Respecting Fair Choice for G & PG Series

[GoldenPlume]

Today we noticed the F word posted into someone's profile image. Just a reminder to all creators, but profile images are not screened by the mature rating system. You could literally put a naked manhood hanging out there and everyone would see it, even the youngest of desktop readers (the app has a M17 rating).

We didn't report this creator but asked them politely to remove the explicate via PM. While creators should be allowed to create whatever they want, they should at least have one layer of consensual barrier between the reader and their art in situations were the art may be seen as offensive. Tapas offers the M rating for comics but in situations where offensive art is going to be wall posted, at least have some dead space or something so readers have the option of turning back if they should so wish. Hitting them immediately between the eyes with things that some may consider offensive takes away their choice to avoid things they don't wish to see. If nothing is offensive to you as a creator, consider what network television does regarding bleeping out certain words or using censor bars for certain imagery as a guideline.

Tapas is all about fair choice.

Creators please be respectful and honor those who wish to be G or PG with their series just as much as R and X series are fairly allowed on Tapas. Some creators desire to have young readers being a part of Tapas as well. Decisions you make effect everyone on the site in terms of reader demographics and overall traffic.

When things like this happen it makes it very difficult in good conscious to recommend Tapas to anyone under age. It also gives Tapas a reputation going forward if the company should ever start mass marketing itself.

Thank you for your understanding.

[KoreanTacos]

It's cause of things like this that kind of forces me to monitor the things my kid reads on sites like Tapas and Webtoon. I'm glad to hear you were respectful about your actions though younger people have just as much right to enjoy the site as all the people who enjoy whatever it is they enjoy.

[Kura]

Though I don't have an issue against not wanting to see x-rated avatars (cause yeah, not a fan of running into people with dicks as their profile image either) Tapastic itself isn't rated G. So people don't have to adhere to the 'G' 'PG' rating when you need to be over a certain age to legally have an account.

In that regards I don't think it's fair to police and ask people to 'think of the children' on a site that children actually shouldn't be on. Regardless of if the content is in the comic or not.

[nelmathyria]

I think it's less about policing and more about common courtesy. You don't have to be a child to not want to be subjected to explicit content without warning! Of course you can't control what people post online, and ultimately it's up to you to avoid things you don't want to see, but this is still a good thing to think about. Just because you can post anything anywhere online doesn't mean it's the best idea to do so. Being tasteful is just as important as having the freedom to post what you want.

[Kura]

Don't get me wrong, like I said I'm not a fan of running into them either, and in a somewhat related debate (comic icons being x-rated) I was very much on the side that people should really be a little more tactful and not post porn or cropped porn for their series icon. Since you can see all icons regardless of mature warning.

But saying its for the 'safety of younger readers' or because 'some creators desire young readers to use the site' is where it gets iffy, because of the websites restrictions on age and it's content rating.

I'm all for courtesy and respect, like I said I dislike running into x-rated icons myself and there are several people I would like to tell to change their icon, but since I'm not a member of staff don't feel like I have the right to. Just label the problem exactly as that, a 'courtesy' issue and don't try to use the 'for the children' retort on a website young children legally can't use.

[ISNEKO]

An interesting topic.

Today on the front page of the app there's kids playing futbol with another child's head for the ball.

[GoldenPlume]

Maybe it was taken down because we can't find it. What we did find though is this:

Talk about mixed signals...

[Kura]

Well from what I can see the series in there are not actually family friendly. The one I clicked on even had the mature filter on because the mom was watching porn.

They just feature the characters in the comic having a family setting.

[LordVincent]

Ok basically: friends and family related comics can exist on a platform directed to audiences teens - above,

but teens - above specific content cannot exist on a platform directed to audiences kids - everyone.

So it's not mixed signals at all.

You probably shouldn't invite kids to use Tapas because Tapas ToS specifically says, as they must according to us law considering the content they have, that individuals under a certain age should not use the platform and that by using the platform you agree that you are of said age or above.

[GoldenPlume]

one I clicked on even had the mature filter

Definitely confusing then to readers who are interested in all-ages content. The family holding hands with the warm glow seems to indicate that "this is all-ages content" ... only to find out that it's not.

shouldn't invite kids to use Tapas

Agreed. It was always questionable in the past but it appears that it is a definite "no" at this point.

Looking at the demographics there doesn't appear to be enough of a segment of readers "17 and under" for Tapas to be worried about.

[indagold]

People shouldn't be letting their kids on the internet to begin with until they're old enough or with a ton of parental control. Hell I didn't even get internet access until I was 11 and even then I was on deviantart reading goddamn bleedman, the pedophile king lol

A kid should be playing whatever modern version of club penguin that's out then going on a website that has a lot of mature themed work.

[joe_galindez]

I purposely screen only cartoon shows from my childhood. My kids have no idea which toys are really hot now.