news: June news

Krissy (

ljkrissy) wrote in

news,
@ 2006-06-02 11:48:00

June news
We're back -- did you miss us? Do you like the new userpic

veroz made for us all? Here's what we've been working on since our last post.

Better Styles Management
Keep an eye on the Styles management pages for an overhaul that will be launching very soon. There are also big changes in the works on our style systems, which are currently called S1 and S2. We're working on making S2 your best choice by bringing in some of S1's functionality to it. The goal is to have one style system that's powerful, flexible and easy to use. We encourage you to switch to S2 now!

More New Stuff
While we're always working on big new features for you, we wanted to point out a couple of smaller tweaks and improvements. There are some changes to the Edit Profile page which resulted in the new pages called Viewing Options (where you can turn on the Navigation Strip) and Comment Settings. The engineers have pushed some fixes including the ability to change back to Plain Text from the Rich Text editor. There are other bugs they are still working on, but if you are experiencing issues please contact Support.

You've also probably noticed the new "Did You Know?" reminders that show up after you log in and after you post. These reminders are there to let you know about features you haven't used as well as new additions to the site. Visit the Did You Know? page to view all the reminders.

Sponsored+ Account Level
Since the launch of the new Sponsored+ account level back in April, we've enjoyed hearing all of your thoughts and opinions on it. A couple hundred thousand of you have already made the switch, and we really appreciate it. Your choice to move to the Sponsored+ level is a big support to the site and will enable us to make improvements to the new level and to the site as a whole. Stay tuned this summer as we start to roll out the feature improvements that have been enabled by your support of the site.

If you're interested in getting more features for free, switch to Sponsored+ now.

Gathering Data
We have recently re-implemented HitBox, a site-wide data-gathering service that will help us dig deeper into how users and visitors use LiveJournal. The data we collect will help us prioritize our improvements to the site, among other things. A few folks were very concerned about privacy with the Hitbox service, and thanks to their feedback we were able to make some changes to how we'll use the service. Most sites on the web do keep track of which pages you visit, and we're trying to be even more respectful of your privacy. You won't actually see a change to your experience using LJ.

If you'd like to know more about HitBox, please read all about it in this post to

lj_biz.

Staff Welcomes
Join us in welcoming

poignantly and

hachi to the Engineering team,

kimmi8 as our Product Manager,

joydtaylor to our Sales team and

chasethestars to the Design team!

Summertime
Congratulations to all the graduates of 2006! We wish all our users a safe, happy and productive summer. Stay tuned to

news,

tipoftheday and

lj_spotlight (and

frankthecomic for a laugh!) as we'll be bringing you tips on how to make the most of your LJ experience all summer long.

(Read 1774 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

erin
2006-06-02 10:13 pm UTC (link)

The very definition of nude implies that a portion of the body is not covered up.

rahaeli's default icon that you link to (http://www.livejournal.com/userpic/36613586/218581) clearly shows a sports bra.

How can something be nude and in clothing at the same time?

This could have been a fight for a really worthwhile cause, but all it has done is cause embarassment to both people advocating change and to Six Apart.

Congratulations. You have helped take a good cause -- a worthy cause -- and made it trivial by completely ignoring facts and deciding on your own version of the facts.

The TOS never clearly said anything (it's intentionally vague). You are talking about an FAQ. For the love of everything holy, at least make an attempt to know what you are talking about. Even now, search for the word "sexual" in the TOS. Not there. Try "nudity" that one isn't there either.

The FAQ said "including" not "only" sexual material. When it was clear that people such as yourself were unclear that "including" may mean that every possible situation wasn't covered in the FAQ it was changed to include "nudity." If it had said nudity before this mess started -- this mess would still be here.

My claim about FCC standards (yes, I'm the one) was in response to someone claiming that bottle nipples should be disallowed from default user pictures if female nipples were disallowed. Don't put words into my mouth.

People were suspended because they *chose* to be martyrs. Instead of making their icon non-default until a compromise could be achieved, they *chose* to violate the Terms of Service. I have no sympathy -- especially when some of them had their friends report them. Nothing like a little internet attention to help feed a child.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Reply from suspended user)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower erin 2006-06-02 10:20 pm UTC (link)
	She's not Doug's boss, yet he's clearly aware of what her icon looks like. It's a sports bra. You are reaching here, and it's sad. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Reply from suspended user)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

erin
2006-06-02 10:42 pm UTC (link)

They are LiveJournal friends! They see eachother comment and post in official communities. He's seen it! I assure you!

And no, sports bras do not have pre-printed areolae, which is why what you are looking at is not areolae. Do you not see the sports bra? Because I'm sure you see that. If sports bras do not have pre-printed areolea (as your sarcastic question to me) -- then that can't possibly be areolea.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower realcdaae 2006-06-02 11:09 pm UTC (link)
	It's a sports bra with thin fabric, though which areolea are visible, similar to the dress in my icon. Can I take it that this icon would be okay as a default? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower -

kerinda, 2006-06-03 04:19 am UTC (Expand)

(Reply from suspended user)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower -

serendipitylove, 2006-06-03 07:38 am UTC (Expand)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower -

anotherdream, 2006-06-04 08:54 pm UTC (Expand)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower serendipitylove 2006-06-03 07:34 am UTC (link)
	So it's cool to be rude to users now? This is why so many people think the abuse team need to be made up of professionals, because you people clearly are not. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower tallblue 2006-06-03 04:49 pm UTC (link)
	Yes very sad indeed. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower flashfire 2006-06-02 10:25 pm UTC (link)
	You can? I can't. This is called stretching. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

beyondinsanity
2006-06-02 10:29 pm UTC (link)

How is that image any different then the other one i posted,except you can't even see one single part of the mothers nipple?
OH THAT'S RIGHT, the mother is nursing and there are people policing the nursing mothers icons and reporting them (hey, wasn't that against the faqs?)

really,i brought down a worthy cause by having an opinion over facts i was given? I have no words.

I didn't know it was you specifically that said that,i knew a member of the abuse team did, and that was the quote i read. So i wasn't putting words in your mouth,i was quoting something i read.

If the faq (sorry,again,i thought it was the TOS. If i'm wrong, fine) had stated nudity clearly i do not think this would have started.
If there were clear lines drawn then we wouldn't have been upset over lja saying breastfeeding icons were inappropriate based on the sexually graphic/violent rule.The fact that LJA choose to change the faq around in the middle of this,really didn't help.

I don't recall asking you,or anyone to have sympathy for someone who refused to change an icon, that was their choice.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

erin
2006-06-02 10:39 pm UTC (link)

http://www.promom.org/gallery/albums/banned_icons/9047259_G.thumb.jpeg

There's areola in that picture.

Your "facts" are incorrect. The TOS was not changed. The FAQ was. It previously said "including" not "only". Inserting your own reality is not "fact-finding". Taking a comment I made out of context? Also not fact-finding.

You are right, there should have been clearer lines. But once those lines were identified, it certainly didn't stop the shitstorm, did it? Once Doug stepped forward (a 6A first, btw) and said, hey, we'll work something out -- did the shitstorm stop then?

This has been perpetuated because people want it to be. From the moment that first email went out -- from the moment LiveJournal Abuse was simply enforcing a policy that was set pre-Six Apart (it predates me and I've been around for 5 years) -- this shitstorm was started. Nothing Abuse could have done after sending out that first email would have stopped this.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower nznats 2006-06-02 10:58 pm UTC (link)
	Did the shitstorm from the abuse team stop... umm no! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower kerinda 2006-06-03 04:21 am UTC (link)
	Doug stepped forward and said "Hey, let's work something out", while Abuse team members were continuing to cancel and suspend accounts. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Reply from suspended user)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

realcdaae
2006-06-02 11:14 pm UTC (link)

Precisely. "Hey, we'll work something out" was hardly the chief message that people got from his response.

The peculiar thing to me about the FAQ is that it still doesn't accurately reflect the policy. It may well be true that the internal policy LJ abuse were following was the one they now tell us about (no nipple or areolea), but we have no way of verifying that, and whether we believe the world of LJ abuse depends on our previous experiences with them. The change in the FAQ certainly appeared to be a change in policy. But I don't understand why the FAQ still doesn't state the policy being stated elsewhere. "No nudity" is a wide clause, and covers many body parts, male and female. Why doesn't the FAQ say "no female nipple or areolea"?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

beyondinsanity
2006-06-02 11:14 pm UTC (link)

I'd like to know where the areola is in that picture.

I'd also like to ask:
since you're saying that icon is ok because she clearly has clothes on (which could be just colour,but for argument sake i'll go with your theory)
that,in theory, means this picture could be used as an icon, since she's clearly got a shirt on,and that means (by your words) this is not nudity.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Reply from suspended user)

Watch me get suspended for this comment!

yellowest_finch
2006-06-03 03:14 am UTC (link)

Once Doug stepped forward (a 6A first, btw) and said, hey, we'll work something out -- did the shitstorm stop then?

Has 6A actually tried to "work something out" rather than just saying they will? I haven't seen any evidence of "working something out," hence, the shitstorm continues. Do correct me if I'm wrong.

This has been perpetuated because people want it to be.

Obviously. LJ/6A has done absolutely nothing to remedy the situation except for Doug's reply, which, as others have pointed out, was essentially just trying to quiet the crowd without actually doing anything.

I'm sure LJA knows that I am enjoying seeing this situation perpetuate itself. I could honestly give a shit about breastfeeding icons. I am very pleased with the amount of attention being drawn to the problems with the abuse team. Your team mistakenly suspended my friends' accounts even though suspensions are supposedly double-checked by more than one team member, suspended my account and closed the ticket without adequately explaining the reason, and looked at f-locked entries of a friend without there being a copyright complaint or breech of US law. You're certainly not earning paid users this way, nor are you by ostracizing large communities of users. If the boob nazis can cause enough of a shitstorm to result in changes to the abuse team management and the volunteer system, then I will certainly do everything I can to help them perpetuate the "shitstorm."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower ann89103 2006-06-03 01:21 am UTC (link)
	Bravo! cheers Hope your blood pressure drops back to a normal range soon; this just can't be good for you. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

kerinda
2006-06-03 04:19 am UTC (link)

People were suspended because they *chose* to be martyrs. Instead of making their icon non-default until a compromise could be achieved, they *chose* to violate the Terms of Service. I have no sympathy -- especially when some of them had their friends report them. Nothing like a little internet attention to help feed a child.

Livejournal *chose* to show up in the discussions on

boob_nazis, and they *chose* to give promises of compromise and a mutual resolution of the issue, and they *chose* to ask everyone to be patient while the issue was worked out, and then they *CHOSE* to continue to issue suspension notices and cancel people's accounts anyway. Who didn't wait patiently until a compromise could be reached? Media blitzes and Step Apart day were not planned until *after* those promises were broken.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower

mercy_rain
2006-06-03 01:41 pm UTC (link)

The very definition of nude implies that a portion of the body is not covered up. [info]rahaeli's default icon that you link to (http://www.livejournal.com/userpic/36613586/218581) clearly shows a sports bra.

"If the nipple or areola are visible -- such as in userpics where the breasts are covered but the fabric is sheer enough -- then it is also not permitted for use as a default userpic." - Denise Paolucci, hypocrite.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower yellowest_finch 2006-06-03 09:24 pm UTC (link)
	Where did Denise say this? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower mercy_rain 2006-06-04 12:14 am UTC (link)
	In an email to me - I had asked some questions about specifics related to the new FAQ, and I actually asked, "What about images of breasts or genitals that are covered, albeit with fabric sheer enough that all details are still clearly visible?" The quotation was part of her reply to me about what the new nudity clause does and does not cover. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: fighters for more defaults in the shower cryslea 2006-06-04 02:32 am UTC (link)
	Look, I agree with you: "Nipplegate" has gotten WAY out of hand. I think that it's been blown way out of proportion, and that, yes, many people are being martyrs. Still- in rahaeli's icon- I can see nipple. Do I care? No. But still. It's inconsistent. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read 1774 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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