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How I broke the AUP and my response
13 years ago
Note from Moderator:
Submission removal: Guns (rifles + a shotgun)
Sent By: ssj3mewtwo to grimwulff On: April 4th, 2012 02:31
As much as I'm a gun fan myself, this submission is sadly not AUP compliant.
Stock/unmodified/uncustomized hardware is not in line with the AUP, which bars manufactured or collected items from being showcased.
It's fine to submit photos of customized pieces, because those imply a level of creative and thoughtful effort on the part of the person that owns them. But in that regard the description must detail what the changes are, and link back to the stock item.
Pictures of various assembled firearms do not meet these criteria. They would be acceptable if uploaded to something like Photobucket or Imageshack, and then linked in a journal.
[quote]Manufactured/Collected Items - Photographs of mass manufactured/commercially available items (which you have not personally developed or created) are not permitted. Items of such nature should be uploaded to the appropriate service (such as Photobucket). This policy includes items such as DVDs, games, toys, guns/weapons, cars, computers, plush/inflatable animals or objects, posters, etc.
Exceptions are made for items which are staged in an artistic, dynamic setting. Such images MUST showcase the photographer's artistic skill, not merely showcase collected items. You may post photographs of commissioned items, or custom paint jobs (model kits, figurines, etc) so long as the title and/or description credits the artist/creator. You may also post pictures of items that are modified and customized to the point of being unique, provided significant work is done to separate them from the original design. In addition, users must link back to a photo of the original design to highlight changes.[quote]
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My response:
I think invoking this overly broad, far-reaching rule is very much a slippery slope. Those pictures had been on this website for quite some time, and whether or not you noticed, there was even comments to the modifications on some of the weapons that were in the picture (more specifically, the M38 Mosin Nagant, Japanese Arisaka, and the 1893 Spanish Mauser), so a heads up would have been more appropriate than an out-right removal without deleting them, as this was the only digital copy of said pictures in existence (there was no back-up). As well, under above said rule, there are several images on your own page which do not exhibit the quality emphasized above (please see section in bold). Is this setting up a double-standard for those within the loop or will you be removing your own images as well? This rule is not only loosely defined, but it does not even meet some basic standards of courtesy towards the users of this website, as it requires too much subjectivity in deciding what IS and what IS NOT artistic. What is artistic in one person's eyes is shit in another person's, there by giving independent moderators like yourself too much slack when deciding upon potential violations of said rule (hence why I would like to point out that you have pictures of your OWN which do not meet the qualifications you have laid before me and said I was in violation of). Obviously this section of the AUP needs to be reviewed for clarity, streamlining, and a more objective way of determining what is and what is not appropriate for posting... or to be removed all together... or to have it written in that moderators should first NOTIFY people of any infractions on small technicalities like not STATING there was artistic alterations to a piece displayed (oh, and does adding a sticker to a motorcycle seriously count as artistic alterations...? if so, then I will add some sunshine stickers to my buttstocks and we'll call it good). You might want to take into consideration if the person is a chronic abuser of said rule and continuously posts random pictures which are not pertinent to the website in any shape or manner... or since furry is just a subculture, then all things involved in the culture can and will be pertinent to some section of the subculture, there by making everything a valid medium for expression. Whether or not you like guns is not the question... what is in question, is what is obviously a horribly written, broad, and easily abused section of the AUP which has just been used, without notification or a heads-up, to remove images that violate a subjective clause of “artistic merit”, which even the moderator's own images violate.
Now... I do not know you, nor am I trying to claim you are a bad moderator, I am just trying to point out that this section of the AUP is not only to loosely worded to be viable for a website of this size and scope, but, in turn, can be abused in the future by members of the moderator staff that might dislike something on face value. Artistic merit is subjective and should NOT be used under ANY circumstances to determine whether or not something should be removed without at least showing some respect to the person who posted the images. I hope you have a good day, and that this message finds you in good health.
Submission removal: Guns (rifles + a shotgun)
Sent By: ssj3mewtwo to grimwulff On: April 4th, 2012 02:31
As much as I'm a gun fan myself, this submission is sadly not AUP compliant.
Stock/unmodified/uncustomized hardware is not in line with the AUP, which bars manufactured or collected items from being showcased.
It's fine to submit photos of customized pieces, because those imply a level of creative and thoughtful effort on the part of the person that owns them. But in that regard the description must detail what the changes are, and link back to the stock item.
Pictures of various assembled firearms do not meet these criteria. They would be acceptable if uploaded to something like Photobucket or Imageshack, and then linked in a journal.
[quote]Manufactured/Collected Items - Photographs of mass manufactured/commercially available items (which you have not personally developed or created) are not permitted. Items of such nature should be uploaded to the appropriate service (such as Photobucket). This policy includes items such as DVDs, games, toys, guns/weapons, cars, computers, plush/inflatable animals or objects, posters, etc.
Exceptions are made for items which are staged in an artistic, dynamic setting. Such images MUST showcase the photographer's artistic skill, not merely showcase collected items. You may post photographs of commissioned items, or custom paint jobs (model kits, figurines, etc) so long as the title and/or description credits the artist/creator. You may also post pictures of items that are modified and customized to the point of being unique, provided significant work is done to separate them from the original design. In addition, users must link back to a photo of the original design to highlight changes.[quote]
=============================================================
My response:
I think invoking this overly broad, far-reaching rule is very much a slippery slope. Those pictures had been on this website for quite some time, and whether or not you noticed, there was even comments to the modifications on some of the weapons that were in the picture (more specifically, the M38 Mosin Nagant, Japanese Arisaka, and the 1893 Spanish Mauser), so a heads up would have been more appropriate than an out-right removal without deleting them, as this was the only digital copy of said pictures in existence (there was no back-up). As well, under above said rule, there are several images on your own page which do not exhibit the quality emphasized above (please see section in bold). Is this setting up a double-standard for those within the loop or will you be removing your own images as well? This rule is not only loosely defined, but it does not even meet some basic standards of courtesy towards the users of this website, as it requires too much subjectivity in deciding what IS and what IS NOT artistic. What is artistic in one person's eyes is shit in another person's, there by giving independent moderators like yourself too much slack when deciding upon potential violations of said rule (hence why I would like to point out that you have pictures of your OWN which do not meet the qualifications you have laid before me and said I was in violation of). Obviously this section of the AUP needs to be reviewed for clarity, streamlining, and a more objective way of determining what is and what is not appropriate for posting... or to be removed all together... or to have it written in that moderators should first NOTIFY people of any infractions on small technicalities like not STATING there was artistic alterations to a piece displayed (oh, and does adding a sticker to a motorcycle seriously count as artistic alterations...? if so, then I will add some sunshine stickers to my buttstocks and we'll call it good). You might want to take into consideration if the person is a chronic abuser of said rule and continuously posts random pictures which are not pertinent to the website in any shape or manner... or since furry is just a subculture, then all things involved in the culture can and will be pertinent to some section of the subculture, there by making everything a valid medium for expression. Whether or not you like guns is not the question... what is in question, is what is obviously a horribly written, broad, and easily abused section of the AUP which has just been used, without notification or a heads-up, to remove images that violate a subjective clause of “artistic merit”, which even the moderator's own images violate.
Now... I do not know you, nor am I trying to claim you are a bad moderator, I am just trying to point out that this section of the AUP is not only to loosely worded to be viable for a website of this size and scope, but, in turn, can be abused in the future by members of the moderator staff that might dislike something on face value. Artistic merit is subjective and should NOT be used under ANY circumstances to determine whether or not something should be removed without at least showing some respect to the person who posted the images. I hope you have a good day, and that this message finds you in good health.
