Saturday, 28 February 2015
(22)What a bunch of......
I don't know I am of line for a week and when I come back I find that Blogger/Google has ripped the soul out of the caption community. Like ISIS through the Yazidi's they have spread the whole scene to the hills. Oh sure now their work is done they have backed down. (Maybe?) A bit like the nazis saying "Oh that holocaust thing,just some crazy mistake !" Well with everyone spread far and wide there is going to be alot of rebuilding to do. I shall set about the links list as I track captioners down. I don't know what you guys and gals think but we should not let this just go away. Sure a little blog like this well not bring down the man but together maybe we can spread enougth sh**? We are captioners lets do what we do best.CAPTION. Satire and two fingers up is a great tradition here in the UK lets show them we care and hopefully embarress them a little. If all you guys with blogs whatever your site now make something and ask that they be copied and spread around. facebook twitter anywhere maybe a small wave well lap at the feet of the corparation? So what you think? PS If this blog is closed down or I am dragged away in the night carry on the fight. PPS If I offended you or thought I trivalised the holocaust with the nazi refrence above or caption below I do appologise just trying to make a point. PPPS I would not be to offencive or use corpartate logos in your work. PPPPS Hey who am I to tell you what to do? Go for it. PPPPPS SPREAD THE WORD.
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OK Ian… you’ve got my wheels spinning in all kinds of directions. Lemme just lay these out here.
ReplyDelete1) I’m as angry as anybody else at Google. I mean come on, they almost destroyed an entire side of my personality in one fell swoop. While I am angry at them for this wanton destruction, however, I don’t think they were targeting ‘us’. Their action did threaten that destruction but it’s like getting upset at the sidewalk art destroyed during a car accident. Yes it was destroyed, but the drunk driver wasn’t targeting it.
2) I completely get why they did this. Their desire to remove ‘adult’ content from their blogger service (purchased 12 years ago!) would put it more in line with their other services. I don’t have a problem with ‘adult’ services being pushed out to the fringes. Even when it’s sold at a newsstand, adult content is behind a protective cover. Yes, adult blogs are already behind a protective cover but that just marks them as interesting to children.
3) I think the problem comes down to defining ‘adult content’. All TG captions can be considered adult as sexual identity itself is adult content. Like sex itself, it should only be brought up with children in a controlled environment. And the interwebs are NOT a controlled environment. But where I’m sure they would have no problem with blogs detailing someone’s personal gender identity issues, or G/PG rated caps, they should have problems with caps like I make/made. I crossed the ‘porn’ like a long time ago and never really looked back. I believe their intent was to rid their service of ‘porn’ while leaving the ‘mature’ content. I think of the difference this way; if you can use the content of a blog to discuss a serious subject with an older child then it’s mature. If you would want to read it in a dark room while alone and a box of Kleenex nearby… yeah that’s porn.
4) Intent. Intent is where I hate most corporations. They want money. They want you to pay as much as you can while spending as little as they can. Yes, porn is a great money maker, but as Disney shows you can also make a lot of money by specifically being NOT porn. Protecting their ‘image’ is just a way for Disney to make money. Disney’s intent isn’t to be good (or in Google’s sense, to NOT be evil). Does Google want to make money? Yes. But they want to make money so that they can continue to innovate, create, and in general ‘not be evil’. Just look at blooger as a whole… it’s freaking free. Wordpress is free… kind of. Their free service never stops reminding you of how much better it could be if you‘d only pay them a little hard cold cash. Google doesn’t let you monetize adult content on their blogging service… wordpress makes you pay to get ads OFF your adult content. And let’s not forget that at the end of the day, they backed down. They heard the cries of those that this would affect and they decided that dealing with a little bit of ugly porn (like mine) is a price worth paying so that good mature content can stay. Disney wouldn’t give a flying fuck about pissing off entire communities by keeping their brand ‘clean and family fun’.
So… you want to attack them for their deed. I wouldn’t want to stop you. I won’t even try. And the thing I like best… I doubt Google would want you to stop either. They were almost evil before people pointed it out and then they stopped. Stopping you from attacking them would be evil unto itself.
I think I’ll just stand back and quietly say ‘YAY Google’. But that’s just me.
HI Caitlyn. Thanks for stopping by and your comments considered and reasoned as ever and get my own wheels turning:)
ReplyDeleteI well work through the points for ease and sum up.
1- I do not belive that they were targeting us either but I don't buy the accident theory. For what ever reason (see 2) I would assume that this action was planned. When an action is taken you would think a company the size and imprtance as Google/Blogger would take great care to consider every aspect of their move. If they did not do that then they should be held to account.
2/3. So they want to get rid of adult content. Thats fine but as you write in 3 you have to define what is acceptable (A) No adult content even a nude photo. (B) Bloggers are responsible adults but here is the line you don't cross. (C) Anything goes.
I am an option B. There are things that are unaceptable child porn, rape the obvious. Where the line is set is of course a matter of opinion i won't go into that now. "We are doing it to protect the children." I have no problem with that but another question that would take more time to consider than here. Every child is diffrent but at some point they have to learn about sex porn murder the whole seedy race we are. And you could argue that in areas of sexuality knowing that being gay ts tv does not make you a freak or that you are alone.
Is my blog porn? yes but i belive fairly soft core but again others would disagree. Adult content should be restricted but i don't belive made unaccessable Going LA LA LA this is not happening is pointless.
My view Google went to option A Have now backed down to B. I guess the invitation system could work but why did they go in all guns blazzing instead of asking nicely to put a lock on our door?
(4) Belive it or not I am not the Commi red I might seem. I have no problem with profit and its up to thier own conscience the image they wish to go for. And i love Blogger. I think its the best by a mile.
I guess why i wrote the post is because I love this scene and the people on it. I like what we had now we have to track everone down and rebuild.
I could go all conspriracy illuminarti. But lets take it as a ill thought out badly implemented policy. Google should take more care in thier action they should clarrify thie line in the sand and only target the bloggers that cross it not go in telling us we are all filthy and get out of town.
ATTACK google not really what i mean to do I wish only to make them take note of what their action do the climb down would show they made a big mistake a little satire out there should remind them they need to plan things way better and in our own world balls should roll.
Thankyou so much for the comment I Do enjoy a got debate I am of to view blogs wheres that box of Kleenx?
P S "YAY Google." would be a great caption to spread around.
I think you put it best in 1. “…a company the size and importance as Google…” Google is a HUGE company. Just think of a few of their bigger projects; Android, YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Blogger, Picasa, Maps, Analytics, Chrome, Docs, Wallet/Checkout, Fiber, Nest, and that’s not even mentioning the search engine which develops the majority of their money. I don’t think that being a big company/organization ensures that many good people look over every action. I’d wager that the people that truly define ‘Google’ had no idea this was happening until it started to generate bad press. Then they stepped in and stopped it.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that where the line is drawn is a matter of opinion but that you wouldn’t go into it now. This is actually something I talk a lot about with my friends as I see it as VERY important. Everybody has opinions and something as big as Blogger (let alone all of Google) will never EVER be able to please everybody (they’d be lucky to please a mere majority). Just as we weren’t pleased with their decision to ‘end’ us, I’d imagine there are thousands of groups that are displeased with their reversal.
I’d agree that having educational material about trans-genderism, homosexuality, and trans-sexuality is important and people should be able to find it even on blogger. But even in their broad stroked change in their TOS I don’t think they were even close to banning that. They were targeting ‘porn’ plain and simple. “Sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video”. With that in mind, I’d say that it was a good decision with ‘Protect the children” in mind. Leave the educational and artistic material, get rid of the porn.
They weren’t trying to make it inaccessible. They simply didn’t want it inside their family of businesses. Heck, Google’s claim to fame is search so they above all should know that they can’t make something inaccessible.
I think you could make the argument that no one there thought there could be a good reason to keep ‘porn’ on their service. Only when they implemented what they thought was good policy and entire communities of good people spoke up about the destruction of their long held communities did they realize that some ‘porn like’ material was in fact ‘not porn’. I think the fact that they reversed the decision speaks louder than the fact that they made a bad decision in the first place. How many times have we seen a big corporation think about, make, and fully implement a bad idea? At how many steps could they have stopped a moment and change directions? Most of them don’t. They made a decision and will stand behind it until the bitter end hoping that they turn out right in the end. Google made, what I believe should be considered a good decision, started to implement it, got new information, and then changed course. They admitted (in so many words) that they were wrong, and stopped it. To many people they walked away with egg on their face, but they still stood up and did the right thing. Again… YAY Google.
I think satire and poking ‘the man’ is great and fun. I’m sorry I didn’t see your post in that light. I just still see more people being upset at what Google/Blogger did first and not being overjoyed at what they did second.
HI Caitlyn. Sorry i was out last night so could not reply back till now.
ReplyDeleteI believe the no porn ethos has to be top down, but agree it might be a
case of"Well no one rid me of this turbulent priest." and the four knights
rode of to do the bidding the way they interpreted the request.
Whether the action is high ideals, public image or pressure from...?
I do not know but accept its their company to run as they wish.
I did not go into the line in the sand issue as i thought it was abit of
subject. What you or i think is not the issue its what Google think that
matters and I feel they should have decided where the line is before
taking their action.
It would be rather egging the pudding to say that my blog or indeed
most TG caption blogs are educational it /they are not.
(What they are is another avenue)
I agree banning eduction was never the aim or target and would
not be affected.
I say they did try and ban and or make it inaccessible at least on
the products they control. But no not even Google would think they
would rid the world of it.
The aim was to ban sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video.
agreed then do that my point is they shot at everyone.
Its not motive its method that i question.
"We just want to protect the children " is a kill all statement because
no one can counter it with any credibility. how could i argue
against that.? and do not want to.but again its not motive but method.
Where I am more cynical is the climb down and accepting the fall out.
Of course I am glad they changed direction. As i would also be happy
that a bully stopped kicking me in the nuts, But he did kick me to start
with and they still hurt. the bully says It was a mistake i mistook you for
somebody else. Does it make the assault right? should i just laugh of the
throbbing gonads?
I see it as shots over our heads in the few days of the policy sure
the guilty have fled (good) but the rest of us are now having to
look over our shoulder can i say post this? (bad) which brings
us on to other avenues freedom of speech, action, surveillance
and the nature of blogger. But that's for another day.
If i might ask the question in what light do you see my post?
Lemme first say that I don’t have children of my own. I do have a niece and two nephews that I’m very close with though and want to offer protection like a father would. I don’t bring up the ‘protect the children’ to win a debate… it’s how I honestly feel. I often think to myself ‘would I want my nephews to see this?’… and when I’m viewing almost all TG captions sites, the answer is an a wholehearted NO. They are 13 and 15. I’m sure they are exploring things on the internet including pornography, but I don’t believe they are old enough to really understand the nuances that trans genderism is full of. The eldest is just about the age where I think he can have a basic understanding of it… and if he could get to the least pornographic sites he might learn. But that’s a big tide of non learning sites to get through just to find a helpful one.
DeleteYou say it’s not motive but method. I just think that they are closely intertwined. How do you keep children safe without hurting some people that live firmly in the ‘adult’ sphere? If there’s a good way to keep the adult sphere protected and anonymous, then I’d love to hear about it. Their method wasn’t even going to delete or destroy what was out there… it would just remove the anonymous exploring that’s currently available. If you wanted into these previously open sites you would have had to open up your email address to the owner of the content.
I kind of like the analogy of the bully kicking you in the nuts. But in this case the bully said he was going to kick you… and then backed away before kicking anybody. Yes, people were hurt. People ‘flinched’ at the threat of being kicked, but the bully did realize what he was going to do was wrong and didn’t complete the act. People will still worry about the bully and wonder what his motivation was… will he find another way to hurt us? But right now the bully just threatened and then pulled back.
As for how I see your post… I see it as a pessimistic view of Google/Blogger. Everything our community is doing/posting/saying is based on assumptions. We have to assume what blogger wanted, and we have to assume what they will do in the future. The only thing we know is that they don’t want commercial porn on their services. And that’s something we should have known before with their policies on Youtube and other services. I say pessimistic as you bring up the specter of them willfully hurting our community. You bring up the specter of them finding a different way to hurt us in the future. And you seem to hint that they pulled back not because of a desire to not hurt, but simply not to look bad while hurting. Now I can’t say with any conviction that your assumptions are incorrect. I can’t say with any conviction that they’re correct. It’s an assumption.
But based on previous behavior from Google, and with no concrete evidence to say otherwise, I’m going to try and keep a positive view. It’s as valid a way to look at it as the negative view. I try to avoid negative thinking (when there’s no evidence for it) simply because it’s a long never-ending road of darkness that you start down. Afraid of what Google may do? Why wouldn’t you be afraid of what Tumbler might do? Or Wordpress? Or any other service out there. Am I afraid of what Google may do? Sure… but no more afraid of what they may have done in the past.
Sorry I did not mean to imply that you used the protect the children quote to win the debate, I thought this was a google quote.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before I can not argue against it but only say that it should not be used to justify just any action. Yes motive becomes method but there is good and bad method as was the case here.
Do you plough the whole field to get rid of afew weeds or go around and pull the weeds saving the crop?
I don't know about the answer. Maybe some way to verify age. I am not sure how that works but have seen it on other sites. I do not like the Google way of fencing because,
1 - My Email would be open to abuse and spam.
2 - If I am Emailed how can I verify an age.
3 - It would stifle free browsing (Would we get intro pages?)
4 - New Blogs would find it very difficult to get of the ground.
5 - In our own theme alas there is alot of stigma I believe most of our viewers would not like to give out an Email and would be cautious.
Maybe there are ways around these problems ?
The Bully analogy still hold as a threat of a beating can be as effective as the real thing.
I do agree we are working under assumptions.
Pessimistic/ negative maybe I am but I do think a healthy dose of skepticism should be applied to most things as long as it does not become paranoia.
Positive and negative are also open to interpretation could sitting back to wait and see be a negative action while doing something the positive?
Off course you may have taken other action like writing to Goggle I don't know.
I expect that Google must walk a tight line and have many other things other than porn, I E racism, sexism homophobia and many more.
I only argue that any censorship must be very sparingly applied and in the right places. Also that it is very dangerous when one person/company/group are the sole arbiters of whats good and decent.
Was my suggestion the best well does not look like others agree I think that I have only seen one other caption on the subject.
I do not think that we were targeted I meant Blogger in general as you wrote before there are probably many people miffed at the reversal by Google I seek only to defend my opinion and patch of ground. and am fine with a challenge to that.