[identity profile] stewardess.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] life_wo_fanlib
Los Angeles-based FanLib.com, an online site focused on "fan fiction"--fan created stories based on popular characters and movies--has shut down. According to a notice on FanLib's web site, the site will shut down on Monday, August 4th. No reason for the shutdown was given. Fanlib was backed by $3M in venture capital by H.I.G. Capital. paidContent.org's Rafat Ali speculated in a story earlier today that a deal for Disney to purchase the site had fallen through; paidContent had reported a possible deal for the firm by Disney in June.

From SoCalTech. Also: story at paidcontent.org.

Date: 2008-07-31 03:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meoinya.livejournal.com
I'm amazed any studio would want to associate itself with 'fan fiction' of any kind. (perhaps why the Disney deal fell through?) It gives the impression, to an outsider, that that studio condones and approves the creation of such work - which, when it comes right down to it, violates their intellectual property rights. Luckily for those who write and read fan fic, most owners of those properties just don't care about the existence of it.

Date: 2008-08-08 06:47 pm (UTC)
elf: Carpet edition of HP7 (Canon Junkie)
From: [personal profile] elf
Disney Buying Storytelling Social Net FanLib; DigiSynd in Process (June 3)

Disney's Buyout of FanLib Still On; Will Focus On Company Shows (Aug 5)

Looks like Disney bought them, and has no interest in a general fanfic site--they appear to want the my2sentences stuff, and the ability to archive Disney-approved fanfic, whatever that might be. I assume silence about the details was part of the contract; thousands of fans in the dark are a lot easier to deal with than thousands of fans who are perfectly aware that you're telling them "we're throwing out everything that doesn't actively promote our sponsor's products in a way we approve of."

Date: 2008-07-31 04:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] unlikely2.livejournal.com
They were perhaps unwise to attempt to sell to people able simply to take?

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