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I was reading a story the other day, an Avengers semi-AU where Loki is a hermaphrodite (as are all jotuns) and he's paired with Steve. It had over 20 chapters when I started, so every so often on my way through the story, I'd stop and make a random comment in response to a question asked by the author or something she said within the chapter. Then when I got to the final chapter, I left a bit of criticism. Loosely stated, but it was legitimate criticism. Then I received this response: "okay, I was reading over your rantings and was all set to come up with a response to the constructive criticism part...what little there was...when I began to read further. You sound fucking insane. Ranting to me about wanting to see women's faces smashed on the floor and walls and going on about your dislike of women and the charm of little boys....Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you? I mean, I get it...fans can get a little manic...but c'mon, was all this necessary? Seriously...seek help, Bookworm. You obviously have some serious issues. As for the story...meh...you can leave it where it is and go find something more suitable for your women destroying, little boy loving tastes. Seriously...I think we can both survive you not bothering with me and my little work of humble fanfiction. In fact...I'd prefer it. This is so not about the writing as it is about you being an odious human being, and I dont even know you." My offensive reviews: "Or instead of girl, it could be a jotun and be both :-P Personally, I don't think women are that interesting, I think women are frickin' nuts most of the time. I much prefer boys. I think there's an appeal to little boys that girls just don't have. A lot of it having to do with this pressure to be masculine that we put on men and that preciousness of that brief time when they're young when they don't worry about it and they're sweet and affectionate and cuddly. That, I think, is far more interesting, but that's me. I still vote for both :-/ That would be a first. As for Thor, can someone smack him?" *This was in response to the author asking about gender in the ANs and a monologue from one of her characters in which she expressed how fascinating she finds women. I, personally, find the psychology of boys and men more interesting because of the pressure to be masculine and how it affects their transition from boyhood to toddlerhood to childhood to adolescence and then adulthood. If you don't agree, that's fine but I don't think that really warranted the implication that I'm a pedophile. And the comment about women being fricking nuts most of the time was a joke. I usually figure when I say something really out there that people would realize that it's obviously a joke, but I guess some people need it blatantly pointed out to them* "I think it would be quite enjoyable to see Hulk Smash their faces all over the floor and walls. And considering how handily he took down Loki in Avengers, I can't imagine he'd have too much trouble with them, especially with backup." *In response to some very nasty characters within her story and for anyone who knows this universe, a blatantly obvious play on words based on Hulk's catchphrase (which I attempted to make even more obvious by capitalizing the word 'smash'. I guess she still missed it).* No, the Hulk can't be knocked out that easily. Booo, the Hulk is like the ultimate in badasses. That was just a sad showing. Sad, sad, sad. *In response to her directly asking the readers if it was that easy to knock the Hulk unconscious. And you want to know how she did it? By throwing him through a wall. A regular wall. Not a wall made of Adamantium lined with Adamantium with a core of Adamantium braced with Adamantium with an extra layer of a substance created one the core of a dying star. Just a normal wall. I can't see how anyone who is even remotely a fan of the series wouldn't have responded similarly to a direct question.* "Oy. I was enjoying this story up until you did that thing that too many authors are guilty of. You have some seriously powerful players in your story, but you want the plot to go a certain way. So your powerful players all of a sudden become inexplicably weak and stupid and disorganized. It's frustrating. Frigga, Queen of Asgard? Won't take more than 2 minutes to take her down. The Hulk? Oh, all I have to do is throw him into a simple wall and he'll be out to the way. BUT we'll get taken down by Captain America, who subsequently won't be able to break out of the cell he was put in because it was built for the Hulk. The same Hulk that we took down by throwing him into a wall... Oy vey" *I think this one is self-explanatory* Now while I didn't expect that she'd be thrilled with the criticism, I didn't expect the degree of nasty I got in response. So I reported her to the site, which honestly has absolutely nothing in their TOS to address this situation. The closest category they had was harassment and this doesn't quite fit. But I figured since I wasn't asking for anything serious to be done in response, just a warning that that kind of response to criticism (that is not a flame) is not okay, I figured they might be receptive. Well, no. I got this response: " Thank you for your report. However, we have determined that the comments in question do not constitute harassment. As per our TOS: When judging whether a specific incident constitutes harassment, the abuse team will consider factors such as whether the behavior was repeated, whether it was repeated after the offender was asked to stop, whether the behavior was targeted at a specific person, whether that target could have easily avoided encountering the behavior, whether the behavior would be considered unacceptable according to normal community standards, etc. Your comments were repeated, but the authors were not. In addition, you could have easily avoided encountering the behavior. When you comment negatively on a work (especially by criticizing an entire gender as uninteresting and frickin nuts most of the time), you should be prepared to receive a negative reaction. If you are not prepared to receive that reaction, then it may be easier not to comment." So essentially, don't ever give constructive criticism because then an author can react any which way they want and we won't do a thing. Oh, and this behavior is perfectly acceptable according to normal community standards. And it's my own fault for having the nerve to comment on a story once for every few chapters I read and to include something negative in those reviews. No wonder people are afraid to review anymore. Because you can be abused in response and no one is willing to do anything, not even a simple warning. This was AO3 btw, the site which is supposed to 'save' us from ff.net, but as far as I can see, they have the potential to be just as bad. Just with porn not being against the rules. I started a petition on the matter, asking AO3 to recognize their importance of their readers/reviewers and include protection for them against abusive authors who don't want/can't take Constructive criticism in the TOS, so if anyone might be interested in signing it, I'll post the link. Even if you don't think this applies, I know we've all encountered authors whose behavior easily qualifies.

But you're our Witch, love!

And it's still FAR kinder than what an editor will give you.

You're right. This is exactly WHY people are leery of leaving reviews. Honest concrit gets labeled as flames. I see NOTHING AT ALL that you posted that I'd consider a flame. So.....you're ebil because you pointed out that the Hulk is not that easy to beat? Because you pointed out that Loki (even in the COMICS FFS) is a kind of a hermaphrodite? Does this person not realize that in the mythology he actually spawned children himself? That they acknowledge it in the comics is only right, yes? This person is obviously NOT a real fan of the 'verse, or they would've GOT the jokes you threw in. I did, at a glance, without even really READING. It was that obvious. Of course, I'm thinking this particular author falls in to the same trap that I see with so many these days. "If you don't worship me in reviews, and give me nothing but GLOWING reviews, you're attacking me". That's utter bullshit, but it's what I see.