#they don't have that much in common under the surface and would definitely disagree on ethics and politics

[wolvesrain]

sometimes kaz's peace walker dialogue and line delivery (english VA) just reminds me of sylvain fire emblem especially the kaz date mission vs sylvain's teatime

[crypticanexe]

OTW Board Election Candidate Opinion

This is a very long, very opinionated post. A far cry from my usual. I will not be arguing or debating anyone on it. If we disagree, fair enough! I respect that. So all I ask is you not come for my neck either.

NOTE: Some words are fully censored due Tumblrs own TOS. Please note the Q&A is linked at the bottom for the uncensored version of her words.

That said, as I'm sure a lot of people have seen already, voting for the OTW Board has begun. And I've already seen a lot of people shouting not to vote in favor of Tiffany G.

And, I have to agree.

I, unfortunately, cannot partake in the vote, but I've done some digging anyway. Nothing better to do on a Thursday than voice my opinion into the void that is Tumblr.

Tiffany seems to be in favor of censorship. I say seems because this is just based on what's in front of me, she's not outright said so. Just barely brushed the surface of it.

But let's not get ahead of the game. Let's go through a minor breakdown of the Q&A

In the interview on August 1st, Tiffany stated;

"Well, I think a lot of external people are very concerned about the fact that some works contain child ****, p******** content, and other illegal content."

Let's be honest here folks - there's some truth to this. There are some works published on the site that are vile, or downright contain depictions that would be illegal in real-world scenarios. That is the cost of absolutely no censorship. I think the "Other illegal content" is...more of a grey area, considering the basis of fanfiction; partaking in fictional worlds and universes. For example; gambling under a certain age is illegal, but in the context of 'Kakegurui' clearly, their world doesn't abide by that same rule. That's a very basic comparison, but you get it.

My point? I definitely have opinions on the rampant written **** of children and p********, that I don't think should exist, but the third example is just too broad. Not to mention "External people are concerned." Censorship isn't going to solve that problem. External people are concerned with a tirade of things - the real problems, Gay things, violence, etc. That's how people think and act. What censorship will do, is cause a chain reaction.

One of the biggest reasons for this is a common argument; children are on AO3. Here's the thing - it is not the responsibility of the internet to protect or raise your child. It is not my job as an author to limit what I am writing to being "teen appropriate" because little Timmy went on AO3 and found explicit violence. (See; NC-17 ban).

Moving on, the next segment I want to dissect is this,

"OK this is a follow-up to the last question – people think we host child **** content and such things. This issue is actually closely related to the incident when our service is banned in my home country. It might also be helpful to clarify that to the public."

Firstly, let's start with that home country ban. In 2020, the Chinese government banned AO3 due to an incident regarding a drama, "The Untamed" and an RPF written for actor Xiao Zhan. While it does seem to be what initially started that downhill slope of the Mainland China AO3 ban, it actually seems to still exist more because of China's overall censorship.

I don't want to dwell on that particular part much. I don't know much about China's censorship beyond face value, and I don't know much about this incident specifically. If you want to know more, I encourage you to do the research. I encourage that anyway, really.

The second part though, "clarify that to the public", is a bit odd. Who is "the public"? AO3 has its own social media accounts, but I found AO3 through the author's crossposting on FF.net 5 years ago. Who exactly are we clarifying this for, and what are we clarifying? The public's opinion will vary wildly by country, or area, regardless. That's what makes the broadness an issue.

AO3 has always been a '100% inclusive space' which relies on the lack of censorship to sustain that stance. Take one of the biggest points; LBGTQ+ rep. We are constantly filtered out across the web, and across country borders on other sites. This ties into that chain reaction I mentioned, one domino falls and they all come down.

Trucking forward, here's a long segment;

"I support 100% “maximum inclusiveness of content”, yet there is always a boundary to everything. Since OTW is already an influential org, we need to protect our image and hold a better image to the public. I want the public to think of us as an inclusive and socially responsible community. So in general, we have to do something to change. Things like making the rating system more specific and obvious to users will be what I want to do.

Not really restricting the content being posted. I hope it is like more warnings and ratings for posting work so people know what to expect. And all of these are not surprising to people who do not wish to see this."

So, that's a LOT. And my first comment is that it feels contradictory, if only because of its vagueness. You agree with the maximum inclusiveness, but that there are always boundaries. Now, that in itself is true and not the issue - but where is the boundary? Where do you draw the line in the sand?

There is something I do agree with here though; better tagging. Not necessarily revamping what's already there, but giving more. I.e - the 'Underage' tag is very....not explanatory at all, until you open it and find..well, what you'd expected if you've read this far. But there are fiction, written about teens that include scenes like kissing. That's not bad, but it is considered Underage. Sometimes it makes it to the tag, sometimes it doesn't. But that's the issue - with that tag, you cannot differentiate the two except to read through the results.

I can't push this thought enough; I agree that some things on AO3 are just fucked, but censorship is such a slippery slide, that better ratings and tagging seems a much more reasonable route to go.

All in all, I think there are a couple valid points, but there are far to many that vaguely fall in favor of censorship. Once you begin to censor something, the domino effect will occur. Just look at the NC-17 ban on FF.net all those years ago. I was an avid user of FF.net as a kid. It's where I uploaded my first ever fic. But eventually, I moved on to AO3. Not because I was chasing the said NC-17 fics, but everyone else left because of the ban. The once...decently active community had dwindled some.

At the end of the day, it falls to those who can vote, and what you think is best. That's the point of a democratic voting system for the Board. This is just the opinionated rambling of some random guy on the internet.

I'll leave you with all my resources for this wordy and useless piece below, along with a last segment from that Q&A that really cemented why I believe she is on the side of Censorship.

"(Sveritas): "Please clarify how you propose we treat the content we currently have in the archive that should be banned with those proposed TOS changes."

(Tiffany) "If there are changes, it is going to be some slower work I suspect. Will work with PAC to figure out if changes are necessary."

Q&A Tiffany G's Profile 2020 China AO3 Ban (Vox) FF.net NC-17 Ban (Fanlore)

[punkscowardschampions]

Liam & Edie

Liam: [sends her some kind of coded thing where the answer equals 6 when she works it out so she knows he's not living his best life without her because they're both weird little nerds] Edie: I'm so insanely bored Edie: what lesson are you in and how many negative ⭐s is it Liam: german Liam: all the negatives Liam: [sends her a picture of his textbook with everyone's eyes stabbed out via pencil holes like miss you] Edie: awh, you wanna give me schadenfreude 😍🥴 Edie: that's generous Edie: I was just thinking that a Columbine would liven this place up Liam: write your list, I'll try & think of anyone I'd wanna keep off mine except for you Edie: but being the last ones standing is what we aim for Edie: and what I want right now Liam: anything else you want before I kick that plan off? Edie: don't need time to say any final farewells to any dickhead in this place Liam: you've got a steadier hand, I'll need you to carve no farewells onto the bullets Edie: more deserving use of my time than whatever I'm not being taught right now Edie: how's your aim though? Liam: -9 ⭐s for the lesson you're in Liam: but + it for my aim Edie: my fault for naively thinking Physics might be interesting when I picked it Edie: forgot we were catering for the braindead masses Edie: I believe it, no bullshit brag detected Liam: chemistry would've let you blow more things up Liam: & make 💊 Edie: 😤 I'm mad Edie: no amount of black holes are gonna make up for this Liam: we'll learn it online Edie: but I wanna blow things up with you now Edie: or not learn German vocab Liam: let's go blow up a 🚽 they have to let you out in case you're about to bleed or cry in front of everyone Edie: and am I? Liam: in front of me & whoever else is in there Liam: unless you wanna upload it after Edie: I do need to make the overreaction my fam had over the weekend worth the headache Edie: owed more trouble, like Liam: my dad was on one too, he's the only one not allowed to show up by his logic Liam: you want a bigger scale? every 🚽 in the building Liam: maybe school would have to shut Edie: Know that, my sister is the definition of one rule for her, another for the rest of us Edie: I reckon we could do 'em all without getting caught in the act Edie: more fun after the fact 📹 to claim it Liam: just need to get creative with our explosives, I won't have enough 🧨 to do every bathroom Liam: you in the labs or a standard classroom? Edie: labs Edie: she's scheduled a breakdown any moment now anyway, she's always pissing off to cry herself so I'll take my opportunity and cue as such Liam: 3 HNO3 + C6H7(OH)3O2  H2SO4 →  C6H7(ONO2)3O2 + 3 H2O Liam: only need nitric & sulphuric acid from you Edie: you're a hot evil genius, okay Liam: there's a story behind it but maybe I shouldn't give it to you Liam: keep that train of thought intact Edie: but I need it Edie: I can keep 'em both on track, trust me Liam: you need it? tell me about that first Edie: I love stories Edie: and I liked talking to you, a lot Edie: and I like it when you give me things Edie: so yeah, it's a need Liam: to make you happy then Liam: the year is 1846 and this german-swiss scientist was messing in his kitchen Liam: he spilled a mixture of those 2 acids I told you to get on his table & grabbed the first thing he had about to clean it up Liam: happened to be a cotton apron & he hung it on his oven door to dry after, super chill until it exploded Edie: that's perfect Edie: scientists really loved making shit happen on accident, just like all life Edie: 🧫🦠 Liam: I was an accident & look how that turned out Edie: Big same Liam: my sister too, different loser dad though Edie: yeah? Edie: we've got that in common too Liam: does seem to be pretty common Edie: happy little accidents Edie: or not so Liam: I don't wanna be like that Liam: the different girls bit at least Edie: people love repeating their parents mistakes and bullshit Edie: even when they railed on it for years Edie: I don't fucking get it Edie: make your own, at least Liam: maybe you'll think this is one but I gotta say it Liam: I don't care about claiming 🚽💥 I wanna claim you Liam: be with me Edie: You mean it Edie: no bullshit Liam: only if there's bullshit that comes with being official & exclusive all of that Edie: I think that's a really, really good idea Edie: not a mistake but even if it was, I still want it Liam: alright, it's yours, me & the gay 🖤 shit Edie: [sends him a 🥰 selfie] Liam: it's my background Edie: you were already mine Edie: [glitter moment shamelessly] Liam: took the longest shower & I'm still finding it 🗺❌ Edie: good thing you suit it Edie: we can try again though, after the literal shitstorm, a shower is a good idea Liam: yeah, wouldn't suit that Liam: german teacher can disagree as loud as she wants Edie: 😏 Edie: can keep their filth and their hands to themselves Liam: I respect that you only covered me in glitter so that those girls would think I was gay & do the same Edie: people gotta respect territory Edie: works until I perfect your tat Liam: I'll get on the school roof with a 📢 Edie: You're everything Liam: you can sample it when you write a song about me Edie: I will Edie: your friend is not getting a feature Liam: his loss Liam: I'll only gloat for a while Edie: you can go as hard as you want, I reckon Edie: you've earnt it, like Liam: I'll go as hard as you want Liam: you're my girl now Edie: I'm yours Liam: make your physics teacher cry for me then Liam: we've got shit to do Edie: 😄 Edie: done Edie: where are we meeting when I'm fully done and have secured the shit? Liam: [a location] Edie: 👍 Liam: 🔜 Edie: making people cry is a speciality of mine Liam: it won't work on me Edie: I don't want to make you cry Edie: ever Liam: good thing I can't ever, all that toxic masculinity Edie: not missing out on much Edie: even if Miss makes a proper performance out of it Edie: more fun ways to do that Liam: yeah there are Edie: 💣💥 Liam: don't have to hand you a 🧨 to cause 🎇🎆 Edie: you don't even know how true that is Edie: yet Liam: for now it's a guess Edie: I'll show you Liam: I just wanna feel something Liam: that's not only 💊🥤 Edie: I will make that happen Edie: you don't need to believe me, just wait Liam: I'm waiting Edie: you deserve to feel everything Liam: I've tried but it don't work out like that Edie: you can't? Edie: or only certain emotions Liam: there's no 💣💥 in me Edie: we can be dead inside together and make it happen to everyone else Edie: for now Edie: [show up] Liam: [just kiss her too hard because everything you do is a little bit too much boy, okay you're numb but there's too many emotions trapped under the surface that we're not addressing so] Edie: [thank god we're so overwhelmed ourselves that we can just roll with this and have it be the most extra thing] Liam: [this is why you two work] Edie: [just approaching this like you aren't her first honey not even 'cos we're fronting but feelings and trying to make you feel things] Liam: [realistically who have you ever slept with either boy unless you've gotten with one of Rio's friends casually prior to this or something like] Edie: [just out here doing the most from the jump, the fam must be like HELLO???] Liam: [shouldn't be here for it but I am] Edie: [we all are by all I mean us and them, no one else lol] Liam: [imagine how shook he'd be because didn't expect it to be like this] Edie: [awkward, like the levels you must pay attention to no one but Rio 'cos she isn't really conspicuous in how she be lol] Liam: [and if he did get with one of Rio's friends when he first started stalking her it clearly didn't work out so he's probably bracing himself for another failed attempt and then] Edie: [it makes logical sense, like tryna get in the friend group lowkey but none of her friends are really here for it[ Liam: [yeah and like in my head he started stalking Rio when his sister had just died so he wouldn't have been bringing his A game] Edie: [exactly dr phil] Liam: [but obviously nothing happened that she could clock as a red flag when she's thinking of suspects he was probably just really blah because numb] Edie: [yeah, and none of her friends are gonna chat shit on the boy who's sister just died really like it's to be expected] Liam: [it's a good cover like you said] Edie: [just sat here like it's so rude we're gonna kill Edie, as if it wasn't rude before] Liam: [I do feel so bad for him even though he literally fucks with Rio's entire life] Edie: [lol same, it's like if you could just stop doing that tah] Liam: [I think it's partly because we both know she ends up okay and living as happy a life as poss whereas he does not] Edie: [yeah, there's no hope and that's just sad, even if you were an absolute dick, like Ro, per example, still sad she dies for everyone else] Liam: [agreed] Edie: [and you aren't that insufferable boy which is just well] Liam: [nobody is, she's next level] Liam: [anyway also do your vandalism and have way more fun than you expected with that as well] Edie: [when it's just a moment for you immediately and you're all in] Liam: [do we wanna close the school or not let them destroy every bathroom in the place for various reasons lol?] Edie: [on the one hand, maybe get caught before you do every bathroom for that trouble mood, on the other, if you shamelessly upload it you'd get in more trouble for making the school look dumb and shit hmm, I think this time get caught and we'll let you be sneaky trouble causing nerds plenty of other times[ Liam: [I'm about that, we know you're both pretty distracted rn so] Edie: [it feels more legit for this instance, and we can separate you and they'd probably call Ali in for the drama of it] Liam: [you can work your way into the fam later boy you're trying to keep your gf highkey for now, I love the idea of both their mums getting called in and awkwardly meeting haha] Edie: [they'd lowkey want them to kick up a fuss and separate them for the school but Ali knows how well that works so it's like well soz you'll have to cope] Liam: [whereas his mum is the opposite, you know the sort never backs the kid and is just wholeheartedly like yes do whatever you think @ the school] Edie: [ahh the joys] Edie: [once that drama has unfurled and you're in your separate detention moments, sending him a pic from the school website of all the staff but she's digitally ❌d out all their eyes] Liam: I miss you too Edie: I hope so Liam: what else would I be doing? Edie: I don't know Edie: you are full of good ideas Liam: I was thinking about setting the fire alarm off Edie: an acceptable second to thinking about me constantly Edie: would hate to perish in a fire with all these cunts Liam: to be with you Liam: I'd get you before they made you line up in the playground for the head count Edie: then we can leave, like we planned Edie: they'll have let our mas fuck off by now Liam: 🗑🔥 Liam: boring if it wasn't for you Edie: you're like Edie: seeing a new colour Liam: maybe I should leave you there longer so you can work on your song about me Edie: don't though Edie: I know it sounds cliche but that's the only way I can explain how blindsided but transformed I feel from you Liam: you're the only person who's said it, don't think that's how cliches work Edie: I don't just say pretty things for the sake of it Edie: or anything Edie: I mean it, regardless of what it does or don't sound like Liam: I know you mean it Edie: if we both set one, it'll take them longer to get back inside Edie: hide and seek and we can finish what we started? Liam: you're on Edie: 3️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ Liam: 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣ Edie: [ahh this poor school lol] Liam: [love that you get to be notorious though gal cos peeps gonna be talking about these antics for ages] Edie: [in this fam you have to make your own rep or life is really hard junie and grace, I said what I said] Liam: [tea though] Liam: [I'm trying to think of somewhere cool they could go and my first thought was like a junkyard vibe so they can destroy more things like life is strange and sex education unless you have any better ideas] Edie: [that's always a mood, also very akin to the barn which will clearly be your domain so] Liam: [yeah and somewhere she's probably been loads of times that she knows all the hiding places of so they don't need to be interrupted again] Edie: [live your best destructive lives] Liam: [when he would be and lowkey forget what he's meant to be doing here, such fun, not devastating me at all] Edie: [the theme of these painful two years lmao, I'm so glad you never find out babe truly] Liam: [though ngl I wish you could survive and we could see if y'all as a couple could survive that] Edie: [ahh when you can't do it all, so rude] Liam: [could've had it all rolling in the deep] Edie: [soz you've got to die my love] Liam: [soz you both have, his poor mother] Edie: [yeah that is no fun] Liam: [soz both your kids are dead babe but we need it for the plot] Edie: [some people have the worst luck truly]