindedly, watching the material of her tank top shift as she reached up to take off her earrings.

You knew you had to get a grip on yourself. It was just a piece of clothing. On a person that you had immense feelings for.

She eyed you suspiciously as you marched over to your go bag, digging around for your pajamas. "Okay, seriously. What is up with you?"

You shrugged, not looking at her as you fished out the rest of your toiletries. "I'm fine, Em."

You could tell she didn't believe you for a second, being the damn good profiler that she was. You didn't give her time to push the subject, scampering toward the bathroom. "I'm gonna shower. Go ahead and order wine up and pick a movie."

You shut the door behind you and locked it, taking a deep breath. You muttered to yourself about pulling yourself together. Usually you were good about keeping your feelings for Emily hidden deep down but today—that God forsaken red tank top—had you struggling.

You showered off the grime of the day. It had been a hot one on the west coast of California, and the takedown was grueling. It felt like you were putting on new skin as you washed your body, melting into the warm shower spray.

You wrung your hair out as you stepped into fresh underwear and your silky pajamas. You gave yourself a silent pep talk in the mirror with a steeling deep breath before walking out into the room.

Your breathing stuttered, seeing Emily had kept the tank top on, opting only to change into a pair of sleep shorts. She was sat atop your bed, reclining against the headboard with her legs crossed, a red bottle and two glasses next to her.

"Come on," she patted the empty side of the bed, remote in hand. "I found your favorite—Mean Girls."

You snorted a laugh. She knew that even though the movie wasn't technically your favorite, it always cheered you up.

You eased onto the bed next to her, watching intently as she poured some wine into your glass and handed to you. She filled her own and she clinked it against yours.

"To another successful case," she toasted.

"Hear, hear!" You cheered, taking a sip at the same time.

You sat in comfortable silence as you watched the opening of the movie, when suddenly Emily cleared her throat.

"So," she spoke slowly, "are you ever gonna tell me what's going on with you today?"

You groaned, swallowing the mouthful of the drink you had and setting your glass on the nightstand. "Emily, I told you—"

"You're fine, I know. I call bullshit," she chuckled, nudging your leg with a painted toe. "I know it's not just because you're tired. You've barely been able to look at me or talk to me most of the day. Have I done something wrong?"

Your eyes widened. "No!" It came out louder than you meant to and lowered your voice. "No, Em, you haven't done anything wrong. It's just...me?"

She looked even more confused. "What do you mean?"

You groaned, leaning your head back against the headboard with your eyes closed. "Forget it, really. It's nothing."

She huffed, turning to face you with her legs tucked up beneath her. "It's not nothing. Obviously something is bothering you and you're not telling me what it is. I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything."

"That's the problem!" You said, frustrated. Before you could think, words came tumbling out. "You're my best friend. I can't tell you what it is because..."

"Because what?" She asked, inching closer. She was like a dog with a bone now, not going to rest until she got the truth from you.

"Because I'm not supposed to feel like this about my best friend," you mumbled, eyes squeezed shut still, bringing a hand up to cover them for good measure. You didn't want to see her face at your admission.

Her words came out low and reverent. "Feel like what?"

You brought your other hand up to scrub down your face with a frustrated sound. "You know what I'm saying, Em. Don't make it more embarrassing than it is."

"No, I really don't know," she said, placing a hand on your knee. "I need you to say it."

The air in the room turned thick and electric in a matter of seconds. You inhale sharply, still not daring to look at her as you turn your gaze to the ceiling.

"That damn red tank top," you mumble, as both a curse and a prayer.

She laughs disbelievingly, looking down and pulling at the neckline. "This old thing? That's what's got you all worked up?"

You groan in both frustration and eternal embarrassment. "No—I mean, yeah—but like, it's just you all the time and..."

Your hands have come back up to cover your face amidst your rambling, wanting nothing more than to sink down into the mattress and let it swallow you whole.

Soft hands wrap around your wrists and gently tug at them. "Look at me, pretty girl."

Your entire body flushes at her raspy tone, not to mention the nickname. You'd heard her call Spencer "Pretty Boy" in jest but this—this was different.

You reluctantly let her drag your hands away from your face as you cracked an eye to look at her. Her loose curls framed her face so perfectly, her rosy red bottom lip tucked up between her teeth. Those dark eyes that could easily intimidate serial killers were soft and full of sweet emotion, bracketed by dark, thick lashes. Not to mention her strong jaw and perfectly pointed nose—if Emily Prentiss was anything, she was stunning.

"Hi," you whispered, because what else could you say? With her hands still gently circling your wrists and her eyes piercing your gaze, you had very little cognitive function left.

Her hands released your wrists to cup your cheeks. She smiled softly, "Hi. How long have you been feeling this way?"

You swallowed thickly. "Realized it a few months ago, but I think since I met you."

Her smile widens as she brushes her thumbs over the apples of your cheeks. "And to think I was the only one."

"Huh?" You were confused. There was no way she...

"I've wanted you since the moment you walked into the BAU," she admitted, leaning in closer, your foreheads almost touching. "I just never thought it would be mutual."

You let out a long breath, feeling as though you could finally breath easy knowing she felt the same way. Her eyes flickered between your stunned gaze and your parted lips.

Your voice came out high and strained. "Kiss me, Em?"

"With pleasure," she smirked, closing the minuscule gap between your lips.

Your body instantly lit up, like a million little lights on a Christmas tree. A knot formed in your stomach as she licked into your mouth tentatively, moving so she was nearly straddling you. Your hands nervously slid over her hips to clutch at her waist, pulling her in.

Your lips separated for a moment, and your eyes fluttered open to see hers shiny and red, yours no doubt the same. Her gaze was heavy, her chest heaving. It took every inch of willpower not to paw at the red material covering the slopes of her chest.

"Eyes up here," she teased with a smirk, echoing her words from earlier.

"Ha-ha-ha," you huffed out a sarcastic laugh, "so funny."

She moved so she was fully straddling your lap, one hand cupping the back of your neck and the other tucking a stray hair behind your ear. You sucked in a sharp breath.

"I don't think there's anything funny about what we're about to do, pretty girl."

Her smile was wicked and you knew you were done for.

[alfiely-art]

About that character inmpression, ship thingy you posted... Of course I'l ask you about Yomi (you can answer each questions for him if you want 👀👀)

Aaaand hmmm

What do you think about Yomi x Seth, Hellxander, Fake Zilch x Seth, and Yomi x Fake Zilch x Seth ?

That might be a lot in one go, so uh, take your time!

OURGHHH Yomi. Okay this is gonna be a lot but lets-a go yahoo

Alright first off, first impression of him.

His introduction was literally golden. From his and Martina's Akira reference to Yomi fake-sobbing before coldly ordering Seth to be executed. I was kicking my feet. He immediately shot to my top favorite (before being kicked down again by Yuma and Makoto) but I absolutely enjoyed what an evil little gremlin he was from the very beginning. Honestly, one of the best introductions of a villain I've ever seen.

Next, headcanons. I think he was a theatre kid in high school. I'm saying this from experience. Every theatre kid goes through a little phase where they're evil and flamboyant it comes with the title. Yomi's just went on a little too long, silly silly boy. OH and I think he has chew toys. Being evil is stressful he's gotta chew on smth or else he'll just take it out on an underling, yk?

As for complaints and praise... weeeell, I thought his takedown was a little... anti-climatic? Like on the one hand, I'm very happy for Martina to get to send him to jail. You go girl. But also, he just sorta... accepts being arrested? I wanted him to resist more. Kicking scratching and screaming, yk?? He did a little of that but not much. And I wish we'd seen him in the epilogue, maybe as a small little shot of him in jail being all pouty. As for praise, I really love how fun-to-hate he is. The game makes it very clear he's horrible and you can't really sympathize with him, but also, he's just so fun to watch. Like. What's wrong with him *twirls hair*

Favorite pairing, hmmmmmmmmmm. Initially it was Makoyomi, but rn it's a three-way tie between Makoyomi, Yomiakou, and Hellxander. These dynamics are all just... really fascinating in all honesty. I want to study them. I'm so glad this fandom enjoys toxic yaoi I think I would go insane if there wasn't a plethora of content for these weirdos.

And finally, my overall opinion. He's my wife. My evil scrunkly meow meow. I'm gonna put a collar on him and cook him a yummy dinner while he's chained to a chair. Also his English VA is amazing and did a wonderful job making Yomi iconic, I'm planning on playing Raincode again but with JP voices to compare. He's the silliest villain I've ever seen. They did a great job with his writing, I think. He just, immediately grabs you- and when you look deeper into him it's genuinely so interesting and fun.

OKAY NOW FOR SHIPS.

Yomi x Seth is definitely an interesting ship for me. I don't actively think about it but when I come across content of them, my brain goes "fuck yeah". Sadly their interactions don't give us much to go off of as much as other pairs, but it's always a joy to see.

Hellxander. My beloved. Finding Fake!Zilch in the factory and hearing him ramble about Yomi was eye opening. Kodaka did not need to have that in there but it's there and it's amazing. I wish Yomi had a line or something about Zilch, I want to know how he feels about the guy. Was it a parasocial type of thing??? Was Yomi leading him along??? Please Kodaka. Yomi DLC where we visit Kanai Ward and Yomi is doing community service and having flashbacks to his old gay lover Hitman and he cries in the rain "I hate that ugly bowl cut detective!!!!!!! Curse you Yuma the Kokohead!!!!!!!"

Fake!Zilch x Seth isn't something I've ever really thought about, but I can kinda see a dynamic there. Frail little guy x tough hitman? Yeah that's certainly a good dynamic. I just don't know if this particular case would really... grab me?

And Yomi x Fake!Zilch x Seth... yeah I think that's just torture for Seth. Which is fine I like torturing the guy. I can definitely see Yomi being like "lol that seth guy is soooo funny to torment" and zilch is like "do you want me to torment him director yomi. Anything for you director yomi" and Seth is like "can I please just do my job. Please. Please"

[siancore]

Attoye College AU | Mature | 2.3k Words | Part 1/2 | AO3

Summary: Attuma and Okoye compete in collegiate taekwondo. They were on the same team but were rivals -- they were also sleeping together for around three months. They had done almost everything together, hate-sex to quick hookups after a training session, except they had never shares a kiss on the lips. That’s not something they did. That wasn’t part of their arrangement -- their secret rendezvous -- but it was something that Attuma daydreamed about all the time. 

Content: Language; sex scenes; secret relationship; pining; angst 

It was probably a silly daydream that played over and over in Attuma’s mind at the most inopportune and inappropriate moments. When he was supposed to be focused in his Geopolitics 101 class; when he and K’uk’ulkan were working on a project; when Namora was trying to show him a video on her phone that was sure to give them serotonin they needed to get through the week. His mind drifted off to a certain young woman: Okoye. The daydream? Pressing his lips to hers in a soft, chaste kiss.

Now, to anyone looking in from the outside, he and Okoye did not get on. They were rivals of sorts. The sport: Competitive collegiate taekwondo. While they were on the same team for their university, they competed against one another in singles competition. That’s how they also fell into bed together. Well, not so much bed, but the gender-neutral change room after a bout. Okoye went to follow Attuma to complain that his takedown was not one hundred percent legal, they argued for all of three seconds, before he had her pinned to the wall and they were engaged in hate-sex.

Now, Attuma didn’t hate Okoye. He liked her very much. But that became their pattern. Train, spar, compete, and then fuck. And not necessarily in that order. Sometimes, Okoye would send a text late at night, inviting Attuma over to her mixed dorm, and he would rush over and cater to her every whim. They would do everything except kiss on the mouth. They had never shared a kiss on the lips. Sure, he had put his mouth everywhere on her perfectly beautiful body, but never on her lips. It's something they just didn’t do. Some kind of unspoken agreement.

You didn’t kiss someone you didn’t like, right? But you could do everything else? They had their hands and mouths all over one another. Then, in the mornings, she would go back to acting like they were sworn enemies once more. It was maddening and frustrating all at once. But Attuma was not going to complain. He was going at Okoye’s pace. Whatever she wanted, he was happy to go with. That way, at least he got to be with her. He just wanted to know what it would be like to hold her in his arms and press a gentle, soft kiss to her heart-shaped lips.

“Winik?” asked Namora, dragging Attuma’s attention back from his daydream of Okoye.

“Uh?” he answered.

“Uh?” she mimicked, smacking the back of his head playfully. “Focus. We’re asking important questions here. What’re you wearing to the fundraiser masquerade ball?”

“Oh, right, yeah,” he replied, sheepish. “I don’t know. Are we going together as a trio?”

K’uk’ulkan nodded as Namora said, “Sure, why not?”

“Well maybe you should choose what we wear,” said Attuma.

“Maybe you should speak your mind sometimes,” said Namora, with a hint of something else behind her tone.

Attuma looked at her quickly, then rolled his eyes at his friend.

“I speak up just fine,” he replied, picking up his phone and pretending to scroll.

“Yeah, yeah,” Namora replied, before adding, “I’ll choose our outfits. This is going to be fun.”

xXxXx

 The gym closest to Attuma’s dorm was usually not as busy as the one situated in the large recreation center. He went there sometimes to clear his head and do repetitive physically draining activities. It would help him to sleep so he didn’t spend all night awake and running ridiculous scenarios through his head.

Scenarios like asking Okoye out on a date. Holding her hand in public so that everyone could see that she was with him. Kissing her hand and face and lips. Kissing her as they both smiled against one another’s lips. Sharing ice cream and kissing it from the corner of her mouth, causing her to giggle and playfully swat him away before crawling into his lap and kissing him.

Fuck. He needed to stop. That would never happen between him and Okoye. They were not like that. They were barely even fuck buddies. He was someone she had sex with because her schedule was so tight, and she was too busy to date. Well, that’s what she had told him when he asked why someone like her, smart and funny and hot, was single.

He nearly asked her out that night, after they had hurriedly used their hands to get one another off in the showers after training. Nearly did something stupid. Nearly ruined what they had going for them. Their arrangement. Their secret. Three months, now. Three months Okoye had let Attuma fuck her. Had let him wreck her. Had sought him out and given him the most mind-blowing sex of his life. For three months they had explored one another’s bodies. For three months Attuma had wanted to kiss Okoye. But that’s not what they did, and Attuma recognized that he was in too deep.

He let out an audible sigh as he placed another weight to the bar he was about to bench. He liked to push himself. Liked to feel that good ache deep inside of his bones. Liked to focus on the way it felt to push his body to its limits.

Attuma placed his towel down on the bench, and proceeded to lie down.

“You need a spotter?” came a feminine voice from beside.

Attuma turned to see a young White woman. She was wearing a uniform showing that she was an employee of the gym. Her brown hair pulled away from her face in a neat, low ponytail.

“Sure,” he replied with an amicable smile. “Thanks.”

“I’m Rachel,” she said, as she got into position behind him and placed her hands up under the bar.

He fixed his hands to the bar and got comfortable, before replying, “I’m Attuma.”

Rachel smiled at him and said, “I know.”

…

Attuma finished plaiting his hair as he stared in the mirror in the showers at the gym. He felt tired. Good, but tired. He was ready to go home and sleep. He grabbed his bag and made his way out of the gym. As he passed by Rachel, she smiled at him somewhat shyly.

“Thanks for spotting me,” said Attuma as he passed by.

“Anytime,” she replied. “I’m a bit of a fan.”

He stopped and eyed her curiously.

“A fan?”

“Yeah,” she said, coyly, before pointing to the notice board where a flyer for the taekwondo team was pinned. Attuma and Okoye were featured on it, standing back-to-back with their arms folded. “I think Okoye is great, too.”

Attuma stared at Okoye’s image for a beat longer than was necessary, and said, “Yeah, she is.”

He turned back to Rachel and said, “Thanks again for the help.”

“I’m happy to help you out anytime,” she said. “Literally, anything you need or want, just ask me. Here.”

Attuma looked down as Rachel slid a piece of paper across the counter. He picked it up and saw her name and number scrawled in neat handwriting.

“Text me if you like,” she said somewhat shyly. “For anything.”

Attuma took the piece of paper, placed it in his pocket, and gave Rachel a smile.

“Yeah, okay,” he said with another smile. “Thanks.”

…..

Attuma was home for about twenty minutes when a text came through on his phone. It was Okoye.

| Okoye | What are you doing? Want to come over?

He stared down at the message. His tummy swooped and his heart did something weird in his chest. He hadn’t seen Okoye for a few days. He was missing her, but he was tired.

| Attuma | I’m beat. Just came from the gym.

| Okoye | Alright. So you don’t wanna come over?

Attuma sighed. He didn’t know why he let her use him like that. He knew she was using him. But he wanted her.

| Attuma | Of course I do. I’m just beat.

He watched as she typed her message.

| Okoye | You want me to come over to you?

| Attuma | Fuck yes..

He typed that out way too quickly because, apparently, he had not pride when it came to Okoye.

She was there in less than twenty minutes. They were in bed in less than three minutes.

Attuma had one hand splayed against Okoye’s hip, and the other caressing her chest as she rode him. Her long braids draped down her beautiful frame as she rolled her hips and took her pleasure from him. The soft, overhead light washed over her, backlit, and looking like an angel. She was fucking breathtaking.

Okoye took hold of Attuma’s hand and brought it to her mouth. She kissed his knuckles before sucking his finger between her lips while staring down at him. He almost came inside of her at the sight. She brought his hand down to her clit and smiled at him as she slid up and down his aching cock. He strummed and thrust up into her. He could tell she was close. He could always tell. Their bodies were so in tune with one another.

Small gasps were falling from Okoye’s lips with every deft thrust of Attuma’s hips. He held her in place with both hands and fucked up into her, causing her head to roll back and her moans to grow louder.

She held onto his strong forearms to balance herself as she whimpered his name, “Attuma. Hmmm, fuck.”

Okoye continued to roll her hips, meeting Attuma’s thrusts, before she came with a loud moan. Her body shuddered as Attuma fucked her through her orgasm. He flipped her onto her back, while he remained buried deep inside of her. He continued thrusting his hard cock in and out of her tight, wet heat. She was pulsing around him. He bit down onto her neck as he drilled her wildly, almost feral. She came a second time, digging her nails into his back, before he withdrew his big, thick cock and came all over the inside of Okoye’s thigh.

“Fuck,” he breathed, as he collapsed on top of Okoye. “Baby. Baby.”

Okoye held onto his broad shoulders, fighting to catch her breath as he pressed biting kisses to her skin.

“Fuck,” he said again against her neck, where he kissed her.

Attuma kissed his way from her neck to her ear, whispering how good she was, before kissing up to her face. He cupped her jaw in his hand and they stared at one another, eyes blown wide and chests heaving. Attuma held Okoye’s gaze as he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered gently, quietly. “So fucking beautiful.”

Okoye seemed almost bashful as she tried to turn her head and look away. Attuma held her in place and started to lean in to kiss her lips.

“Attuma,” she whispered, gently pushing him back. “You’re so heavy – and I’m a mess. Come on.”

She patted his shoulder as if she were tapping out of a sparring match.

“Come on,” said Okoye once more, as she shifted under his weight. “Move.”

Attuma let out a sigh and did as he was told. He rolled to his back and let his forearm cover his eyes as he listened to Okoye move about his room.

“Wet wipes are in the top drawer,” he said, knowing that’s what she was looking for.

“Thanks,” Okoye replied, before cleaning herself up and finding her discarded clothing.

Attuma rolled to his side and watched her get dressed. She was stunning and devastating. An ache settled in his chest.

“The fundraiser,” said Attuma, causing Okoye to look down at him. “I’m going with Namora and K’uk’ulkan, but I can ditch them if you – if you, y’know, wanted to come with me.”

Okoye almost stumbled over as she pulled her pants up over her hips.

“Oh,” was all she said, before searching for her t-shirt.

Attuma let out a nervous little laugh, and then said, “I’m asking you to come with me, ‘Koye. Like, as my date.”

He sat up then, running his hand over his hair. Watching as she silently slipped her shoes on.

“You gonna say something or leave me sitting here like a dickhead?”

“Attuma, I –”

“What?”

“I don’t have time to date anyone right now.”

He felt all of the air leave his body.

“Anyone?” he said, incredulously. “I’m not asking you to date just anyone, I’m asking you to give me a chance.”

“Attuma.”

“So, I’m good enough to fuck you, but not good enough to be seen in public with you, uh?”

“That’s not what I –”

“Forget it,” he said, as he stood up, searching for his sweatpants. “Forget I even said anything.”

“Attuma,” said Okoye, as smoothed down her clothing.

“Don’t,” he replied. “Don’t patronize me. Please lock the door on your way out.”

“Att—”

“Goodbye, Okoye.”

She gave him a stern look, squared her shoulders, and then said, “Bye.”

He felt hot tears well in his eyes as he watched Okoye leave his room.

“Fuck!” said Attuma, as he flopped back down on his bed, placing both hands to the side of his head. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

After a moment, he picked up his phone to send Okoye a message of apology. He stopped himself. Chided himself for being so weak for her. So weak for someone who didn’t even want to kiss him after letting him do everything else. Someone who discarded his feelings. The sadness soon gave way to hurt. He needed to get over this stupid little crush. Okoye was never going to want him the way he wanted her. He needed to move on and get over her.

Attuma reached into his pocket and retrieved the piece of paper with Rachel’s number written on it. He typed it into his phone, saved it, and then typed out a message: Hey. It’s Attuma. Did you want to go out on a date with me some time?

He hit send and then sat staring at the wall. A second later, a reply came through.

| Rachel | Hi! Yes! I would love to go out with you. Just let me know when and where xx

[demifiendrsa]

Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways - Launch Trailer

Japanese version

Resident Evil 4 remake downloadable content “Separate Ways” will launch on September 21, 2023 for $9.99 alongside a free update for “The Mercenaries”.

Screenshots

Overview

“Separate Ways” explores another side of the reawakened tale, following Ada Wong on a clandestine mission that reunites the agent with Leon S. Kennedy during his search for the president’s missing daughter. Alongside the release of “Separate Ways,” a free update for “The Mercenaries” will go live the same day, introducing Ada Wong and her notorious employer Albert Wesker as playable characters for the popular bonus mode. In “Separate Ways,” Ada Wong travels to a lonely and rural part of Europe to infiltrate a village controlled by the religious group known as Los Iluminados. Under orders from Albert Wesker, Ada is assigned to obtain the cult’s darkest secret: a mysterious material known as “the Amber.” Her operation intertwines with Leon S. Kennedy’s search for the president’s missing daughter, providing an alternate perspective on the main story that uncovers events that unfold behind the scenes. Alongside the highly acclaimed gunplay, combat, and knife mechanics of Resident Evil 4, “Separate Ways” introduces an additional feature to the experience that takes the fast-paced action to exciting new heights. For this exhilarating mission, Ada is armed with a Grappling Gun that can be used to swing across chasms, make rapid ascents, and plunge into the depths below. She can also wield the device in combat to take on enemies in close quarters and launch into melee takedowns from a distance.

[lenbryant]

(LongPost) U.S. Announces Plan to Counter Russian Influence Ahead of 2024 Election

American spy agencies have assessed that the Kremlin favors former President Donald J. Trump, seeing him as skeptical of U.S. support for Ukraine.

The United States on Wednesday announced a broad effort to push back on Russian influence campaigns in the 2024 election, trying to curb the Kremlin’s use of state-run media and fake news sites to sway American voters.

The actions include sanctions, indictments and seizing of web domains that U.S. officials say the Kremlin uses to spread propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine, which Russia invaded more than two years ago.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Wednesday announced actions by the Justice Department, including the indictment of two Russian employees of RT, the state-owned broadcaster, who used a company in Tennessee to spread content, and the takedown of a Russian malign influence campaign known as Doppelganger.

“The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power engages in political activities or seeks to influence public discourse,” Mr. Garland said.

The Treasury Department sanctioned ANO Dialog, a Russian nonprofit that helps run the Doppleganger network, as well as the editor in chief of RT, Margarita S. Simonyan, and her deputies.

The State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information pertaining to foreign interference in an American election and sanctioned five Russian state-funded news outlets, including RT, Ruptly and Sputnik.

American officials have been stepping up their warnings about Russian election influence efforts. American spy agencies have assessed that the Kremlin favors former President Donald J. Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in the November contest, seeing him as more skeptical of U.S. support for Ukraine.

Mr. Garland said the charges announced on Wednesday were not the end of the case: “The investigation is ongoing.”

The Justice Department and the F.B.I. have also been investigating a handful of Americans accused of knowingly spreading false Kremlin narratives. But officials have emphasized they are not aiming to curb free speech. Americans who merely repeat or spread stories they see on Russian state media are not being investigated as part of the efforts, officials said.

The United States has said that Russian intelligence agencies have been using RT, the state-owned broadcaster, to spread disinformation through bots and other efforts. U.S. officials have been looking more closely at how the Kremlin and its spy agencies use RT to influence the election.

The indictment on Wednesday charged two Russian employees of RT, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. They are accused of spending $10 million to secretly pay the unnamed Tennessee company to spread nearly 2,000 English-language videos on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and X. The videos, most of which support the goals of the Russian government, have gained 16 million views on YouTube, according to the Justice Department.

Mr. Garland said the videos were “often consistent with Russia’s interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Russian interests, particularly its ongoing war in Ukraine.” The company, he said, never disclosed its ties to the Russian government.

After a terrorist attack on a concert venue in Moscow in March, Ms. Afanasyeva directed the Tennessee company to focus on the false narrative that Ukraine was responsible, a critical propaganda push by the Kremlin.

Mr. Garland held a meeting of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force on Wednesday and is expected to announce the indictments and detail the government’s latest efforts to halt Russian interference. Other officials, including Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, and Matthew G. Olsen, the head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, will be in attendance.

The United States was caught flat-footed in 2016 as its spy agencies learned about Russian efforts to influence the vote on behalf of Mr. Trump and were late in warning the public. In subsequent elections, U.S. intelligence officials were more aggressive at quickly calling out Russian, Chinese and Iranian efforts to influence American elections.

Officials say that fighting election interference has been more difficult this year. Some Americans, particularly Mr. Trump’s supporters, see accusations that Russia is spreading disinformation as efforts to undermine their views and policy positions.

The United States has already taken action against Russian organizations it believes are trying to influence American politics. In March, the Treasury Department sanctioned a Russian group that has aided efforts to create fake news sites that spread misinformation, and in July it seized two internet domains that it also linked to RT and the Federal Security Service, a successor of the Soviet K.G.B.

The Justice Department action builds on that, saying it was seizing 32 more domains that were used to covertly spread Russian propaganda. According to the government affidavit, the Doppelganger campaign is run by Sergei Kiriyenko, a former prime minister who is now President Vladimir V. Putin’s first deputy chief of staff.

Mr. Wray, the F.B.I. director, said the fake news sites had been seized by the government as of noon.

Mr. Kiriyenko, according to court papers, had directed the malign influence campaign at least since 2022.

Mr. Garland said a Russian internal planning document stated that “the aim of the campaign is securing Russia’s preferred outcome in the election.”

The Doppelganger network used sites that impersonated legitimate news entities. The network used fake social media profiles impersonating Americans to make readers believe they were linking to legitimate news media.

The fake news sites targeted specific audiences in the United States by mimicking sites like Fox News and The Washington Post. The posts on the fake Post site had a pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine viewpoint, according to the court papers.

The network has primarily focused on misinformation campaigns aimed at derailing military funding for Ukraine as Congress wrestled with a contentious vote this year.

The war in Ukraine has made November’s election one of the most pivotal for Mr. Putin. While Ms. Harris is expected to continue the Biden administration’s vigorous support for Ukraine, Mr. Trump has pledged to end the war quickly, forcing the parties into negotiations. His vice-presidential nominee, JD Vance, has spoken disparagingly about providing funding for Ukraine.

Edward Wong contributed reporting from Washington.

Steven Lee Myers covers misinformation and disinformation from San Francisco. Since joining The Times in 1989, he has reported from around the world, including Moscow, Baghdad, Beijing and Seoul. More about Steven Lee Myers

[kharmii]

the narrative goes more and more into hate hate and even more hate... it's tiring... I'm sure it is for you as well...

so with this ask I want to know something that you enjoyed recently. Something making you feel better. You can also infodump a little about one of your favorite topics.

I hope you don't mind this blunt question. Just think it's important to take a break and focus on the positive as well.

Just so happens I have a facetious rant. When I first got into Dabiten, I thought....why are there no videos on YouTube of Geten with his hood down? There are a few with glowing eyed gremlin Geten fighting Dabi, but fans might have made them for Dabi because Geten is the most background of background characters. I was all set to make my own compilation video months ago, but then I realized one can't download episodes off Crunchyroll onto a PC, just mobile. I'm old, and I like to do all my work on the PC. The project was abandoned.

Fast forward to two days ago when I had all the episodes I needed to make my compilation video downloaded thanks to the My Hero Academia wiki which is one of the most edited there is. One can look up a character they like and find data on every appearance they've made in both the anime and manga. I also had to relearn how to cut and splice together edited scenes. The last time I did this was six years ago when I made the Best of Renegades Mindbender video from G.I. Joe: Renegades.

Before I made the Geten video, however, I wanted to make a compilation video of the absolute best most funny thing I've ever seen on MHA -that is still funny six months later- and that is during S6.E.12 Dabi's Dance when Best Jeanist asked Bakugo if he was able to look beyond himself and pick out a good hero name. Bakugo replied he had a name and wanted to tell him in person. It was Great Explosion Murder God Dynamite!

Five episodes later in E.17 The Wrong Way to Put Out A Fire, Best Jeanist passes Bakugo in a hospital hallway and asks, "Great Explosion Murder God Dynamite, are you okay?" I about died. I put those two scenes in a compilation video, along with two more scenes with other characters -Ingenium and Rumi Usagiyama- calling Bakugo by his new hero name. When I went to upload it to YouTube, it was immediately blocked for copyright so only I could see it. In order to get it unblocked, I'd have to cut the first fifty seconds of a minute and a half video.

I appealed the decision claiming 'free use for entertainment purposes'. After all, everybody and their grandma is putting up similar MHA content with no problem. I also credited the people who owned the franchise. Looking at the details of the copyright issue, it turns out the owner has a content ID claim against the content (which might be why my idea hasn't been done before). I still disputed it. The owner of the copyright has a couple options.

After you dispute

After you submit a dispute, the person that claimed your video (the claimant) has 30 days to respond.

What the claimant can do

Release the claim: If the claimant agrees with your dispute, they can release their claim. If you were previously monetizing the video, your monetization settings will be restored automatically when all claims on your video are released. Learn more about monetization during Content ID disputes.

Reinstate the claim: If the claimant believes that their claim is still valid, they can reinstate it. This means that your dispute was rejected and the claim stays on your video. You may be eligible to appeal this decision.

Submit a takedown request: If the claimant believes that their claim is still valid, they can submit a copyright takedown request. If the takedown request is valid, your video is removed from YouTube and your channel gets a copyright strike. Learn more about options for resolving a copyright strike.

Let the claim expire: If the claimant doesn’t respond within 30 days, the claim on your video will expire and be released from your video.

I still haven't heard back from the owner of the copyright. Best case scenario is they release the claim, but I'd be happy if they'd ignore it and let the claim expire. That would be the ultimate in delayed gratification, but at least I'd get to share the damn thing twenty-eight days from now. Expect to see it here in exactly four weeks if that happens.

In the meantime, I'll eventually get working on the Geten video for fun. We'll see if that also gets a content ID claim against it. If so, hopefully that too will expire after thirty days, and I won't have wasted my time for nothing. Sheesh, this never happened after I posted all those G.I. Joe videos. Hasbro Studios, LLC, the owners of the franchise, just put a copyright claim against all my fan videos so that they were advertised and had a link to the movie The M.A.S.S. Device | G.I. JOE A Real American Hero | 40th Anniversary Special | G.I. Joe Official put on all my videos.

Side note: I love how all YouTube videos somehow automatically generate a transcript of every bit of text in any given video. That's amazing programmers were able to make that happen. I'd like to see the punctuation be accurate and have the ability to cut out the timestamps every other second, but the fact it exists is amazing enough. Maybe someday...

-Like seriously, why do we have this on YouTube.....

.......but not this:

[mariacallous]

Russia’s largest fan-fiction portal drops LGBT access: The Internet’s biggest collection of Russian-language fan fiction, Ficbook.net, announced on Friday that it will start blocking LGBT-themed stories for users inside Russia, in compliance with the federal censor’s takedown orders. Ficbook’s creators said the decision was difficult but necessary to lift Roskomnadzor’s block and restore access to the platform’s main content. (Authors will retain access to their work, reviews, and “likes,” says Ficbook.)

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS (INCLUDING ETSY), LATE MAY 2024

It's been an eventful couple of weeks since I took my brief vacation, so here's a relatively long ecommerce news update - just skip the topics you don't care about, and read the ones you do!

The SEO and Marketing update should also be out tonight, barring any emergencies.

Get these updates plus my website blog posts via email: http://bit.ly/CindyLouWho2Blog Get all of the most timely updates plus exclusive content by supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/CindyLouWho2

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

Etsy’s 2023 Transparency Report was mostly more of the same: lots of takedowns of valid listings, more automation, and more promises to fix things. How do they plan on “clarifying” Etsy policies to both buyers and sellers? Stay tuned…

Etsy CEO Josh Silverman recently revealed more details [post by me on Patreon] about how the company intends Etsy search to work now. While I have been telling folks this for a while, I think it is important to reiterate: it's not all about keywords, titles and tags any more! (although they still have a small impact) Silverman wants Etsy search ranking to be about:

shipping on time

"people are always delighted with the item and give you 5-star reviews"

responding to Etsy Messages quickly

"appropriate" shipping prices*

a "good return policy" [yes, I think that means accepting most returns]

*no idea what that means; I am sure we are about to find out. Caps on shipping charges for some types of items - as they do on eBay - are possible, as are mandatory Etsy Label use for a few countries. 

He didn't mention image quality here, but does cover that elsewhere - they are correlating that with the quality of the item, to some extent. So, if you want visibility on Etsy, stop worrying so much about changing tags, and start worrying about running your business the way Etsy wants you to run it. Is this fair to long time businesses on the platform? Not really, as Etsy systems often punish sellers who live in countries without cheap tracking, who create complicated custom items that take weeks to ship, and who do not work overtime 7 days a week to jump whenever Etsy or a buyer says they must. But this is how Etsy is changing, and each shop must decide for themselves what they want to do about it. 

I am seeing some odd Etsy shop suspensions lately, some of which seem to involve not shipping within processing times - or not getting the first scan within processing times - and no other major risks or policy violations. While Etsy restored that shop less than a day after I posted everywhere, I am still receiving other complaints with similar issues, or worse: no apparent reason for the closure at all. One yesterday did win their appeal and has been reopened, but others have had no luck. 

ETSY NEWS 

If you set up an official Father’s Day sale on Etsy, check to see that the correct percentage off was used - there are reports of errors. E.g., trying to set a minimum order of $50 could lead to orders over 50 cents going through. Some sellers report they have been able to get refunds from Etsy. If you didn't set up a Father's Day sale, check to see if you are running one anyway, as Etsy seems to have opted some shops in without their permission. Both issues are covered in this forum thread, and the unauthorized sales are also discussed on Reddit. An Etsy employee says “we’re investigating the issue”, but doesn’t clarify which issue. Over on Reddit, a seller posted an Etsy Support response which denies sales were set up by Etsy without any action by the seller. This person did get reimbursed for a sale they didn’t set up, but it was also set to the wrong discount (a 30 cent minimum). 

The old Etsy listing page will disappear as of June 25; I covered the story on Patreon. Within 2 days, Etsy clarified that more changes would be coming, so I guess the complaints worked for some issues. If you are struggling with it, here are a few tips on making it work. 

There seems to be an uptick in payment reserves again; please let me know if you see anything interesting out there. 

A new Etsy tool for punishing “risky” shops: reducing the maximum daily Etsy Ads budget. There are threads here and also here, plus I have received emails. 

The latest buyer test is to allow refunds to be paid out as Etsy credits they can use immediately to make a new order. Etsy claims this will not affect how sellers issue refunds. Obviously this is great for Etsy, as the company may hold on to the money for months or years if the customer doesn't want to make an order right away, or doesn't use all of the credit, but it could also be good for buyers, as some other types of refunds can take over a week to process in some jurisdictions.

As is being discussed in the Etsy forum, Etsy is currently testing placing other shop’s listings - including paid Ads - on shop home pages. Here is one example:

[Screenshot courtesy Tracy of Pooch and Tabby.] While the listings are marked as “More from other sellers”, it’s easy to imagine some shoppers not noticing that, given that the listings appear right below the shop ones, and above feedback. Depending on how similar the photo styles are:

[Screenshot courtesy of BlackSheepDyeworks] the fact this is a different shop could be missed. Remember, it is just a test, so it may go away and never reappear. It could also be on every home page forever starting tomorrow, or it could be something that they will charge you to have removed (i.e., more “benefits” for the shop tiers they surveyed sellers on.)

Another Etsy test is changing how we can set up sales; they’ve added a separate option for discounts with order minimums, but have removed the ability to offer free shipping above order minimums. 

Sellers in India will no longer be able to make domestic sales, starting June 3. [I really do not understand this change; perhaps the payment methods are no longer possible. Remember that Etsy was making an extra cut on sales within India, as they forced sellers there to ship domestic orders using Etsy Labels, starting last April.] At the same time, Indian sellers need to sign up for Etsy Payments between June 3 and July 31, and must provide a GSTIN number to continue to sell on the site. 

Etsy apparently disabled 3 different drop shipping integrations in early May, due to non-compliance with the third-party integration policy. This should not affect shops using accepted integrations, such as the many POD sites that Etsy allows if the seller designed the product. 

Having issues with Etsy saying your items were not tracked when they really were? If you provide evidence for each order and then keep demanding Support deal with it, you might succeed, as this seller did.

Etsy has already moved ahead with changing Canadian calculated shipping to the new Canada Post Etsy Labels rates they offer, without a specific announcement on the topic. That has led to some Canadian sellers finding they have undercharged a great deal for shipping, if they use methods other than Etsy Labels. The only mention was at the bottom of the shipping label price reductions announcement, which some didn’t notice and some were confused by, and of course, people who never want to use Etsy Labels didn’t even read.  

Etsy edits its Prohibited Items Policy several times a year; the latest changes involve “Violent Items”. 

Etsy removes results for certain prohibited words - for example, try searching for “taser” - and has finally added the word “porn” to that list. Here, I searched it for you so you don’t have to:

CNBC published a short news story, and a much longer video, on current Etsy problems and what may happen in the future. Of note: “In a comment to CNBC, Etsy said that it recognizes its current definition of handmade, includes a broad spectrum of items, and will clarify its policies to be more transparent about what belongs on Etsy in the coming months”.

Etsy was called out for allowing the sale of fake seeds purporting to grow “cat-faced flowers”, but of course the images are AI-generated. 

They finally arrested one of the people running those fake Etsy Support phone number ads. 

Wells Fargo thinks Etsy will benefit from Temu giving less attention to the US market. 

ECOMMERCE NEWS (minus social media)

Amazon

Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) items with what Amazon deems a “high return rate” will be subject to extra fees per return starting June 1, 2024. 

Some Amazon sellers need to reverify their accounts due to the Inform Act. 

eBay

eBay is apparently testing allowing buyers to make a price match request after the purchase was completed. Sellers can decline the offer and even cancel the order. 

One of eBay’s subsidiaries is facing a union-busting claim. The complaints include unfair treatment of disabled employees, and placement of surveillance cameras. 

The eBay UK user agreement now mentions “Simple Delivery”, but it is not clear what that means. 

Poshmark

“Promoted Closet” is a new ad tool from Poshmark that allows US sellers to promote their whole shop at once. “Poshmark didn’t say when the feature will roll out to Canada.”

Shopify

Alavara’s tax services are now able to be integrated with all types of Shopify subscriptions.

Shopify’s slowing growth projections led to the stock tanking May 8, even though they are still predicting “second-quarter revenue to grow at a high-teens percentage.” 

Squarespace

After 3 years of poor performance as a public company, Squarespace is once again going private; private equity firm Permira is paying $44 a share, which is 30% above the stock’s recent price. Minority investors are suing, saying they are not getting a fair price. 

Walmart

Walmart cut a partnership deal with Disney, letting Disney streaming services target ads at viewers based on their Walmart data profiles. 

Walmart Marketplace sellers have been surveyed on what they might want out of a seller forum. 

All Other Marketplaces

Mercari says its new fee structure seems to be bringing in new users and new listings, so they are considering more changes, such as surge pricing on buyer fees. They are also changing their return policy back to their old one, starting May 22. “After careful consideration and listening intently to feedback from our seller community, we have decided to reinstate our prior return policy effective May 22, 2024 at 12:00 AM PST. “Returns for any reason” will no longer apply.”

Secondhand marketplaces were called out for allowing significant fraud in a new UK study. Etsy-owned Depop fared the worst, with over half of buyers saying they had “experienced a scam on the site.” Facebook had better numbers than Amazon and eBay. 

Depop’s CEO Kruti Patel Goyal recently gave an interview to Glossy [text excerpts with podcast link] discussing how GenZ loves resale, her history at Etsy, and changes they are working on at Depop. 

All Other Website Builders

PrestaShop will be offering “Click to Pay” in several European countries - France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom - allowing buyers to skip entering their card info at purchase. They plan on expanding it to more countries and regions in the future. 

Shipping 

USPS wants to raise Parcel Select rates around 25% this summer. They are also delaying their reductions in processing locations until 2025. 

Canada Post claims it could run out of money in 2025, and lost $748 million in 2023. “Canada Post has been losing money since 2018. In the last six years, its losses have totalled $3 billion.”

[libertineangel]

Don't remember if I mentioned before but my instructor finally did a uniform order so I can wear the mid-level shirt, he said tonight it'll probably be here in a week, maybe two, at least in time for the next grading, and of course the new shirt (a small size this time) will be nice but more notably I feel that implies he thinks I'll actually be ready to grade next month, which is a nice vote of confidence 'cause honestly it wouldn't have surprised me too much if he thought I was still a bit too rough around the edges, there's a lot of content in this grade and I don't feel 100% on it yet

Tonight my regular training partner wasn't there so I was mostly working with a new guy, told to defend a random strike with literally any of the shit from this grade - disarm, takedown, control, including bits from the flow drill - and some of them I think I've got pretty solid (especially the disarms and some of the high takedowns I did the other week with the jiu-jitsu expert) but others I do still need more work on, there's this one in particular where you trap their arm between your forearm & stick and the instructor did it in such a way that he could then bend their arm for a takedown but I'm not sure how

The other guy was working on basic defences to a strike followed by a punch, which I did countless times early on, and it is nice to be at a grade where I help the lower people again but from a position of being experienced enough rather than being close to their level