RULES!

[1800]

One of our rules is:

Please avoid using images that are too graphic or if you do place it under a cut with proper warnings.

If you post a meme with a picture like that, you'll risk having it deleted.

If you start rping in a meme like that, you'll risk having your thread deleted.

Comments

[sockiness]

I think we need a little clarity on what you as the comm mod defines as 'graphic'. I saw the complaint about the spanking meme image and imo, that image wasn't anything considered graphic. We've had much more graphic images not behind cuts (nude butts, implied sex, actual sex but not showing the dirty bits) and those would, imo, be more graphic than a reddened ass cheek that was wearing underclothes. I personally don't see how red cheeks are more graphic than nude cheeks that we've seen before. If memes are at risk of being deleted because of content of images, I for one would like a notion of what it is that's termed graphic, because tbh, this feels more like a knee-jerk reaction response to one complaint to appease that person as opposed to actually seeing if the image would be considered graphic or not.

[1800]

This is probably not the answer you were hoping to hear but I cannot give a clear cut examples of acceptable images. Sometimes I work case by case. Unless we're talking about memes that are clearly made to troll the comm, I want to work with the meme posters and hear their side of the story before making a decision.

I was contacted regarding the Spanking meme image and that's the one I'm dealing with now. If complaints about similar images are not brought to my attention, what can I say. I do remember the same meme previously having the gif of a girl getting spanked with glitter (which you mention in the comment below). I agree it's not drastically different, yet no one has complained about that before.

This time I agreed with the person who wanted the image under cut and I contacted the meme poster. They have not replied nor put the image under a cut. As you can see, the meme is still there. I haven't deleted it, so I wouldn't call anything a knee-jerk reaction on my part. This mod post is just a reminder of rules.

Asking to put an image under a cut is not a terrible punishment. Think others when you (the general 'you') post a meme. Preferably: err on the side of caution. Nobody's rp enjoyment should be diminished just because an image is under a cut.

Everyone knows I don't like to delete memes that already have replies in them and I'm sure some players use that to their advantage.

While I might not delete the latest Spanking meme, in the future that image has to be under a cut. No exceptions.

Since I haven't heard from the meme poster, they can consider themselves warned and possibly banned. Not because of the image but for the fact they cannot be reached. Meme posters need to be available to mods.

[sockiness]

I might suggest a minor amount of leniency since there could be extenuating circumstances, ie; them not registering the account if it's just a meme posting one, not having emails sent to them/not accepting pms if they've been trolled before, not having that acct under a normal email one. (I've been guilty of one of those and found messages re: a meme I'd posted when I went to post a new one a month later)

That said, I totally understand that you can only deal with what's been handed to you or brought up to you, but for the sake of clarity, it just might make people wonder 'what will be 'too graphic' now?' I've seen a lot of gifs/posts that I've found either gross or offensive, but I've just scrolled past since if it's not actual blood/guts/naked bits, I feel like it's more taste/preference than anything else. But I can also understand that if someone has a problem with it, none of that might matter to them because ew, no. I guess it's hard to try to moderate that kind of thing, so I don't really envy you that.

[1800]

I know and there has been leniency in that I've only given a warning so far.

To some of you I'm too lenient already.

[socksenpai]

chiming in because I agree with and see why the original report went through. past spanking memes have always featured either a woman in 3/4 view getting butt-smacked with a handful of glitter, except for the last one (posted in October 2015) to feature a guy standing half naked a fair distance from the camera, with a pink handprint on his butt

both of the previous images you could just scroll past, and they were light-hearted and cheeky, but the new one is like a visual air horn. a big proponent of those in the bdsm community is to not force unwilling bystanders to participate in your kink, guys. I like spanking, but let's be real here, surprising the dwrp community into looking at the welts on a girl's ass, the end result of violence (consensual for her or no), just seems like a nasty bid for attention

especially with anons freaking out over it the way they have

and before anyone starts in, no, a picture of a young woman's legs or gifs of sam and dean joking about another young woman being jailbait isn't even on the same level as an image of bare-assed injury. that's getting into selwyn levels of logic

[sockiness]

Going to chime in again that the levels here are inconsistent. The glitter slap gif was 1) a gif and one that showed the actual act of spanking, which seems to be part of the problem with one anon since they were bothered by a past abuse issue and I don't know why one is worse than the other and 2) wearing much less than the party in the current picture is. One is more light hearted, yes, but it's a spanking meme for spanking. There's no nudity. No gore. It just feels off that this is the picture is the one sparking this sort of response when there are plenty others that have been more violent, explicit, or graphic than this that haven't been asked to be put behind a cut, nor has it garnered this sort of attention. I know the anon comms are slow lately, but this just feels like reaching for the sake of it.

I do understand where you're coming from that it's a different tone of picture, but it's not the same meme and if they want something a little more true to the flavor of the meme they're trying to set instead of Tinkerbell getting smacked on the butt... that should be up to them. In terms of previous memes, even previous versions, it's still pretty tame. There's no welts. No blood. No lines, even. It's just red butt cheeks in a consensual setting, no worse than a choking meme that had a picture of a woman being grabbed around the throat. I know we have new mods from that time, but it feels like people are just trying to get things changed for the sake of changing them instead of seeing if they need to be changed or if they need to just take care of their issue themselves.

[dinosock]

Gonna agree with sockiness about needing some guidelines because smut prompt meme is still there and two people obviously fucking is worse than just a butt that isn't any different from any swimsuit ad. I play by the rules with no problem, they are there for a reason and I respect them, but I need to be sure what the rules are.

I agree that some images need a cut and it's not a terrible publishment, that much you're right about, but again, like sockiness said, this post sounds likea kneejerk reaction. You're saying "well it'll need a cut from now on". Why didn't it need one before when the rule always existed? Because nobody complained? Are you telling me that you don't delete things that go against the rules if you see them but nobody complains about it?

[1800]

That is a fair point, thank you. My decisions can be (seen as) contoversial and illogical at times. I don't have good answers to every problem here.

I do not really know what most of the players consider "too graphic" which is why I haven't gone around contacting meme posters before someone complaints about something. A couple of times I've seen an image that I don't agree with and by the time I log in, there is already a comment about in in the Problems post.

I've considered the "too graphic" rule to apply to images that most people wouldn't want to jump at them when they're browsing Bakerstreet in a public place. Personally, I think the Spanking meme picture falls into that category. The image in the Smut Prompt meme... that, too, although if I were to accidentally see it on someone's phone or tablet, it's not quite as clear.

But then there are people who are triggered by certain images and it has nothing to do with being in a public place. I'm trying to balance between differing opinions and wants.

Really what I'd want is to people not get upset if I ask them to put an image behind a cut. It shouldn't be this much of a problem. I'm not going to be bullied by those who start demanding it unreasonably, if that's what bothers some of you.

[dinosock]

People get upset over the most stupid things. You can't let that guide your decisions, otherwise we wouldn't be able to do ANYTHING around here. The rule has always been there on the profile. If someone complains, you tell them to play somewhere else. A player that can't respect the rules isn't someone you want around anyway.

Having graphic pics behind a cut is common sense, most people won't argue with you about that. We're WTFing at this whole deal because it makes no sense in the context of bakerstreet. We've had lots of smutty gifs on smut memes, and this one is talked about for being a red butt.

As for triggers, everything can be a trigger if you had a bad experience with it. You can't please everyone. You have to keep it to the obvious and big ones. Gore, violence that goes beyond a punch, that kind of thing. No, the supernatural gifs aren't graphic, but someone will come and tell you that because of a bad childhood, they're triggered by any kind of minor sex mention. Then where do you draw the line?

We agree with your rule. Just make it fair and equal. All sexy stuff goes if that butt goes. If you don't contact someone just because nobody complains, people will think it's ok to post it, and won't take you seriously when you make these posts.

[sockhouse]

If posters aren't following the rule then they should know the risks. It sucks but. Anything NSFW should be behind a cut no matter what, and yeah yeah, that old timey argument of WELL THEY SHOULDN'T BE SCROLLING THROUGH MEMES AT WORK WAH WAH can be applied here because then those scrolling at work should know the risks.

Some people don't scroll memes just at work but on public transportation, or while they're waiting in line for something, or in the lunch room during their lunch break.

Either way, NSFW should always be behind a cut.