Feedback on new policy announcement.

[THROBBS]

Do you think this is because people are having their photo posting privileges removed? That’s been going on for a long time. Or have you seen something else?

I read what I read; the directive, and what seems to be more vanishing pics.

So, you think this has not yet begun, in practice?

As a mod, you should know more than I.

 

[Crankbait88]

Hey, what's going on in here?

 

[THROBBS]

Hey, what's going on in here?

A new Site-wide proclamation on new policy against nudity in images, moving forward (and possibly, retroactive too...?)

From Manu, excerpt:

"...

Speaking of new features: over the last few years, we've rolled out several new features on Literotica that include visual elements. Those features include the Series Cover Art and the Author Profile Header Images. Those features all had one thing in common: a content guideline of "no nudity in any images". This policy grew out of feedback from the Literotica community.

Many Literotica readers (and authors) shared with us that they visit the site on their phones and would prefer not to have NSFWs images on the screen while someone else is looking over their shoulder. Other members told us there are so many sites on the internet with photos and videos that they would prefer Literotica remain a haven for text - the original intent when the site was launched more than a quarter century ago.z

Anyone who's been around a while knows that we've always supported the free speech rights of individuals and websites to publish adult videos, photographs, and artworks. Over time, we've also become more and more aware of Literotica's unique identity as a community dedicated to storytelling via fantasies shared through writing and reading.

A few years into our experiment with the "no nudity" image policy for new features - and with overwhelmingly positive feedback during the experiment - we're planning to expand the policy to more of Literotica's existing features with images over the coming months. The obvious place where it will make a difference is in User Avatars, though we plan to expand the policy to the Literotica Forums as well as to the Illustrated Stories and Artwork in the future. We understand that these changes may have an impact on some members' already-published avatar images, forum uploads, illustrated stories, and artworks - but the total number of images involved should be tiny compared to the total number of images, stories, and other works shared on Literotica.

If you're a forum poster or author who has shared images (photos or artwork) that include nudity, you can prepare for the changes by editing/replacing those images yourself proactively - or you can wait until we have time to review all of the visual works and request changes to those that need to be updated. Again - our research shows that the total number of items impacted by these changes will be very small (this only applies to images, not text), but we understand that each member's work is important to them. While the change might require a little extra effort in the short run, we're confident that it is the best move for the community in the long run. Please feel free to send us any feedback or questions you might have, as always."

 

[Crankbait88]

A new Site-wide proclamation on new policy against nudity in images, moving forward (and possibly, retroactive too...?)

From Manu, excerpt:

"...

Speaking of new features: over the last few years, we've rolled out several new features on Literotica that include visual elements. Those features include the Series Cover Art and the Author Profile Header Images. Those features all had one thing in common: a content guideline of "no nudity in any images". This policy grew out of feedback from the Literotica community.

Many Literotica readers (and authors) shared with us that they visit the site on their phones and would prefer not to have NSFWs images on the screen while someone else is looking over their shoulder. Other members told us there are so many sites on the internet with photos and videos that they would prefer Literotica remain a haven for text - the original intent when the site was launched more than a quarter century ago.z

Anyone who's been around a while knows that we've always supported the free speech rights of individuals and websites to publish adult videos, photographs, and artworks. Over time, we've also become more and more aware of Literotica's unique identity as a community dedicated to storytelling via fantasies shared through writing and reading.

A few years into our experiment with the "no nudity" image policy for new features - and with overwhelmingly positive feedback during the experiment - we're planning to expand the policy to more of Literotica's existing features with images over the coming months. The obvious place where it will make a difference is in User Avatars, though we plan to expand the policy to the Literotica Forums as well as to the Illustrated Stories and Artwork in the future. We understand that these changes may have an impact on some members' already-published avatar images, forum uploads, illustrated stories, and artworks - but the total number of images involved should be tiny compared to the total number of images, stories, and other works shared on Literotica.

If you're a forum poster or author who has shared images (photos or artwork) that include nudity, you can prepare for the changes by editing/replacing those images yourself proactively - or you can wait until we have time to review all of the visual works and request changes to those that need to be updated. Again - our research shows that the total number of items impacted by these changes will be very small (this only applies to images, not text), but we understand that each member's work is important to them. While the change might require a little extra effort in the short run, we're confident that it is the best move for the community in the long run. Please feel free to send us any feedback or questions you might have, as always."

No nudes?!?!???! This must not stand!

 

[THROBBS]

No nudes?!?!???! This must not stand!

That seems to be the consensus, among the riff raff.

There is need for clarification (on several points).

Questions have been posed. Answers are pending.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

I read what I read; the directive, and what seems to be more vanishing pics.

So, you think this has not yet begun, in practice?

As a mod, you should know more than I.

I don’t expect to know more at this time since the announcement said the forum would be affected “in the coming months.” So, for now, the announcement is all we have.

I don’t think pics are vanishing at a more frequent rate than they have been for quite a while, over a year, maybe two or more.

 

[THROBBS]

I don’t expect to know more at this time since the announcement said the forum would be affected “in the coming months.” So, for now, the announcement is all we have.

I don’t think pics are vanishing at a more frequent rate than they have been for quite a while, over a year, maybe two or more.

Well, alrighty then.

In that case, the most "tangible" evidence that something is happening, is that something has stopped happening.
There have been no new images approved/posted in the art area "up front" since April 14. They HAD been published at a steady rate of every 1-2 days.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

Oh, are you referring to A Sky Colored Cock? That “Llehlla” is the WORST offender!
I was interested in the title of the thread because I thought it would be erotic poetry. I know it’s in the Visual Arts Corner, but still, that title just said “poetry” to this idiot. So I click on it and bam! There I am with my coworkers looking over my shoulder (that’s a company policy where I work…the company is called “Whisteblowers” so I guess it makes sense that everyone is policing everyone else’s screens.) and looking with the same horror as mine at a quite vaguely drawn ERECT penis squeezed between two cartoonish BREASTS! I could have died of embarrassment! I don’t know who these 75 k freaks are that get off on this perverted artist’s sometimes barely intelligible, sometimes very explicit images ( can she even draw?), but they sure aren’t doing LITerotica any favors by showing up in such numbers. Or maybe it’s just one person who has some sick compulsion to click on that thread.

How is it the fault of visual artists or photo posters that

1. somebody was using Lit at work

2. somebody chose to click on a thread in the very clearly labeled Visual Arts Corner, still mind you at work

This would be really hilarious if not for the effect on artists and photographers (some of whom are also artists).

 

[Saltfountain]

This would be really hilarious if not for the effect on artists and photographers (some of whom are also artists).

I really do wish people would stop relegating people whose medium is photography to being an artistic underclass.

It really boils my piss.

No, I can't draw the visions in my head by hand. But I can manipulate photos to make things that people have put in their walls.

 

[THROBBS]

I really do wish people would stop relegating people whose medium is photography to being an artistic underclass.

It really boils my piss.

No, I can't draw the visions in my head by hand. But I can manipulate photos to make things that people have put in their walls.

Getting off track, again.

As for visuals, I contend- hand drawings (or paintings) are not always "art", though visual expression.
In the same way, not every photograph is necessarily "art". These days, more often than not, they are simply a visual recording of an event.

 

[Saltfountain]

Getting off track, again.

As for visuals, I contend- hand drawings (or paintings) are not always "art", though visual expression.
In the same way, not every photograph is necessarily "art". These days, more often than not, they are simply a visual recording of an event.

If your dismissal of me could have been more condescending, I really don't want to read it...

 

[THROBBS]

If your dismissal of me could have been more condescending, I really don't want to read it...

You feel that is condescending? I roll my eyes at you. <that is condecending

I am dismissing this peeve of yours, in this thread, as it has little to do with the policy, which is covering ALL visual depictions of nudity.

pssst. Do not read this.

 

[spacekowboy]

Meh.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

I really do wish people would stop relegating people whose medium is photography to being an artistic underclass.

It really boils my piss.

No, I can't draw the visions in my head by hand. But I can manipulate photos to make things that people have put in their walls.

I thought I was agreeing with you. Many photographers are exceptional photographic artists. Ansel Adams for example.

I happen to be a complete amateur photographer. I would not consider myself an artist on par with some other photographers on Lit. Hence my distinction.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

Here's what I wrote in the Lit official feedback form.
From my keyboard to Laurel and Manu's trash folder!

---

Laurel and Manu,

Firstly, thank you for providing a site where I found a community of kind and respectful like minded adults. For the first time in five decades, I feel whole, I feel accepted. Nowhere else online do I feel safe like I do on Lit. I have contributed stories, essays, audios, and photographs to Lit. I deeply appreciate the many varied forms of expression here. No other site provides this in one place.

I have found real healing for anxiety and body image issues here. That has been mostly in the AmPics photo threads and the BDSM forum. Never has my mental health been as good, partly due to interaction with other Lit users. I'm a middle aged mom. Where else can I share pictures with other adults and not run into a single incel? Please do not take that from us.

I also ask that the Visual Artists Corner be spared. Why should beautiful, joyful, and healing art be taken down because somebody chose to open a thread in Visual Arts at work? That section of the forum is very clearly labeled and no one gets there by accident. Why should artists and photographers suffer consequences for other people's deeply foolish choices?

I have to respectfully ask why art and photos are held to a different standard than the site banner ads that are on by default over all written stories. Are the "over the shoulder" people reading Lit at work or grandma's funeral not concerned about someone seeing cam girls wearing buttfloss? Or ads for porn computer games?

If the real concern here is litigation by the current US administration, please consider taking steps to protect the site such as hosting in another nation or blurring nude images as other sites already do. I would gladly donate or subscribe if funding such changes is an issue.

If the right wants to come for Lit they will, regardless of what art or photos you remove. You have audio of real people really cumming. You have very explicitly sexual stories. Even if that doesn't quite fit the current legal definition of porn, do you think right wingers will be stopped by such legal trifles? You run a sex site. Right wingers are the biggest consumers of porn and the ones howling for it to be criminalized. They may claim the written word is "good erotica" while visual depiction is "evil porn" but I would hope the Lit community knows better.

You won't protect writing from the book banners by throwing visual art under the bus. Division and fear is how fascists let left wingers do their work for them. I would rather see writers and artists united for sex positivity rather than shaming, a care/harm ethic rather than pseudo-Christian hypocrisy, and free expression rather than censorship, especially when pre-emptively self imposed.

In solidarity with visual artists,
Lotus_Kitty of Literotica

[edit] fixed one typo

 

[NightPorter]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Take It Down Act that's about to be signed.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

And with the new changes I guess that the last flickering hopes of a TPH AmPics thread are gone

I did have one once upon a time…

 

[Ruby4Cox]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Take It Down Act that's about to be signed.

What is the Take It Down Act?

 

[Llehlla]

 

[NightPorter]

What is the Take It Down Act?

I haven't read the text, just skimmed headlines in the paper. But it will shortly be a new federal law concerning AI deep fakes and revenge porn. Non consensual posting of other peoples nudes or AI images of them nude. The important part for lit is that sites have only 48 hours to pull down content.

 

[RoperTrace]

For those doubting that members have expressed concern regarding images, aside from reporting spam and scam posts, nearly all of the reports I process in three forums are people reporting images. I can’t imagine how many images in the GB are reported daily.

People are reporting images? How soon will certain words be reported in the future? Don't laugh.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

People are reporting images? How soon will certain words be reported in the future? Don't laugh.

It’s not funny. I hate that I have to look at most of the images that get reported. Have you checked out what the rules prohibit? Some folks post images that get them banned from the site. They should have the authorities called if we knew their identity.

 

[Thesunmaid]

It’s not funny. I hate that I have to look at most of the images that get reported. Have you checked out what the rules prohibit? Some folks post images that get them banned from the site. They should have the authorities called if we knew their identity.

Same lady....same...and then they act all shocked when they get banned.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

It’s not funny. I hate that I have to look at most of the images that get reported. Have you checked out what the rules prohibit? Some folks post images that get them banned from the site. They should have the authorities called if we knew their identity.

I sympathize. It’s a thankless and awful task. Thank you for doing it.

However I think the site owners are throwing the baby out with the bath water.

I will venture a guess that the vast majority of those reports are not from the art nor AmPics threads. While I’m not in the art threads much, the AmPic threads I frequent would dogpile on anyone posting such things (and report them). So would the people in the BDSM discussion threads. Consent, respect, and adults only, that’s what we want.

Again, I’m sorry you deal with the nightmare fuel. And thank you.

IP addresses can be reported to police. Some departments do have training in cybersecurity/cybercrime.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

@Lotus_Kitty I have no idea about reports on AmPics. I only see the reports from BDSM, How To, The Playground & Personals, and LGBTQ+.

The BDSM forum image posts and threads sometimes get reported, but not too often. Graphic, attached/uploaded images can be a problem since the images posted there are of a certain nature that others would certainly judge/disapprove, but almost everything shared there is linked. I expect those will go in the future, but I will wait to see what guidance we receive.

A lot of posts of women who look FAR too young to be posted here get shared in one of the above listed forums I mod. And I HATE it.