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

[joannekwan]

@littlelilylee5683 and @rajillustration I think all that is just up to the discretion of the creator, whether to tag or not and what to list it as.

Tapas isn't requiring mature tags aside from the obvious things that will get them in trouble with the app, so visual depictions of nudity and sex and certain levels of realistic violence have to be tagged. But anything else is simply a tool for the creator to use for the benefit of their particular audience.

[indagold]

Why is mental health a mature label though, It seems pretty vague. Anyone under 18 can handle that as a topic i'm assuming? Like why is that even an option.

Also if the app is rating things based on content guidelines put out by organizations that monitor that stuff, why bother go through this pointless mess and go off actual rating guidelines that exist for film and other media? You're never going to make users content.

[rajillustration]

But would that make them less visible on the app though? Do they know that's a risk of doing more mature works here on Tapas?

[joannekwan]

Ratique answered earlier that a simple M tag won't make a series less visible.

[arxianfall]

Is there a way to tag my whole series mature so I won't worry about a little spittle of red on a panel?

[therosesword]

My fantasy novels have plenty of sword fighting, that's physical violence and people kind of expect that, they don't expect a rape scene. Oh, no no no... this is not good.

[DiegoPalacios]

I would separate Graphic violence from abuse.....

Violence is not neccesarily abusive. A war between soldiers, or a duel to death is different than an alcoholic parent beating up their kid and/or guilt-tripping them.

[littlelilylee5683]

Thanks @joannekwan. I have a character who has anxiety but I don't see that type of "distress" as mature content.

[SleepingPoppy]

Is there a way to tag my whole series mature so I won't worry about a little spittle of red on a panel?

Nope. Usually people make note in the description that the story is 18+ or whatever warnings they might need. You already don't need the mature filter for all occurrence of blood/violence. It's specifically for more mature/excessive occurrences. (personally I like that we're allowed to use or discretion if something needs the filter or not! But I get that it also causes concern since the line is often not clear)

[indagold]

why don't we just split it up into: Language, violence, substance use, nudity and sex like most rating systems and then let the user write down what specifically is in that scene that is mature and/or just have an "other" option that lets the user write down it. It simplifies it. We will be here all day if we list every thing that is a dicey topic.

[sxxaint]

A lot of these aren't mature so much as trigger warnings for people who may want to avoid this content. Very heavy mental health distress may be things people want to avoid, or at least read in a better state of mind.

[SleepingPoppy]

and/or just have an "other" option that lets the user write down it. It simplifies it.

Yeah, Ratique said allowing a write in option wouldn cause internal issues, but I don't see why we can't have it specifically for display reasons to our audience. Could be really useful for allowing creators to add clarity and context!

But oh well. It's still nice to have options

[arxianfall]

It's specifically for more mature/excessive occurrences.

Ohhh, I better have my own place ready...

[indagold]

I mean, we can have a limited number of options and then a dialogue box where the user can write whatever they want in there that will have no impact on the mature label itself. idk i'm not tech savvy but something better than this

[SleepingPoppy]

No, I agree! It's clearly a do-able thing without internal conflict, even though internal conflict was the reason given for not doing it.

[rajillustration]

@joannekwan OK, that's really good to hear point blank (since there are so many rumors about what happens when you got mature stuff on the app), and I agree that this should be up to user discretion. I just hope that the way we're presenting it currently doesn't make it seem like you have to put a mature filter for every drop of blood or discussion of something heavy.

We get people popping on the forums sometimes who really don't know if their story is too violent or not when it's like...innocent stick figures punching people. I think people new to the site or new to creating stories don't really know where the line is because we've made it understandibly pretty vague.

[bulletcrucifixion]

Right?!
I saw this and was like, wtf ?!

[littlelilylee5683]

I agree, and I have other trigger warnings that I mark mature and specify at the top of the episode. But I guess marking every episode mature where a character overthinks or questions or has fears and needs support because he has anxiety seems extreme. Many people suffer from anxiety (me included) but it is quite normal. I'm just wondering where the line is. Or if should be marking everything as mature because almost all of my characters have some kind of trauma or condition that impacts the way the live their lives.

Maybe it would be better to tag an entire series as "contains mature content" and then indicate what it contains at the front. I know many of us write it in the description, but it would suck to be invested in a story and then 30 episodes in not be able to continue because there is a trigger. Then of course still mark sexual content, any form of abuse, self harm, and the other more serious things per episode so readers have a warning.

[CodeMonkeyArts]

I agree; that is a very good option

[joannekwan]

Agreed! LOL
I think if there was a notice alongside the mature toggle saying what must be tagged (visual nudity, sex, realistic violence) and that the rest is left to creator discretion would be nice, but I can understand if the UI designers think that would add too much clutter.