Who are these people?

[madlodger]

I was reading:

I Am Very Annoyed, Why don't we have a REASONABLE disclaimer policy?

http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/inde...ic=7398&hl=

just now and have a few suggestions on the matter of how this disclaimer thing is being handled.

First of, I do not take sides with yakaji or AFF staff. This is a neutral opinion of a regular user.

I frequent Originals section at AFF and read recent updates. I look at review boards to see what peeps think about stories. "Disclaimer violation" posts started appearing about a week (or two) ago on fic's review boards. Naturally, I looked at who was posting them. Ezri-Candy's profile, for example, has no mention of her being a moderator. Her forum profile names her Member. She is not on The Moderating Team list at the forum either.

I suggest that moderators should use an official profile for such posts (Like TOS_TEAM one or similar). Or a profile named ARCHIVE_MODERATOR, which could be used for official business by all mods.

I don't mind when people use their writing accounts for making official mod posts, but this should be done only if it acknowledges them as moderators in the purple field (not the bio! anyone can name themselves "a moderator" and start posting across all boards just to troll)

At the very least, there should be an official reference list to verify who is legit.

Another suggestion is not as technical, but still important. Some "Disclaimer violation" posts are simply huge. Right now I am looking at the review board with three one-liner real reviews and a single HUGE Violation post. This looks pretty bad and, to my understanding, causes a lot of negative feelings in authors.

A few days ago I saw a review board of a new author with a Single Large DV post in it. The worst thing about it is the fact that the new author had mistakenly posted their fanfic in the Originals section and needed help to put it in the right archive. They asked for help! and got a DV post instead.

So, the suggestion is to write a more "sensitive" and short DV post it using an ARCHIVE_MODERATOR account.

P.S. I do understand why we need disclaimers (especially in light of current legal happenings in US) and the request to have them is not an issue. It's the implementation what bothers me.

[DarkCabaret]

Well as you can see on both the forums and my author profile it says I'm an Archivist. (Which means Archive Moderator) I sort of agree that it should state it somewhere but it doesn't have to. If you have questions about someone who has left a "warning review" feel free to ask someone on here. We're very friendly people, and we like to help.

There's really no need for profiles to state it, other than in the about section, because the next thing you know trolls come out.

As far as the forum goes, maybe not everyone wants to be acknowledged as a moderator.

AFF's disclaimer policy is very simple. You don't own the fandom, you don't make money and in celeb cases it's purely fiction.

As far as the long mod reviews, mine is simple but it's sort of lengthy because I cover everything that needs to be looked at. I also include a small note that's specific as to what's wrong with it. Mine is the length it is because I want people to look at their disclaimers and think "oh yeah I forgot I don't make money", or "Holy moo-cow I forgot that I don't own this fandom", or even "Dang I didn't put I the fandom". A lot of people simply say "I don't own." I know when I look at these things I think of it as "Well, I'm happy they don't own, but what do they not own?"

It's all a matter of taking things with a grain of salt. Just because a mod says your disclaimer is wrong doesn't mean it's COMPLETELY wrong. It may mean you need to say you make no profit, or you don't own the fandom, characters, or places.

Hope this sort of helps you understand a little better. I know somethings may not be totally clear but I'm not always totally clear lol. That's why we have more than one mod

[Ezriee]

Well, I gotta say the convo over my status as well as others is well, interesting. I don't mind being acknowledged as a moderator, I just felt no need, and have not had time to add it to my profile in the acutal archive.

I originally started as a member of the cleanup crew near the start of the year and then joined the moderating team in july/august and from the warn reviews that I've been leaving people, they take it well and also contact me if they have any questions as to why they were warned either through IM, PM or even as a review to one of my own stories if they don't have messenger and I don't mind because I can delete them after I contact the author back.

Like Dark Cabaret's post, my warning is quite lengthy and tells the author of the story that I'm reviewing what they need to include in order to correct their disclaimers. It also provides them with links to help them with their disclaimer. If an author has multiple stories where their disclaimer isn't up to par, I won't post the long review more than once. I leave them another message asking that they go over the disclaimers for all of their fics just to make sure they meet the needed requirements.

The author has the ability to delete the review in question at any time and is suggested to do so once the disclaimer problem is corrected.

If the admins wish to put a gold marquee around my name with a huge 'archive moderator' flashing on the page, they can do so, but I'm perfectly fine the way that it is right now until I have a chance to update it. I don't mind being added to a list of named moderators, but I won't let the issue of my status in the forum being listed as 'member' instead of 'archivist' stop me from what I agreed to help doing.

I don't see what the big issue is about having a set disclaimer format. Hell, just copy and paste it into the disclaimer field each time you post a story and its not that hard. You can even have a second disclaimer where you make it humorous if you want. I have seen those to. I've also seen the number of new stories being added to the archive with disclaimers in the correct format so it is working. I'm sorry if you don't like the way its been happening, but thats the way it goes.

-shrugs- I've said what I'm gonna say on this so I'm off to bed for now. I'll be back on eventually, warning users for their protection and the protection of the site in a few days.

bye!

Ps: In the terms of service, it does state that you will plainly cite all Disclaimers necessary, and the format that his been put forth has been deemed necessary, so it is enforceable. People have more than enough time to come back and correct their story is hidden then two more weeks before its deleted for non-compliance.

[DemonGoddess]

Actually Ez if you look underneath your forum profile it still states cleanup crew (which you're still part of), and if you look in the board listing for moderators, you are listed with the other archive mods as well.

No, we don't currently have a way to make an auto-adjustment to a moderator to make them known in the archive, as that was never a part of the software. However, all the current mods have had no issue with being open about their moderator status. In fact, they're ENCOURAGED to be open about it. After all, it's easier to contact someone if you know who to contact, rather than having mods who make ghost memberships, and hide who they are.

If I'm finding I have to make one of those reviews, I WANT people to be able to get in touch with me if they need to. For that matter, I encourage the same for other things as well, such as tech support for either application.

Going back to the original question, yes, there has already been discussion on how to denote the users who are also moderators in the archive, so that users can see that as a glance.

For that matter, should a user question whether or not someone who's saying something to them is in fact a mod, all they have to do is ask me, or any other of the listed archive mods.

Who was the author asking for help? If they misplaced a story, that's a simple fix for the most part as well. If it's in the same subdomain, they edit the story properties. If it's not, delete it and add it to the right subdomain.

[Ezriee]

Actually Ez if you look underneath your forum profile it still states cleanup crew (which you're still part of), and if you look in the board listing for moderators, you are listed with the other archive mods as well.

No, we don't currently have a way to make an auto-adjustment to a moderator to make them known in the archive, as that was never a part of the software. However, all the current mods have had no issue with being open about their moderator status. In fact, they're ENCOURAGED to be open about it. After all, it's easier to contact someone if you know who to contact, rather than having mods who make ghost memberships, and hide who they are.

If I'm finding I have to make one of those reviews, I WANT people to be able to get in touch with me if they need to. For that matter, I encourage the same for other things as well, such as tech support for either application.

Going back to the original question, yes, there has already been discussion on how to denote the users who are also moderators in the archive, so that users can see that as a glance.

For that matter, should a user question whether or not someone who's saying something to them is in fact a mod, all they have to do is ask me, or any other of the listed archive mods.

Who was the author asking for help? If they misplaced a story, that's a simple fix for the most part as well. If it's in the same subdomain, they edit the story properties. If it's not, delete it and add it to the right subdomain.

Then thats all good with me, thanks DG. Eventually I'll make a change to my profile, but I think getting something from someone telling them to fix there disclaimer and providing them with links, leaves it well-enough assumed that I'm helping out in some way with the site. If there's any probs or questions, people can do as people have already been doing and contacting me. I reserve the right to block the hell outta people because I won't put up with harrassement.

[madlodger]

Guys, I understand that a moderator may not have a personal desire to annonce their status to the archive users. It's just fine for all the "behind the scenes" work like the archive clean-up project. Enforcing site rules is a bit different because:

1) A moderator contacts an individual user

2) That user is told to make changes to their posts

3) Issued warning to the user that their post may be deleted

Right now this is being done from regular writing accounts.

From the POV of a regular user: I saw those warnings on some author's review boards, the names were not familiar, I clicked on the names to see who posted the warnings. That took me to the author's profiles. Where to go from here?

The profiles do not identify the posters as moderators unless the moderator typed it into the bio field.

There is no link to the moderator's forum account which would enable people to send PMs

No email addresses

There is usually an AOL contact. I don't use AOL.

Communication should be a two-way deal, where people wouldn't have to post communications with the site moderators to their story review boards.

I have high hopes for the new archive software and hope that my suggestions will be considered I am all for improving archive experience of the regular AFF authors.

P.S.:

Quote DemonGoddess:

Actually Ez if you look underneath your forum profile it still states cleanup crew (which you're still part of), and if you look in the board listing for moderators, you are listed with the other archive mods as well.

Actually, I can't see any of it. Is it one of those things that can be seen from the mod accounts but not to the average user? Or is there a link I could go to to see that?

[DemonGoddess]

mod list

That shows most everybody. Thing is, with the forum, there's no way to for me to make a separate listing just to show the archive mods, or it'd be there too. Most of the listed forum moderators actually are not forum mods at all, but archive mods. Only a few of them do both.

Thing is, there used to be a time where the stuff the archive mods did was set up and handled through a yahoo group. We've discontinued that, and everyone now is here in forum. If they're not registered in the forum, you can bet they're NOT archive mods at all.

[DragonGoddess]

The one thing I do not like about the disclaimer issues is that I personally have been told my disclaimer was fine by an admin and then three days later a mod comes in, and specifically states what is needing to be changed. Over the past 3 months I've been told my disclaimers are fine, then someone else says it isn't, I change it again to be fine again, and the admins change the rules on the disclaimers once again. I'm being blunt, but admins make up your damn minds and revamp the entire disclaimer rules set and stop changing the rules on the disclaimers every other day. Those of us who are authors get tired of it day after day when we are trying to post for a reader's enjoyment, and not be hassled by what a disclaimer says. Make a set list of what needs to be included in the disclaimer, and stop bs'ing around with us about what needs to be changed...

If I am correct then the following two points are what need to be included in the story disclaimer's correct?

1. State the rights of the original writer and/or corporation that has rights to the story's characters and settings in the story. If the story is an original story you have written without using sources from other stories, please state so in your disclaimer.

2. State you make no profit off of the story and post it on the site for free at your own leisure.

If this is all that needs to be included, state it and please stop changing it. I highly doubt anyone will be suing the site and/or the writer's on it for copyright if these two points are included and posted in the disclaimers. I mean no disrespect, but it comes to a point where some of us, myself included, find it to be complete bullshit that we constantly have to change our disclaimers when just a week ago we were told it was fine.

[DemonGoddess]

Because there are more than a couple people doing this, it's easier if we just make it so we approach each disclaimer in the same manner, regardless of subdomain and fandom. So, if you read the FAQ for disclaimers, it's really quite clear as to what needs to be in any given disclaimer, as to the core of the disclaimer. That is, in fact, what we all look for.

[Guest Savaial]

I just wanted to say thank you to the mod who helped me settle my disclaimer problem. I couldn't find her on the mod list, and I don't want to post her email up here, but, thank you, J. I was ready to tear my hair out.

[DemonGoddess]

You're welcome. That was me.

One of the writers I'd reviewed had pointed out that my review to explain what was needed was a bit confusing (just goes to show ya I am SO not a writer). So I adjusted it and made it simpler. Hopefully that will cut down on future confusion where I leave that message to users.