FAQ: what is it with linking to Wikipedia?

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

So the TOS and the FAQ have been re-written, and most of us agree that they have been improved somewhat. Yet there are still some very odd things, the oddest of which in my opinion is this passage from the FAQ:

What kinds of stories does FanLib not accept?

We do not accept material that violates our Acceptable Use policy as set forth in our Terms of Service. We respect rights holders, and you should not submit stories related to works by the creators listed here.

If you click on "here," you find yourself... on a Wikipedia page titled "Creators who do not acquiesce to fan fiction." A page, moreover, that has been proposed for deletion. And I find myself wondering: what is it with FanLib and linking to Wikipedia pages? Are they just too lazy to type up their own list? Or, somewhat more disturbingly, do they not want the responsibility of hosting on their site a list of the authors that they themselves have determined are unfriendly to fanfic? It strikes me that this could be a good get-out clause for them. If another author complains, they can just say, "well, it wasn't on the Wikipedia list," ignoring the fact that anyone can (and does) edit that list.

I wonder what they will do if the list does get deleted?

Comments

[lannamichaels]

Oh, good god. That's what I get for assuming good faith.

Changing that nomination to speedy deletion.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

LOL, I should have known that everyone here was a Wikipedian as well!

(I am too, but I try to keep my identities separate...)

[lannamichaels]

Think I could get away with asking for SALT? Naw, probably me being petty.

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

I've just asked about this in fandom_lawyers and given you credit for bringing this up. May be worth seeing what they have to say.

Seems pretty idiotic to me, but I'm no lawyer. ^^;;

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks for giving me a heads-up! I'll keep an eye on the discussion there.

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

No prob. FanLib affects us all, so the best we can do is keep networking and make sure everyone's as informed as possible. ^_^

After all, as thingswithwings noted, this is our seekkrit weapon. Fandom is about cooperation and dialogue, where corporations are about ownership and control. (And profit, of course.) We're using the very same tools they envy against them. XD

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely! In some ways FanLib has actually been a good thing for fandom, as it has shown us how we can unite and work together. In an odd way I've sort of been enjoying the kerfuffle.

[elf]

There are other authors whose names aren't on the list. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's FAQ says:

Is it okay to use your characters in fan or other fiction?

No. Absolutely not. It is also against federal law."

(I've known about her for years; I know someone with a beautiful song written about her stories--but it can't be recorded.

I imagine Diana Paxson and some of the "Greyhaven" authors belong on the list for the same reasons as Marion Zimmer Bradley: a long time ago, someone published fanfic about one of MZB's stories, and then tried to sue her for "stealing ideas" when her next book came out. The publishers then insisted that no fanfic be allowed.

I believe Mercedes Lackey doesn't allow fanfic, and Jean Lorrah & Jacqueline Lichtenberg only allow Sime/Gen fanfic at their authorized site. A bit of real research could probably turn up a dozen or two more authors who don't allow fanfic, either by personal preference or publishing contract.

And that's before we start dealing with trademarks instead of copyrights--which includes a lot of comic book characters, and Disney. Yeek. (Disney fanfic is a Bad Idea; Disney has *big* lawyers.)

Another point...

[starcrossedgirl.livejournal.com]

What I personally find interesting (aside from the linking to Wikipedia - everybody in university knows it's a no-no for referencing) and that I haven't seen mentioned before, is that they say "Pls not to uploads storiez from these ppl, kthx!"...

and yet, LotR is still their second most popular fandom. I don't know about the proportion of adult-rated HP fanfic, which JKR has specifically said she doesn't want, since I don't have an account, but somehow I suspect there's going to be some on there.

*blinks* Did I miss something here? Surely the LotR fics cannot have escaped their attention? And yet they "respect rights holders", and don't want such fic to be uploaded? Then how come they haven't deleted these stories, as should be a logical consequence of the above statement?

How do they honestly expect us to believe any of their grand statements, if they aren't even sticking to them themselves?

Re: Another point...

[starcrossedgirl.livejournal.com]

Uhm, I am clearly too tired to think. For some reason I managed to confuse George R.R. Martin with J.R.R. Tolkien. *headdesks ad infinitum*

Anyway, I was sure I'd heard people mention throughout this debate that Tolkien's son was not so cool with fanfiction in general? Although it does render my point moot. *crawls back into bed where she clearly belongs*

Re: Another point...

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

If you're really curious, and want to take the time, you can find out how many adult-rated stories there are in any category by going to that category and noting the number when the adult filter is on, turning the adult filter off and then seeing what the number is then.

The adult filter button isn't obvious, it's small and done in white letters on blue in the upper right hand on the fanfic pages.

Currently there are 521 subadult HPs and 35 adult HPs.

Tangential to the main point...

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I found it mildly bemusing to see the name P.N.Elrod listed as an author who is against fanfic. This person had written several Blakes 7 fanzines!

Yes. Of course, it could be another P.N. Elrod... it's such a common name.

http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/Fanzines/Reviews/AvonOnline.html

And that was back in 1988 through 1992, so it doesn't count.