Important Announcement Regarding Mature Content for iOS

[bob_artist]

Dropping in late to say I appreciate the way you're handling this, especially the transparency. I've seen a lot of platforms get (sometimes unfair) backlash from adult creators after being forced to moderate adult content due to issues with Apple or payment processors, and transparency goes a long way. Thanks for standing by creators, working with them, and only making changes on the affected app.

Regarding another poster's question about the possibility of LGBT works being singled out despite not being explicit, I share this same concern. I know you don't want to share a keyword list, but I do think it's important to know if innocent keywords like "lgbt," "lgbtq," "queer," "gay," etc. are being filtered. If so, that's a major concern. It's the type of thing that's happened on other platforms.

[BlairFujin]

The changes should affect only the mobile apps, right? Because I've recently tried finding my series by going comics->all->comics->it's genre alphabetically and it was nowhere to be found (which probably explains why my views have been so much lower recently...)

[off_brand_barbie]

the question is where to go from here. I'm deeply appreciative of the tapas team. I am a little erked at the situation, but it can't be helped. My writing style won't change, if it comes to it, I will take my work down. but only if it jeopardizes the community. I've been inspired by the "adult genre" authors and I hope greatly that they will no alter their work. You all are like precious family to me. Thank you tapas.

[off_brand_barbie]

YES that's what I write about, it's not just sex, it's mental issues, abuse, etc.

[Zeke4365]

I appreciate what your trying to do for us I really do but I was wondering if this also affects novels/comics that a horror stories

[alanphabetology]

Thanks for this - it's a bit of a minefield, but I know you guys are doing all you can! Keep up the good stuff

[nostalgicroxas]

Will those who are still posting their works going forward be given a notice of "your series was flagged because of x y z and won't appear on Apple's app"? I ask because there are several sort of macabre scenes, one in particular, that appears later in my novel that's not yet posted on the site -but will be. Once I post it up, and it gets flagged, what sort of information will I receive? I will, of course, flag that chapter section as "Mature", naturally. But I'd like to know the process.
If the mending process would be to edit or just chop out the section..?

[Rodimus13]

They can't ell you the process until the process gets approved by apple. They already said before while they can't give out terms, once everything is approved on apples side they will start sending out e-mails to everyone effected and let us now how the process works as much as they are contractually allowed.

As we saw when the app was removed last time there was an issue, this can take a couple months. and from what they have said prior to this, they are only allowed to tell us so much in accordance with the contracts they have with the app stores they are working with.

[ble]

This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden.

[skicoak]

We’ll be sending out emails and notifications to all creators negatively impacted by these changes.

I should of asked this sooner. Which E-mail will you be sending news too? The one used in the login?

[Maps]

Loophole - don’t mark the chapter mature, just do a written warning at the start of your chapter (just kidding. kinda.)

[michaelson]

I should of asked this sooner. Which E-mail will you be sending news too? The one used in the login?

Yes. It's the only email we have on hand.

Loophole - don’t mark the chapter mature, just do a written warning at the start of your chapter (just kidding. kinda.)

Please don't. This might result in the blocking of your series.

[SleepingPoppy]

I have actually been wondering something.. I know you're going to e-mail individual creators to help them adjust their series and get back on iOs, which is great, but will there be any information to the community at large on differences between Tapas ToS and what will get you unlisted from the app?

(If this was already mentioned somewhere and I missed it, I'm sorry!)

[Maps]

Michael! I wouldn’t. I’m just upset with Apple.

[michaelson]

but will there be any information to the community at large on differences between Tapas ToS and what will get you unlisted from the app?

Yes, we'll be including this in our content policy guidelines and having more information placed in the creator dashboard.

[SleepingPoppy]

That's encouraging. Thank you!

[SleepingPoppy]

Alternatively, we make wholesome content but tag everything as NSFW!

(obviously not, but man, that would be fun XD )

[Maps]

An even better prank!

[Zeke4365]

Hi! I'm Zeke the creator of Drowning a horror novel. I currently have an iPhone and have tried to search my novel on the app but it will not show up. My family members that also have iPhones are also having the same problem where when they try to search up Drowning it doesn't show up but they can see my other novels that aren't horror novels. I was wondering if this was a different problem or if my novel got flagged. I was also wondering if the comics and novels that are getting flagged, are getting flagged because of mature content which Drowning have two episodes with mature content and the others do not. One last thing, if my novel was flagged why have I not gotten an email stating that they where.

[michaelson]

Series with certain tags will not appear on search results for iOS and Android for safety purposes.

If your series has been flagged for content boundary purposes (which is separate) you should be receiving an email shortly.