“So, I’ve left several comments over the course of Strikethrough, PolicyChange, and Boldthrough asking Livejournal for specific clarifications of their policies so that I know best how to moderate pornish_pixies. As this is the community that keeps getting hit by Livejournal in these purges, I don’t think that it’s entirely outrageous that I request further information. In fact, I think it’s imperative that I do so.
“Time and time again my comments have remained unanswered.”
An Open Letter to Six Apart and Livejournal, Femmequixotic, August 8, 2007
What is Six Apart trying to accomplish by not clarifying their policy? Does anyone know?
Related:
“I am not taking a stand on principle over strikethrough, boldthrough and other kerfuffles – the whole thing has got to a point of he said, she said such that I am sure I don’t like most of the snarryfic I’ve seen, would hate most snarrypics and resent LJ taking a stand on this issue but not eg anorexia sites or demented advocates of beating babies for the sake of their souls.”
The state of Roz, August 11, 2007
I still say it’s Six Apart’s doing. The original LJ management never did this stuff or created these kind of problems. Brad and his crew were nice folks and I, for one, miss them very much.
Related: 6A is pro-anorexia: If I GTFO, who else will answer your questions? 😉 Yes, I do work for LJ and I’m speaking officially.
I do know what I’m talking about; I’ve read many many of these communities. It’s sad, I know it is. But it’s not illegal to aspire to be thin. It’s not against the ToS to give people bad advice.
LiveJournal does not support girls harming themselves. There is a line where we will suspend a pro-ana community or require removal of an entry. That line is when content is specifically instructing or inciting self-harm. Generalities aren’t against the ToS, but specificities may be. (if this post vanishes, let me know, I have it archived)
Scroll down to the comments. Jesus Jumping Christ…what are they smoking at 6A? Pro-ana sites have been a problem on LJ for years:
“The other day, I made some crack about a pro-ana site to a friend — and was met with a blank stare. After pro-eating disorder Web sites blew up in a storm of media controversy circa 2000, I thought everyone knew about this sadly sick and strange Web phenomenon. Guess not.
“In case you’re not familiar, the Web is the new terrain for those seeking support in their unhealthy and unnatural quest for thinness. These pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) sites provide motivation to starve yourself, in the form of “thinspirational” photos of models who look like Auschwitz victims, “ana-recipes” and message boards where girls can trade tips and tricks. They even give their disorders cutesy female names — ‘ana’ for anorexia and ‘mia’ for bulimia — as if personifying their sickness into a secret best friend.”
~snip~
“Georgette Gunther, the primary eating disorder therapist for View Psychiatric Hospital in Grand Rapids, says the sites will only exacerbate the disease.
“‘When you have this disorder, you can never be the best anorexic,’ Gunther says. ‘They’re not supportive, because they’re competing with each other.’
“She adds that she’s treated several patients who developed eating disorders solely because of pro-ED sites; girls who were normal and healthy until they logged on and discovered a new world.”
Through Thick and Thin, by Sarah Klein, Metro Times, March 30, 2005
So, 6A, it’s okay for you to delete and ban friends locked communities over fictional content, but you won’t ban site where minors and legal adults are given bad advice and encouraged in a frequently fatal eating disorder? Actually, it is illegal to give bad advice; that’s why malpractice insurance exists. I’m not a lawyer, but I think 6A can be prosecuted for promoting dangerous activities. If they had sites that promoted drinking bleach for any reason, wouldn’t those sites be deleted before they had a lawsuit on their hands?
And, of course, there was the breastfeeding icon uproar way back in 2006. Starvation, okay; motherhood, not okay. They got great priorities or no ethics at 6A.
Paging Mrs. Minna Trott and company: ARE YOU STUPID? OR JUST WICKED?
My suggestion: If you pay for an LJ, don’t renew, use the free service. $$$ is the only thing that gets 6A’s attention. Oh, and don’t buy Moveable Type, use Word Press.
Drama drama drama: Brad is leaving LJ/6A and Mena is knocked-up. Guess she won’t be posting any breast feeding pix, will she?
Also related:
“While Six Apart is well within their rights to delete content they feel is inappropriate, it does make me worry what might happen if a group with some real clout ever sent in a list of complaints. I’m sure many people remember last year, when Six Apart banned default userpics that featured women breastfeeding infants, which included not only photographs, but depictions in classic art, as well. In both instances, the law was on the users’ side: breastfeeding is protected from obscenity accusations by LAW throughout the US and Canada; likewise, this CNet article states that “Legal experts say LiveJournal is clearly not liable for fictional stories and related discussions posted by its users”. Despite this, in both instances, Six Apart’s knee jerk reaction was to pull content and side AGAINST its users. You can read more about the breastfeeding debacle at ProMom.org and in this post in the Boob_Nazis LiveJournal Community.”
The Value of Fiction, by Leigh Dragoon, Seq Tart, August 13, 2007
Knee jerk sums 6A right up.