[TAPAS INSIDER] How we curate the Staff Picks section

[vothnthorvaldson]

Yeah, it's difficult to understand why staff picks could not encompass ALL stories, including these who are censured on app, as they could only appear on the website. I can see how it could be an issue if the fact to be curated content overrides the way the censorship is applied, but if it's the case, that's really something that should be taken care of (and should already have been taken care of. We were promised some vague improvements after the Apple censorship was applied, and I don't really see any).

[joannekwan]

We were promised some vague improvements after the Apple censorship was applied, and I don't really see any

What I've noticed from the initial culling is that mature series are actually searchable now in the app.
I was successfully able to find my own among a few others through the app's search bar by typing in the titles.

EDIT: Also noticed that there is no longer the little pop up box that says the mature series can be found on desktop and the whole series can be read on app (without having to be subbed to it beforehand).

[ratique]

But they don't feature the same content since some content is hidden, unless this means that content that's hidden on the app is now hidden everywhere?

I feel like you're talking about multiple things. Staff picks are the same on app and site and that will likely not change.

Yeah, it's difficult to understand why staff picks could not encompass ALL stories, including these who are censured on app, as they could only appear on the website.

As mentioned, there are multiple reasons for that not to be possible - please see my previous replies.

[vothnthorvaldson]

But does it serve any purpose? I mean, maybe for searching for the story when it's advertised somewhere else, but that's not really Tapas doing anything to promote these stories. Is there a way this search opportunity is actually helping these stories inside Tapas?

[vothnthorvaldson]

Well, there is no explanation, just several occurrences of saying it's not possible.
We know why it's not possible on app.
We can imagine potential technical difficulties to make a different curated content for app and website.
But we have no explanations on why it is not possible at all- and apparently, not desired by Tapas (that around the same time, opened a mature section...). There is a huge inconsistency, and a transparency problem, that are so undeniable that we cannot just ignore them.

[ryoko]

Sorry, maybe I misunderstood because you said

Desktop and apps are connected and will feature the same content.

and didn't realize you were just referring to Staff Picks. What I didn't understand was the inability to have something (not specifically Staff picks) for creators that can't be featured/recognized on the app to only appear on mobile/desktop as there already is a method of segregation being used. Like the code already exists for preventing certain comics from every showing up on the app. Sorry, I'm bad at trying to explain my thoughts ^_^;

[ratique]

We can imagine potential technical difficulties to make a different curated content for app and website.But we have no explanations on why it is not possible at all- and apparently, not desired by Tapas (that around the same time, opened a mature section...). There is a huge inconsistency, and a transparency problem, that are so undeniable that we cannot just ignore them.

Tapas is a small company with very limited resources. We can either spend money and time on features that will have a minor effect on a few creators or focus our time on major issues that have great effects for all users.

I wouldn't say there is a transparency issue, but a misunderstanding how large the Tapas team is and what we can feasibly do with the resources available. That's what I've been mentioning before - it's a resource issue.

[joannekwan]

I mean, this mostly only applies to series with explicit content, and creators that make explicit content are pretty used to it by now. Patreon hides mature content creators from its search bar, only a few social media platforms even allow non-sexual nudity nowadays, paypal cracks down on transactions that have certain keywords in them. It's just part of a larger zeitgeist that isn't likely to change in the near future. So creators of explicit material just learn to roll with it and take any step forward, no matter how tiny, as a positive.

[vothnthorvaldson]

I can understand the resource issue, but we should not have been promised anything then. I feel we were tricked into staying on Tapas after the Apple fisco by being given hope that Tapas could do something about the loss of visibility.

[vothnthorvaldson]

Yeah, I know it's a much bigger issue.
I'm not blaming Tapas for having to follow the (unethical) rules of modern internet.
I would just like more honesty about it.

[ryoko]

I can understand from a resource point of view and from a legal/liability one that Tapas won't say a definitive yes or no when we ask questions about features like this. Sometimes it's nice, though, to get the ripping-the-bandaid-off kind of answer of "no" instead of "maybe in the future"

[ratique]

I can understand from a resource point of view and from a legal/liability one that Tapas won't say a definitive yes or no when we ask questions about features like this. Sometimes it's nice, though, to get the ripping-the-bandaid-off kind of answer of "no" instead of "maybe in the future"

We can't say no - because while we have to focus on big issues first, we always try to find solutions for the issues at hand.
We can't say yes either - when we do, discussions like this one appear, where users are unhappy that certain features don't yet exist. Some things take a long time to do.

I can understand the resource issue, but we should not have been promised anything then.

I'll make it a goal not to promise anything. I'll let you guys know when we've worked up some solutions.

[KRWright]

Guys, remember that you suggested these things a few minutes ago, and any suggestions for site changes would need multiple people in the company to sign off on it before they could even get into the planning stages. So getting a non-answer is kind of to be expected at first.

[ryoko]

okie dokie. Thanks for all your replies ^_^

[Cavechan]

AAhhaaa! Soooomeebody didn't read my post in detail!

Oof. Noooo, I swear I did.... but my memory is terrible and I was going more off of what darth said.

[meganebii]

It's really cool to get the inside scoop on how this is all curated! Props to yall for discovering underrated creators and giving them a platform! I try my best to look through the staff picks every week to find new stuff!

[ExodusGuard]

Really awesome that you guys are transparent about how everything works. Looking forward to publishing here once I figure out the platform a bit more.

[DavidPerry]

I was fortunate enough to have a brand new one featured in the Staff Picks--one in which I did the illustrations for the writers, which was Palm Leaf. It was funny because those writers are animation industry professionals, working on currently running shows, and I had NO IDEA they were going to post it on Tapastic when I worked on it. I just kept telling my readers that Mallory Bash was on hiatus because of another BIG SECRET PROJECT, and then BOOM--it's on Tapastic.

[CodeMonkeyArts]

Awww crap. My story is definitely not PG or PG-13 rated. But I do like the Community Pick option! I am looking forward to that!

[hersly860]

Hello! I have some questions ... my comic is about war, although not directly, that means that there will be deaths, blood, etc. It is a manga-style black and white comic, and in terms of sexual issues only in words without showing something. with putting the mature warning is enough to warn the reader? It should be noted that I do not draw very well, so it will not be strong.