How does the site deal with abusive trolls?

[Haeron]

Could you advise how the site deals with individuals who post abusive/derogatory comments about member submitted items? I ask because a colleague of mine posted a story and received very derogatory comments from a member, and as virtually nothing was done about it - he left the site and had all of his posting deleted. Before I submit amything I'd like to know what your policy is. Thanks

 

[PennyThompson]

Anyone can report an inappropriate comment and mods will take action if it violates the comment policy. Negative or critical comments are allowed, though, and a few categories (like Loving Wives) are notorious for having especially negative and critical readers.

But also, authors can always delete any comment made on their story if they want, for any reason.

You can also turn off commenting and/or voting on your stories completely, if you want!

 

[IsabellaEmily]

Could you advise how the site deals with individuals who post abusive/derogatory comments about member submitted items? I ask because a colleague of mine posted a story and received very derogatory comments from a member, and as virtually nothing was done about it - he left the site and had all of his posting deleted. Before I submit amything I'd like to know what your policy is. Thanks

My best advice is to monitor your comment section carefully and report any that are abusive or against the rules here on Literotica.

In addition to that you can delete any comment you wish to delete, for any reason, or even set your story so that no comments can be left at all.

I've been very lucky and have only deleted a few over the years that I felt were attacking other commentors or that were viciously kink shaming anyone who enjoyed a particular kink. I have no desire for angry discussions to happen back and forth in the comment section of one of my stories.

I've left the comments up that didn't enjoy my stories or that were from people that don't like me personally. Any creative endeavor is highly subjective when it comes to enjoyment, and not everyone is going like everything. Criticism is valid and fair very often, and even if it's not I don't mind if someone hates what I've created. It's part of the price I pay for sharing what I create with strangers.

It's unfortunate that some people gleefully hate things for no other reason than their own desire to be contrary or annoying. I do my best to view those who exist like that as a situation that no one can do anything about like the weather, rather than a problem to be solved.

I hope you'll decide to share your work here, and I hope that you find a supportive community of readers that enjoy the things you write about so their comments will overwhelm those who show up just to throw rocks.

 

[PaxNurgle]

On this note- and I don't know whether to start a new thread or piggyback onto this one- one sub-forum in particular seems to have been overrun with trolls who promote racism and outright hate speech- and seem to do so with impunity. Several of these people seem to post under multiple different aliases. I've tried reporting them to the admins but it seems like nothing happens- or even if it does, often the worst offenders simply pop back under a new alias. Is violent racism and hate now allowed under forum rules?

I am literally seeing the forum turn into a KKK/White power stormfront.org type thing, it is emotionally draining trying to interact with these people. But beyond that, it is rather disturbing to see this website hosting that kind of dialog.

As far as stories and negative comments, I have noticed that some issues stem from a particular audience having very conservative ideas as to what is appropriate and what is not. This may not be apparent to newcomers. For example, you cannot post ANY kink, female-domination, or willing cuckold scenes in "Loving Wives" category- the general audience who reads those stories is really not okay with that. Ive learned this the hard way and am more careful about how I tag and categorize any stories that do feature such content.

 

[PennyThompson]

I am literally seeing the forum turn into a KKK/White power stormfront.org type thing

Yeah, the Politics forum has a serious Nazi Bar problem, and it's really alarming that Lit won't do anything about it.

We're all a bunch of perverts here, but Lit rightly takes a strong line on underage and rape content, better than most erotica sites.

Not sure why they're okay with overt, explicit racism, homophobia, and transphobia on the forums

 

[ToPleaseHim]

If it’s the Politics Board, it is unmoderated. Please continue to report posts, they go to the site owners.

 

[jaF0]

On this note- and I don't know whether to start a new thread or piggyback onto this one- one sub-forum in particular seems to have been overrun with trolls who promote racism and outright hate speech- and seem to do so with impunity. Several of these people seem to post under multiple different aliases. I've tried reporting them to the admins but it seems like nothing happens- or even if it does, often the worst offenders simply pop back under a new alias. Is violent racism and hate now allowed under forum rules?

I am literally seeing the forum turn into a KKK/White power stormfront.org type thing, it is emotionally draining trying to interact with these people. But beyond that, it is rather disturbing to see this website hosting that kind of dialog.

As far as stories and negative comments, I have noticed that some issues stem from a particular audience having very conservative ideas as to what is appropriate and what is not. This may not be apparent to newcomers. For example, you cannot post ANY kink, female-domination, or willing cuckold scenes in "Loving Wives" category- the general audience who reads those stories is really not okay with that. Ive learned this the hard way and am more careful about how I tag and categorize any stories that do feature such content.

Yeah, the Politics forum has a serious Nazi Bar problem, and it's really alarming that Lit won't do anything about it.

We're all a bunch of perverts here, but Lit rightly takes a strong line on underage and rape content, better than most erotica sites.

Not sure why they're okay with overt, explicit racism, homophobia, and transphobia on the forums

Personally, I think it's time for Lit to wipe that cesspool away from here.

I see no reason for it any more.


@Manu

@Manu

Time for it to go.

 

[SmokingFap]

@Manu

Time for it to go.

As an active participant over there for quite a long time, I hate to admit that I agree with that. I haven't been back on there since the election, because I knew that as bad as it was before then, it was going to become even more offensive, hateful, and borderline illegal after the results. I can only imagine what a fetid, diseased swamp of untreated human waste it is there now. And since political discussion was never a goal of the original founding mother and father, I see no reason to keep it around fomenting hatred anymore.

Just my one cent.

 

[RejectReality]

It will all just move to the General board if you get rid of the political forum, making it even harder to moderate, and for regular folks to avoid. The forum section was created specifically to exorcise that from the General board — and to a lesser extent, everywhere else on the forum.

Absent Laurel finding a couple of recent retirees with time zones/sleeping schedules compatible with sitting on the GB like vultures moderating 24 hours a day, all that accomplishes is closing the asylum and kicking all the lunatics out into the streets to attack everyone that passes by.

 

[PennyThompson]

It will all just move to the General board if you get rid of the political forum, making it even harder to moderate, and for regular folks to avoid. The forum section was created specifically to exorcise that from the General board — and to a lesser extent, everywhere else on the forum.

Absent Laurel finding a couple of recent retirees with time zones/sleeping schedules compatible with sitting on the GB like vultures moderating 24 hours a day, all that accomplishes is closing the asylum and kicking all the lunatics out into the streets to attack everyone that passes by.

Hmm, I don't think I buy that argument. Literally every other aspect of Lit is moderated, that's what makes it the best erotica site around. The best authors, the best story collections, the safest roleplaying.

I realize I've only been active here for a couple months, but I don't understand why this carefully curated site has one exception for unmoderated, unchecked hate speech?

Why do we have a "lunatic asylum" in the first place?

Who decided that it's important to the functioning of this community to host a safe space for Nazis and homophobes?

 

[RejectReality]

Hmm, I don't think I buy that argument. Literally every other aspect of Lit is moderated, that's what makes it the best erotica site around. The best authors, the best story collections, the safest roleplaying.

I realize I've only been active here for a couple months, but I don't understand why this carefully curated site has one exception for unmoderated, unchecked hate speech?

Why do we have a "lunatic asylum" in the first place?

Who decided that it's important to the functioning of this community to host a safe space for Nazis and homophobes?

Don't read comments in Loving Wives much, I take it?

Nearly anyone who would volunteer to moderate the general board — especially with politics included — would be someone who has an axe to grind with people there and wants power over them. That's the last person who needs power.

Political incendiaries aren't going away just because you wish it. They're currently — more or less willingly — confined to a dank little corner all their own. They're easily avoidable. If you choose to go there and get your dander up, that's on you.

 

[PennyThompson]

Don't read comments in Loving Wives much, I take it?

Not really, I don't think I'm into that kind of humiliation kink

Political incendiaries aren't going away just because you wish it. They're currently — more or less willingly — confined to a dank little corner all their own. They're easily avoidable. If you choose to go there and get your dander up, that's on you.

That still doesn't answer my question though, why does Lit host that dank little corner at all?

"We welcome and tolerate hate speech, as long as it stays in this one forum," doesn't feel like a very morally defensible position to me.

It's a choice that is being made. Plenty of online communities choose not to host racism and homophobia and violent threats, period, end of story.

 

[RejectReality]

Not really, I don't think I'm into that kind of humiliation kink

That still doesn't answer my question though, why does Lit host that dank little corner at all?

"We welcome and tolerate hate speech, as long as it stays in this one forum," doesn't feel like a very morally defensible position to me.

It's a choice that is being made. Plenty of online communities choose not to host racism and homophobia and violent threats, period, end of story.

Show me who's going to moderate it, either in the politics forum, or in the gb where it will inevitably end up. Somebody with no political axe to grind, the intestinal fortitude to put up with it, and not burn out in a week.

Show me the exorcist. Until then, I'm content to have the demons contained where the only people they eat are those dumb enough to walk into their lair.

 

[PennyThompson]

Show me who's going to moderate it, either in the politics forum, or in the gb where it will inevitably end up. Somebody with no political axe to grind, the intestinal fortitude to put up with it, and not burn out in a week.

Show me the exorcist. Until then, I'm content to have the demons contained where the only people they eat are those dumb enough to walk into their lair.

Well, if you're ceding the moral argument, then now we're just talking logistics

You're acting like enforcing content rules about overt racism, homophobia, or threats of violence is some nebulous dark art that nobody has ever managed.

It's not, it's no different from the rules already in place for spam, or child sexual abuse, or rape content.

You write the policy in clear language, you enforce it, you ban repeat offenders. "Moderating is hard work," is weak sauce

 

[RejectReality]

Well, if you're ceding the moral argument, then now we're just talking logistics

You're acting like enforcing content rules about overt racism, homophobia, or threats of violence is some nebulous dark art that nobody has ever managed.

It's not, it's no different from the rules already in place for spam, or child sexual abuse, or rape content.

You write the policy in clear language, you enforce it, you ban repeat offenders. "Moderating is hard work," is a weak argument

You have no clue how many of the people in that forum have already been banned a dozen times, I take it? An idiot with an hour to spare and Google can evade a ban.

Dime to a donut there's only one side you want moderated anyway.

 

[PennyThompson]

You have no clue how many of the people in that forum have already been banned a dozen times, I take it? An idiot with an hour to spare and Google can evade a ban.

"They'll just keep breaking the rule, so why have rules," is also weak sauce

Dime to a donut there's only one side you want moderated anyway.

Ope, there it is... If your real position is that racism and homophobia are good and should be part of the site, just say so and stop goofing around

 

[jaF0]

Hmm, I don't think I buy that argument. Literally every other aspect of Lit is moderated,

RR's on it. The PeeB was excised from the GB a few years ago.

They are both cesspools because L and M have refused to assign Mods despite multiple offers/volunteers.


Flush the PeeB and assign an aggressive Mod (or 6) to the GB

 

[jaF0]

Show me who's going to moderate it, either in the politics forum, or in the gb where it will inevitably end up. Somebody with no political axe to grind, the intestinal fortitude to put up with it, and not burn out in a week.

Show me the exorcist. Until then, I'm content to have the demons contained where the only people they eat are those dumb enough to walk into their lair.

I've offered to take the GB multiple times. I guarantee you most/nearly all of the mass picture (copyright violation) threads would be gone in a week.

 

[jaF0]

You write the policy in clear language, you enforce it, you ban repeat offenders. "Moderating is hard work," is weak sauce

Policies here are muddled, vary from page to page within the published guidelines, change often without notice or changelog and are inconsistently applied.

What works on the story side, may work on the forum side and may not work in Chat, or some combination of the above.

L&M place their main focus on the story side and keeping the site running as a a whole. The forums are sort of the bastard child. Theoretically, they could wipe all forums that are not specifically author or story related, leaving only those 5 or 6.

The rest have been added over time to help fill in and keep authors and readers engaged, but really aren't necessary.

ALL Forum Mods here are limited to selected forums. There are NO Super Moderators, Global Moderators or Forum Admins as is typical in virtually all other forums I've even seen.

L&M have repeatedly refused multiple offers of assistance in those areas.

As few as two Mods with Global access could solve 90% of the problems on the forums.

 

[PennyThompson]

Policies here are muddled, vary from page to page within the published guidelines, change often without notice or changelog and are inconsistently applied.

What works on the story side, may work on the forum side and may not work in Chat, or some combination of the above.

L&M place their main focus on the story side and keeping the site running as a a whole. The forums are sort of the bastard child. Theoretically, they could wipe all forums that are not specifically author or story related, leaving only those 5 or 6.

The rest have been added over time to help fill in and keep authors and readers engaged, but really aren't necessary.

ALL Forum Mods here are limited to selected forums. There are NO Super Moderators, Global Moderators or Forum Admins as is typical in virtually all other forums I've even seen.

L&M have repeatedly refused multiple offers of assistance in those areas.

As few as two Mods with Global access could solve 90% of the problems on the forums.

Fascinating context, that's wild!

I love Lit as a well preserved piece of the Old Net, not many good independent, un-enshittified sites have survived intact like that.

But I wish the founders would accept the help of their most dedicated users a little more!

 

[jaF0]

un-enshittified sites have survived intact like that.

But I wish the founders would accept the help of their most dedicated users a little more!

We're trying hard to keep Lit from going that way.

Many of us don't allow politics outside of the PeeB.

Reddit is now getting some Mods that are limiting posts from known 'popular' sites that have turned into disinformation sites.

 

[RejectReality]

"They'll just keep breaking the rule, so why have rules," is also weak sauce

Ope, there it is... If your real position is that racism and homophobia are good and should be part of the site, just say so and stop goofing around

My position is that you're exhibiting all the signs of a typical activist — left or right. Shout from the rooftops to "bring attention" to the issue. Crow about the moral high ground when there's any pushback with regards to the need or viability of what you're demanding. Dodge and spout slogans when asked to get your hands dirty and actually do anything, like try to suggest moderators who could be trusted to do that job at hand, or even be bothered to report the things you claim are going on that are already against the rules.

I honestly don't know what sort of skulduggery is actually going on there at this very moment, because I'm bright enough to stay away. Doesn't take much to guess, though, since it was what was being spewed everywhere else prior to confining them, and there's a predictable set of screeds and trolling every time power changes hands.

The fact of the matter is that the politics forum is doing exactly what it was created to do. It's confining the politics to one little section of the forum where it can be moderated when necessary. If there are death threats, doxxing, and the like going on, do something useful for once and report them so Laurel can take care of business.

I've offered to take the GB multiple times.

Well, thank heavens for small miracles. The last thing you need is any more power to go to your head.

 

[PaxNurgle]

I am just worried about the implications and the reputation of the lit board being used as a hate-speech forum.

I am open to honest and reasonable debate, left, right- it's all fair game, but when one side cloaks it's activism into outright racism, hate and trolling, and then tries to legitimize it by hiding behind the banner of speaking for one side or other, it is not morally acceptable.

And again, it's not all members there. There are a few who are more problematic than others, in particular one individual who hides behind at least ten different screen ID's. If nothing else, keeping it to one user name per person would be a start.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

For what it’s worth, I’ve offered to moderate the GB and its sub-forums, as well. I think the powers that be value the space as being unmoderated, and I do think that had some value back in the day. But now…yeah, it’s a cesspool over there.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I've offered to take the GB multiple times. I guarantee you most/nearly all of the mass picture (copyright violation) threads would be gone in a week.

Patrolling for image copyright violation should almost be a wandering brief across the site, I reckon. You don't need a political allegiance to do or not do that - it's a different issue entirely.

I for one like the way you curate the Visual Artists Corner, keeping on top of the AI junk. And to an extent, that forum self-moderates its content - although Monika did get hounded off, which was a shame. Her borderline content could have been easily managed. But, she chose to take her content down, so that was her call.