lj_biz I don't think we're safe here.They say that fiction isn't affected, but they said fandom wouldn't be affected before and it has been. Do we really want to leave all those lovely artists out in the cold? Add that to the fact that LJ's clarification seems to be contradictory and you have a real mess.
Locking your work doesn't protect you - so it doesn't make any difference if you're trying to protect young eyes from seeing your work, all it takes is one troll to think your work contains someone under 18 (which for half the existing fandoms isn't the age of consent they've been working with anyway) and to report it and you're toast. Will it be any erotic art next?
If it was a matter that they asked a person to remove the content they didn't like and then everything went on as normal, it might sort of work a little (although that is really not within the spirit that livejournal was set up for), but they banned these people and removed their content without consultation or right of appeal. That is just plain wrong.
It's art now, but how long before LJ decide that our fiction is unsuitable as well?
They said they wouldn't change things, they said ads wouldn't make a difference - they lied and they will keep on lying. I think it's time to move. If we move before we are suspended it gives us time to set up the communities in another place, to keep the networks we have.
I urge everyone who hasn't yet, set up an IJ and a GJ and back up what you have here (see this post for how to do it). Friend everyone again over there to keep the network alive. Then friend
fandom_flies to find out what everyone is thinking so we can all jump the same way when it comes.If you run a comm - set that up on IJ and GJ as well and then advertise that you have done so on your comm here. Ask people to repost the comm content from here. We can't let everything we have worked for be lost if LJ suddenly decide to become the thought police on fiction as well as art. Yes they say they won't, but they won't post that on their TOS, so they can renage whenever they feel like it.
I also urge you to stop paying for everything. I have a permenant account, I can't take my money back, but I will not be paying for anything on any of my comms anymore. I will not buy friends LJ gift certificates or paid time or anything like that. LJ will not see another penny of my money, ever - not unless a miracle occurs somewhere along the lines of a second coming.
Just because you write or draw someone under the age of 18 does not make you a child pornographer and that is what they are implying. It might not affect you now, but this is just one step, what comes next? - They think they can treat paying customers like dirt and it has to end.
[EDIT: I'm beren_writes on GJ, beren_writes at IJ and splice at JournalFen - if you friend me I'll friend you back]
[EDIT2:
hpvamp - hpvamp IJ hpvamp GJ
th_fanfic - th_fanfic IJ th_fanfic GJ
RULES are the same as here - please click the join link AND post the disclaimer from the user info]