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"Spam-to-Win" ruling, and where we stand on it.
11 years ago
(This is a link-on journal to a previous piece about the rule announcement I made here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5280272/)
So, I'm still seeing a LOT of people throwing out accusations and telling everyone how we're "not allowed to make journals for raffles anymore. It's against the rules!!!".
I'm here to tell you that that statement is FALSE. Many people are just confused about how the rule works. Now, a lot of you might argue that I'm mis-reading it, or trying to bend or break the rules by telling people this OR by making journals myself. I'm not. I'm simply telling people what the rule means and cutting through the jargon to explain it to others.
Most people assume it means that people are forbidden in promoting a raffle, auction or anything of that like. No, they're not forbidden at all. The rule doesn't even account to the people who enter the raffles. It accounts to those HOLDING the raffle.
The rule states that journals or submissions which require OR encourage users to create additional journals or submissions are PROHIBITED. Some would argue that this is one such prohibited journal. However, I'll remind people that I'm NOT putting this out and telling people they SHOULD make journals/submissions to promote things events, just clearing things up.
In the announcement journal (seen here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5279697/ ), there is also a Q&A session. These are the most significant questions people had regarding the rules. I'll direct your attention to the fifth and final question asked and the answer given:
Q: May I still create raffles, contests, etc.?
A: Yes, provided that entry doesn't include the exchange of consideration such as cash, items of monetary value, require nor encourage other users to create additional journals and submissions, nor violate Fur Affinity's site rules.
What this specific Q&A is stating is that, not only are we allowed to create contests, but that said contests may ONLY be held as long as entry into them, and the contest itself, does not involve the following:
*Payment (either in real money or items bought, like something off an Amazon wishlist, for example. This possibly also includes entry ONLY available if you purchase an item like a picture from the host, etc)
*REQUIRING the creation of a journal or submission
*Anything that would break the existing rules of FurAffinity
As you'll notice, the part in red is what this journal is about. It specifically states that promotion of raffles/contests/etc, by entrants, is completely legal (for lack of a better term), as long as you're not FORCED to do so in order to be entered into said raffle/contest/etc.
I hope this has and will help others better understand the rule.
So, I'm still seeing a LOT of people throwing out accusations and telling everyone how we're "not allowed to make journals for raffles anymore. It's against the rules!!!".
I'm here to tell you that that statement is FALSE. Many people are just confused about how the rule works. Now, a lot of you might argue that I'm mis-reading it, or trying to bend or break the rules by telling people this OR by making journals myself. I'm not. I'm simply telling people what the rule means and cutting through the jargon to explain it to others.
Most people assume it means that people are forbidden in promoting a raffle, auction or anything of that like. No, they're not forbidden at all. The rule doesn't even account to the people who enter the raffles. It accounts to those HOLDING the raffle.
The rule states that journals or submissions which require OR encourage users to create additional journals or submissions are PROHIBITED. Some would argue that this is one such prohibited journal. However, I'll remind people that I'm NOT putting this out and telling people they SHOULD make journals/submissions to promote things events, just clearing things up.
In the announcement journal (seen here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5279697/ ), there is also a Q&A session. These are the most significant questions people had regarding the rules. I'll direct your attention to the fifth and final question asked and the answer given:
Q: May I still create raffles, contests, etc.?
A: Yes, provided that entry doesn't include the exchange of consideration such as cash, items of monetary value, require nor encourage other users to create additional journals and submissions, nor violate Fur Affinity's site rules.
What this specific Q&A is stating is that, not only are we allowed to create contests, but that said contests may ONLY be held as long as entry into them, and the contest itself, does not involve the following:
*Payment (either in real money or items bought, like something off an Amazon wishlist, for example. This possibly also includes entry ONLY available if you purchase an item like a picture from the host, etc)
*REQUIRING the creation of a journal or submission
*Anything that would break the existing rules of FurAffinity
As you'll notice, the part in red is what this journal is about. It specifically states that promotion of raffles/contests/etc, by entrants, is completely legal (for lack of a better term), as long as you're not FORCED to do so in order to be entered into said raffle/contest/etc.
I hope this has and will help others better understand the rule.
As long as you specifically state that it's not required, even if you say it would be nice, then the admins have no ground to stand on if they try to delete your raffle/contest/etc.
As for your point about people getting nicer responses by the raffle holder... well... that can't be helped. We're on the tail end of the age when enforced posting was allowed, thus some people will still be resentful of the new rule and be biased about such things. I wouldn't let that get to you. If they want to be a jerk because you're following the rules, then what can you do? Neither party is breaking or even bending the rules, so unfortunately it'll just be a case of just shrugging it off until the rule is more fully settled in.
1. Adding on 'but it would be nice' such as your example above would absolutely be considered 'encouragement' in other contexts (such as if a judge were determining if you had 'encouraged' somebody to take action, using any positive statements to the effect could be grounds that satisfy)
2. Admins always have standing. To suggest otherwise is fallacious. They might be -wrong- but they always have standing, as they are second only to owners of the site we are privileged to make use of.
3. It's the spirit of a rule, not the letter, that is more important to respect.
Also, completely unrelated, but re: your use of the word 'poignant' above, I suggest looking the word up. I made a fool of myself misusing it on the past (it's one of those words lots of people think means one thing but really has a very specific meaning).
Cheers.
It might be true that they would be second only to the owner of the site, but like you said, that still doesn't make them in the right for doing it. Poorly enforced rules are no better than a total lack of rules and would often showing off a view of tyranny. They're already getting a lot of that from the current drama-of-the-week.
I think you'll find that, in most legal professions, things can often be argued by the letter. Any contract can be claimed to work by spirit, but then told they needed to work by what it says, not how it's loosely interpreted.
Annnd as for "poignant", thank you. I guess I mixed up my words >.<
Changed that now.