I don't like this LJ alarm

[lobelia321]

I am alarmed by posts in other people's journals and by the disappearance (i.e. flocking down) of some other regulars-on-my-flists' journals. What I have heard and read is that certain LJ-comms have been suspended by LJ because they contained content that could be construed as illegal among their interests. I got most of my info from liviapenn post here. This has got a lot of people, it seems, worried and people have changed their own user interests.

I am not entirely sure what is illegal about slash. Incest and chan I can see but the sex stuff? And there's been so much debate about the copyright stuff recently, surely that can't be construed as illegal? And does this relate to fanlib at all, because fanlib has raised interest? I have no idea.

Should I be backing up my fic posts? My journal? Or is this just panicmongering and groundless alarmism? I've checked the lj-news comm and there was nothing there about it.

Comments

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I don't think slash itself is being targetted. The focus seems mostly to be on chan.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I think it's what's under the radar.

[ook.livejournal.com]

Evidently the communities were targetted for simply having such interests as incest, chan, and pedophilia. Not for any actual content.

Some fans feel that this is a slippery slope are just taking precautions should LJ decide to further crack down on sexual content.

cordelia_v is organizing a protest against LJ, asking people to cancel paid accounts and stop purchasing LJ gifts and other items. You can read about it in her last few posts.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I don't like the idea of punishing LJ. It's not their fault. They are pressured by outside legal concerns.

[ook.livejournal.com]

Well, it WAS their decision to close communities for having certain interests, rather than investigating further whether or not a community was a real front for actual real life criminal behavior. LJ also could have issued a warning to the communities to straighten up and remove certain interests and postings, but instead they simply suspended accounts.

Someone (can't recall who now) did point out that LJ may have possibly suspended the Lolita book discussion community as a loophole to UN-suspend the non-criminal LJ accounts later on.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I, too, am wondering why LJ suspended the account without warning and why they didn't warn first. But I don't know why. I've not read any explanation given by any LJ employee. So I don't want to jump to conclusions until I know why they did this.

I don't understand the loophole to un-suspending thing you mention. My poor non-techie head!!

[ook.livejournal.com]

Well, it gives LJ a foot in the door to admit they might have made a mistake and thus allow some of the wrongly-suspended accounts to return (I understand that currently LJ is claiming that the suspended accounts are NOT coming back). You might check femmequixotic's last few posts as she was in direct communication with LJ regardingpornish_pixies.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ookie, that post by femmequixotic was really interesting, especially as she was directly affected.

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

LJ Officially is saying noting. I post a link to Liz Marcs LJ which covers a lot of information, and even fandom_wank has good coverage.

lolaraincoat (my flist) has a good post with what has been shut down--including communities that seem to be for pedophiles.

Role playing journals of villains have been shut down as well. Major effects so far, naturally, are in the Harry Potter fandom.

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

actually i saw info on a good program that will archive your lj and let you seach files--sort of on the principle of backup is good I'm thinking about doing it!

let me know if you want link!

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I looked at that ljarchive link but couldn't make heads or tails of it!

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I've read all this now. I don't understand the policy behind it. But then I'm not anti-LJ, either. I dont' want to jump to conclusions.