Forbidden words...

[PennLady]

I have also posted stories at EroticStories.com. They are a bit stricter than Lit over there - no non-con, no incest, for example -- and that's fine. Today I got some email notices and checked them out.

According to the webmaster:

Unfortunately, I have been forced by the credit card processor to censor certain subjects. Even simply the use of certain words is now strictly forbidden by the credit card processor (Epoch).

Words that are not allowed to be used at all are words like rape, incest, underage, hypnosis and abduction. Even if a story is not even about that subject, but the word is used in a basically harmless way they still have an issue with it.

Failure to comply with their rules will mean they will take away my ability to process credit cards for the Fanclub, which will mean the end of the site as we know it..

I'm afraid your story is affected by this as well. One or more of the words Epoch now has a problem with have been found:

In the actual text of your story:
Found 1 occurrence(s) of the word celebrity

To prevent trouble with Epoch, your story has been adapted. This means the offending words have been replaced with the text [censored].

In many cases, the stories can maybe be (easily?) adapted to not contain the forbidden words or content. In that case, by all means adapt the story and send in an update request, by going to the management page (main menu -> author tools -> management). That way you can make changes to the story without touching anything else (like the votes or the publication date).

I am very sorry about this, but I'm afraid I have no reasonable alternative but to comply with the credit card processor's demands.

I also received emails citing other instances, for the words "drugs," "raped," "hypnotic," "celebrity" and "celebrities."

In general, I am not personally bothered much. I can easily replace these words; none of them are crucial to any of the stories "caught" in this little sweep. OTOH, I am baffled by the requirements. I mean, really, "celebrity" is a bad word? I can't say that someone has a "hypnotic voice?"

Wondered if anyone else had gotten these notices and what words might have been flagged.

 

[slyc_willie]

I only post here and sell books through eXcessica (and whoever they pair up with for distribution). I haven't seen anything like this.

I can understand certain forms of self-censorship on websites, but it seems that the folks at Epoch kind of have blinders on. Are they afraid of insulting celebrities who might potentially sue over erotic fan fiction? It's almost like Epoch is saying, "we'll support erotica as long as it's good, clean fun."

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

G.K Chesterton wrote, about a century ago, that the way of the world isn't socialism, its feudalism, where all are safely stowed aboard the manor or plantation, monitored, and guided to virtue, in Jesus' name, amen.

 

[sr71plt]

Over the past two days, I've received twenty-one withdrawal notices on this. I'm long past caring about Eroticstories.com and wish they'd just pull the stories and not message me on each one already. There's nothing I can do about--or would do if I could.

 

[PennLady]

I only post here and sell books through eXcessica (and whoever they pair up with for distribution). I haven't seen anything like this.

I can understand certain forms of self-censorship on websites, but it seems that the folks at Epoch kind of have blinders on. Are they afraid of insulting celebrities who might potentially sue over erotic fan fiction? It's almost like Epoch is saying, "we'll support erotica as long as it's good, clean fun."

These are only the words I know about -- I'm really curious to know what other words they want to bar. But it's ridiculous; you can't even have a sentence in a story that says something innocuous. For example, I think in my stories that were cited for the word "celebrity" I never mention a specific one. It's more like a character is saying "I don't want to be a celebrity."

Over the past two days, I've received twenty-one withdrawal notices on this. I'm long past caring about Eroticstories.com and wish they'd just pull the stories and not message me on each one already. There's nothing I can do about--or would do if I could.

You can go pull the stories, or change the words. Not sure yet what I'll do. All of my stories on there are in their pay membership section, and I rarely get any feedback from there anymore.

 

[Handley_Page]

Everyone write and protest to EPOCH ?
A campaign has to start somewhere, surely.

 

[slyc_willie]

These are only the words I know about -- I'm really curious to know what other words they want to bar. But it's ridiculous; you can't even have a sentence in a story that says something innocuous. For example, I think in my stories that were cited for the word "celebrity" I never mention a specific one. It's more like a character is saying "I don't want to be a celebrity."

Sounds like someone implemented a basic -- and badly constructed -- editing program to search through the stories, only looking for words out of context. I imagine the website is already receiving uproarious emails from authors about this, and they will either hunker down (and lose writers) or amend the program.

Either way, it sounds like the site is being way too careful and going too far to cover their own ass, should anything happen.

 

[sr71plt]

You can go pull the stories, or change the words. Not sure yet what I'll do. All of my stories on there are in their pay membership section, and I rarely get any feedback from there anymore.

They are pulling the stories, aren't they? I don't see why I should bother to do it or anything else. I don't get feedback from there either, and I lost interest in posting there when a single other author was trashing my stories there. I just stopped posting. I just consider it their loss not to have the stories there.

 

[PayDay]

Everyone write and protest to EPOCH ?
A campaign has to start somewhere, surely.

Agreed.

Trying to hold the Internet down.
Tell then to get another credit card company?

 

[annanova]

I have also posted stories at EroticStories.com. They are a bit stricter than Lit over there - no non-con, no incest, for example -- and that's fine. Today I got some email notices and checked them out.

According to the webmaster:



I also received emails citing other instances, for the words "drugs," "raped," "hypnotic," "celebrity" and "celebrities."

In general, I am not personally bothered much. I can easily replace these words; none of them are crucial to any of the stories "caught" in this little sweep. OTOH, I am baffled by the requirements. I mean, really, "celebrity" is a bad word? I can't say that someone has a "hypnotic voice?"

Wondered if anyone else had gotten these notices and what words might have been flagged.

Yes. Well, not me, but a mutual acquaintance told me about this today.

It reminds me of the library servers that were on such high alert, patrons couldn't research breast cancer there.

 

[DG Hear]

I have also posted stories at EroticStories.com. They are a bit stricter than Lit over there - no non-con, no incest, for example -- and that's fine. Today I got some email notices and checked them out.

According to the webmaster:



I also received emails citing other instances, for the words "drugs," "raped," "hypnotic," "celebrity" and "celebrities."

In general, I am not personally bothered much. I can easily replace these words; none of them are crucial to any of the stories "caught" in this little sweep. OTOH, I am baffled by the requirements. I mean, really, "celebrity" is a bad word? I can't say that someone has a "hypnotic voice?"

Wondered if anyone else had gotten these notices and what words might have been flagged.

I had 121 stories flagged. Not sure what I'm doing with most of them. Anything with the word 'Drug' is a biggie. I couldn't believe I have some with the word 'Celebrity' also. Any form of the word 'Rape', 'Kidnapped', 'Incest'. One I found quite amusing was the word 'Abduct', the title of my story was 'Abducted.' I'll delete that story.

I had the word 'Drug' in drug store. Couldn'tbelieve that one. Also I had good things flagged such as 'That's why I don't do drugs.' I played around with a couple and put in the word 'prescription', and 'Pills'. I want to see if they accept them.

Not sure how long I'll play around with the sight. I do like it and have won a couple of their drawings. They also have next day posting.

 

[DG Hear]

They are pulling the stories, aren't they? I don't see why I should bother to do it or anything else. I don't get feedback from there either, and I lost interest in posting there when a single other author was trashing my stories there. I just stopped posting. I just consider it their loss not to have the stories there.

I forgot to mention that I also had 9 stories deactivated before this word problem.

Penn Lady, I'll let you know what other words I come across that haven't been mentioned as I look at all the e-mails.
DG

 

[PennLady]

They are pulling the stories, aren't they? I don't see why I should bother to do it or anything else. I don't get feedback from there either, and I lost interest in posting there when a single other author was trashing my stories there. I just stopped posting. I just consider it their loss not to have the stories there.

I don't believe they are pulling the stories, at least not all of them. All of my notices, as it said in the letter I quoted in the OP, say that the story is still there, but any objectionable words have been replaced with the word "censored" in brackets. One nice aspect of ES is that you as the author have the ability to take down stories when you want to, instead of having to ask someone else to do it.

 

[DG Hear]

I don't believe they are pulling the stories, at least not all of them. All of my notices, as it said in the letter I quoted in the OP, say that the story is still there, but any objectionable words have been replaced with the word "censored" in brackets. One nice aspect of ES is that you as the author have the ability to take down stories when you want to, instead of having to ask someone else to do it.

Yes, I got that message 121 times but last week they did deactivate 9 of my stories. I guess they changed it and put in the censored. I never checked back to see if the deactivated stories were re-activated.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I think this is ludicrous, and I wish you the Best of British Good Luck tackling them over their obscure bureaucratic nonsense. If you get a petition going, I'll sign although I don't publish with them and after reading this, shan't do so!

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I can relate to the frustration with a site that seems to have strange guidelines, but please look inwards.

It is not allowed to give references to other sites in texts in the forums but some people who are all to ready to denigrate a newbie who asks for comment on a draft happily break all the rules. One law for the . . ?

This forum is not for discussion of competitors' sites.

Sorry to be blunt but there seems to be a self-appointed hierarchy that are trying to rewrite the rules.

 

[PennLady]

I can relate to the frustration with a site that seems to have strange guidelines, but please look inwards.

It is not allowed to give references to other sites in texts in the forums but some people who are all to ready to denigrate a newbie who asks for comment on a draft happily break all the rules. One law for the . . ?

This forum is not for discussion of competitors' sites.

Sorry to be blunt but there seems to be a self-appointed hierarchy that are trying to rewrite the rules.

I'm not trying to rewrite any rules. I thought this was a good thing to bring up, because censorship of various types is something we as authors are always concerned about. If you don't like it, report it.

As for newbies and drafts, IF YOU'D PAID ATTENTION you'd know that although I've advised people not to publish entire stories in the forum, I still give them some advice if I can.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I expect that everyone who commented on the censorship will bend over and grab their ankles, as they always do.

 

[Bramblethorn]

It is not allowed to give references to other sites in texts in the forums but some people who are all to ready to denigrate a newbie who asks for comment on a draft happily break all the rules.

Where is that rule posted?

I've certainly seen mention that the forums aren't for promoting competitors' sites (and fair enough), but I don't recall anything forbidding references in general.

 

[sr71plt]

Where is that rule posted?

I've certainly seen mention that the forums aren't for promoting competitors' sites (and fair enough), but I don't recall anything forbidding references in general.

It's on promoting other sites. Rule 6 (I think) in the forum rules.

 

[PennLady]

Where is that rule posted?

I've certainly seen mention that the forums aren't for promoting competitors' sites (and fair enough), but I don't recall anything forbidding references in general.

And I hardly think discussing this kind of censorship on a site amounts to "promotion".

 

[DG Hear]

And I hardly think discussing this kind of censorship on a site amounts to "promotion".

PL! I've been changing some of my stories on EA. I just did one that you edited fore me. LOL
Anyway I asked if we could use molested instead of rape and was told it wold pass for now.

Another thing that surprised me was that even though we can't use 'drug' or 'drugs', 'drugged is accepted. For celebraties I've replaced it with famous people, for drugs I'm using 'pills', 'Illegal pills' or enhancement pills. For 'underage' I tried 'under age'. All of these replacements went through so far and were excepted.

DG

 

[PennLady]

PL! I've been changing some of my stories on EA. I just did one that you edited fore me. LOL
Anyway I asked if we could use molested instead of rape and was told it wold pass for now.

Another thing that surprised me was that even though we can't use 'drug' or 'drugs', 'drugged is accepted. For celebraties I've replaced it with famous people, for drugs I'm using 'pills', 'Illegal pills' or enhancement pills. For 'underage' I tried 'under age'. All of these replacements went through so far and were excepted.

DG

That's good to know. I think I may just leave mine; and one I didn't realize was still up there in the first place. I think this is absolutely inane not to be able to use these words at all, even in a non-sexual context. They'll take "drugged" but not "drugs"? Stupid.

I had considered replacing "drugs" with "meds" or "medications." Don't think I feel like it.

 

[Caroline Covington]

I deleted most of my stories off the eroticstories site. I had neglected that site for the last several yrs, but when i received the censorship emails yesterday, I just took my stories down. I won't play that game.

 

[sr71plt]

I've just left them to do whatever they do (and messaged the administrator to stop e-mailing me about them). I stopped posting there a couple of years ago.