(New Mature filter update) What is this?!?! 😤😤😤

[MiniSheepPencil]

I would say that there are different levels of severity to a variety of disorders. Take borderline as an example; on it's own is not worthy of a warning.
However, as it is well-known that people with borderline are much more sensitive to triggers around them it is often used or even described as a violent and aggressive disorder (though I only believe this is true because most people don't know how to listen and accept nor even respect personal boundaries in general).

Since I - as a creator - understand that there are levels of severity/aggression to borderline I would put the disorder "borderline" under disclaimer while ALSO putting up a warning if the character I wrote had such a severe case that they would get violent (given that the circumstance/situation of the violent reaction is indeed linked or falls under the distinct traits for the disorder)

We simply have to remember that the disorder itself is not what could issue a warning. Only when you choose to display a disorder in a severe and dramatic way would you need to say "Oh! let me just warn you and say that this is a severe case that we are dealing with and does not represent the disorder as a whole."

I fully understand how difficult it can be to figure out when to "disclaim" and when to "warn" when dealing with mental health, so, my best tip for anyone out there is to do relevant research on the disorder (deep research) before even engaging, so that you will have a better idea of knowing the nature of the disorder and the levels of severity/aggression, SO that you can distinguish when you cross the line and end up with violence as a result of external/internal triggers.

Again super hard topic to cover, but I hope that at least this gives you a better idea on what to look for when you take creative liberties on the subject

POST DISCLAIMER*
- I grew up with a family member who has borderline and used that as a personal reference on this topic.

[LordVincent]

Why didn't Tapas prioritize fixing the glaring issue of sexual violence and consensual sexual content being shoved into the same category? I get a discussion about the other misworded categories was necessary, but that could just as well have happened after the worst problem was fixed.

I understand it may feel like a waste of company time to go in on two different occasions to fix issues with the same feature, but let me put it into perspective for you:

Readers right now can click on an episode expecting consensual content, and getting rape instead. Since the potential trigger warning for rape is already in the mature content warning category used, users that produce content involving rape might choose to skip in-episode warnings.

And, as an author, I have to put my consensual sexual content - which, mind you, I started making as a way to regain sexual power and heal my wounds as a grooming survivor - in a category specifically worded to include rape and sexual abuse. That hurts, and both of these combined leave a pretty sour taste for users.

These things were not only ignored upon launching, but also deprioritized and left to sit for an unnecessary amount of time once they were pointed out by users. Think about what impression people get of tapas' priorities when they see that.

[kmlangleyauthor]

Yes. Really harmful stuff by letting it sit even after it got pointed out

[nostalgicroxas]

I'm curious now at what amount of cursing is considered profanity befitting a M label?

Is it cursing in just English? Cursing in a made-up language? Cursing not in English - since our community does include French, Spanish and Portugese just to name a few I've seen in the lists while browsing.

And then what's the line? Is "sh*t" okay but not "f*ck"? Is "turd" okay but not "derp"? Is "oh my god" okay but "what the heck" isn't? Both of the last examples "omg" and "heck" are censored on a site I've been on as in line with profanity.

Or are we following movie rules where you get one free "f*ck*" before it needs an R label slapped on?

[SleepingPoppy]

Ratique answered this earlier, quoting her:

Curse words are a bit of a fringe issue - it really depends on your audience for this one. If you have younger readers that would be surprised by cursing, you should add it. If your audience skews older, it isn't necessary.

And then what's the line?

It is up to your discretion to decide when a mature label is warranted. If you think your audience would be comfortable, fine, if you think they would find it shocking/alarming, label.

[IndigoShirtProd]

I feel like another thing that should be considered as a check mark is Animal abuse or violence towards animals.

[littlelilylee5683]

I was marking every episode with the F word mature, but went back to change this, because it hid the actually mature episodes and confused readers. Now I simply have a note in the novel and first episode descriptions to indicate that it does include some mature language and I allow my MC a few f-bombs before marking it mature.

I also have cursing in Canadian-French, mainly blasphemous slang, and I follow the same rule. If it becomes excessive, I mark it.

[jensrichard77]

because it hid the actually mature episodes

How was this hidden? Did the episode not show up at all?

[Junetheblunt]

Hello! Why is "mental health issues" under mature content? I understand if it'd be because of triggering content, but what about a work that has discussions of mental health? Would that still need to be under mature content? Or would the warning only be used on chapters where there are possible triggers like a character having a panic attack or suffering from depressive thoughts? Just wanted to clear the doubt about this as to not use it incorrectly.

[Kelheor]

Or would the warning only be used on chapters where there are possible triggers like a character having a panic attack or suffering from depressive thoughts?

you are the one who is putting a filter on the update, so it's up for you to decide.

[littlelilylee5683]

No. Poor choice of words I guess. I meant that my readers expected actual mature content - sex, abuse, assault, etc. And the vast majority were only because of a couple of F-words. So it wasn't clear which episodes actually had mature content. I always put content/trigger warnings at the top if I need it, but almost all of my episodes had a little red M and a mature warning. It seemed misleading for my audience. I cleaned it up so now it is obvious which episodes have mature or uncomfortable content.

[LordVincent]

I hate having to bump this again, but several work days have passed now and not only is the issue still not fixed, but I see the app has been updated to actually show the reasons we choose to readers (something it didn't do before).

So the problem of specific inclusion of rape and consensual sexual content in the same category is now larger than before, when it should have been the other way around.

[ratique]

Hola!

Sorry it's taking some time. Each feature (including changes) go through a process of testing, so while other features were already approved, this was being worked on still. Updates for this feature should be made available by the end of this week. (Edit: Unless something breaks.)

[ratique]

Update has gone out and is available!

We will provide more insight in this addition as well as other new features in the near future.

[CarltonIsaac]

Looks neat enough.

[nostalgicroxas]

Side question:

Are we expected to go back and adjust our Mature warnings to fit these categories?
Like if we have say.... 10 uploads that are marked mature, but they're buried back like, 100 episodes ago so it'll take a bit to scroll/load to them, are we required to go back and specifically mark "this is mature because it has cussing and suicidal thoughts"?

I wouldn't think so, but I'm also super lazy and not wanting to dig back to the few chapters that are marked mature on my long novel.

[jensrichard77]

I might get this all wrong but there might be a backfire of the mature tag we need to know about.
I only think it is super fair that we have it and that the readers can get a warning.
As a creator I assume that readers will skip/ignore that specific update and wait for the next one and read the comic onwards.
But they might jump off the entire series when the get the warning and thinking "oh no this series is hardcore porn from this point, help!"

Why I'm taking this up is because I experience something following @carloswebcomic https://tapas.io/series/PetSuccubus/
The comic has sexual adult humor but newer cross the line IMO.
The nudity and sex display is just like a walk on the beach showing bikinis'. And for some that is mature and for some not, but the comic has a big following and 300 episodes like this with no complains.

But after the latest update, with no more displays than usually, Carlos made an Mature tag and now experience loss of subs.
My guess is that readers get scared of the tag and flee without even see what caused the tag.

This is not me being ageist the tag but a guess and an observation and an assumed experience of how to use or not to use the tag.

What do you think Carlos?

[carloswebcomic]

I might get this all wrong but there might be a backfire of the mature tag we need to know about.I only think it is super fair that we have it and that the readers can get a warning. As a creator I assume that readers will skip/ignore that specific update and wait for the next one and read the comic onwards.But they might jump off the entire series when the get the warning and thinking "oh no this series is hardcore porn from this point, help!"

Why I'm taking this up is because I experience something following @carloswebcomic https://tapas.io/series/PetSuccubus/ The comic has sexual adult humor but newer cross the line IMO.The nudity and sex display is just like a walk on the beach showing bikinis'. And for some that is mature and for some not, but the comic has a big following and 300 episodes like this with no complains.

But after the latest update, with no more displays than usually, Carlos made an Mature tag and now experience loss of subs.My guess is that readers get scared of the tag and flee without even see what caused the tag.

This is not me being ageist the tag but a guess and an observation and an assumed experience of how to use or not to use the tag.

What do you think Carlos?

I forgot I had tagged it as mature!!
Actually, that makes a lot of sense!

Well, I've been kicked in the face so much by different platforms that now I'm being overly cautious.

Next one I should leave the tag off and see what happens.
I wonder if my subs will return?

[littlelilylee5683]

I have started including an intro episode for anything I write now. I have a current light novel and the first chapter has some violence, but the story is actually more slice-of-life family/romance and fairly light. I found that a bunch of people were reading the first half-episode and leaving. I put info in the description, but I'm pretty sure no one really reads that, so now I give a "what to expect" as an introduction, including warnings and triggers. That way they can decide if they want to read it right away, instead of making assumptions based on the first 900-whatever words, or reading and then dropping because it wasn't what they expected. Also, since it's a new episode, your current subscribers still get notified - I know I had a bunch go in and read it even though they were already 18 episodes in.

I only did it a couple weeks ago, but my percentage of people leaving after the first half-episode has decreased. It's not like my writing got any better, and my genre didn't change, so I'm going to assume that helped at least a little.

Maybe sending out something to subscribers, or posting something in the latest episode, to tell them of the changes and that the actual comic will not have a change in content? I do agree with what others have said, though - it would be nice for comic artists especially to be able to distinguish between nudity and sexual content. But even "sexual content" is vague, so ultimately it still has to be up to the author...

[carloswebcomic]

But even "sexual content" is vague, so ultimately it still has to be up to the author...

The problem is that vague wording leaves you open to getting screwed over.