I'm a little freaked out right now...

[tommygirl]

So from ladybug218, I discovered a post on the fun that is FanHistory and such and am seriously appalled and freaked out.

I'm the first to admit that I live in a fandom bubble most of the time and rarely, if ever, get involved in wank and drama that's going on, but this one has me rather upset.

I don't know the people involved personally, but I don't think there should EVER be a situation where you out a fannish person unless there is some huge legal ordeal...and even then, you don't out them PUBLICLY.

And then I followed the link to the post on fanthropology, how to maintain fannish privacy, which seems to miss the point entirely, and I was freaked out even more because this person seems to think of it as justification for what she's doing.

Of course, when you post something to the internet a large degree of privacy is lost. Your words/actions can be seen by many more people than you originally intended. Most of us understand that concept and accept that risk, but the idea that the only way to protect yourself is to basically not participate in fandom is utterly ridiculous. That's a bit of a paranoid way to go about things - though given what partly_bouncy did, I get why she'd be paranoid that people were like her.

Personally, I think the best way for the majority of us to protect ourselves is to stand up against the small minority of people out there who don't understand boundaries, who don't fathom the request for personal privacy that most of fandom is okay with. Because while we're full of wankers and drama queens, most of us wouldn't take the fandom dramas into real life. And those that would? Should be dealt with.

I read ithiliana's response on the issue and I agree that more people need to stand up as a whole and say this sort of behavior will not be tolerated. It's one thing for a person to live his/her real life with everyone knowing of their fannish interactions, but a lot of us don't want that sort of meshing, and no one - BNF or regular joe schmoe - should have to be outted by anyone else.

I think, though, what really bothers me about this whole situation is that it could be motivated by the whole OTW debacle. That a person's dislike of the organization could make them think it's okay to attack someone else.

I'm personally ambivalent to OTW at the moment - I've read intriguing posts for/against it - and that's not really the point of this post. The only reason I mention it is to make my ambivalence on the group clear so that it doesn't look like I'm taking sides on that account. I have no vested interest in OTW or the people opposed to it. All I care about at the moment is the idea of someone going too far and making fandom less than fun for people. And it appears that's exactly what has happened.

So that's it. partly_bouncy is wrong and if she doesn't realize it, then maybe more people need to make her aware of that. If someone doesn't want his/her personal information attached to his/her fandom information, an outside force should not get to take it upon themselves to share the information with the world and then hide behind ridiculous reasoning that the internet isn't private. There is a bit of room to play with that most of us, until now, have respected, and I think we, as members of fandom, have to protect each other in these situations, not feed the flames.

ETA: it's been suggested not to link to pb's livejournal or fanhistory as she earns revenue with hits. And really, I'd rather not see her inappropriate behavior rewarded.

Comments

[catchester.livejournal.com]

Okay, first let me say, thanks for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea these databases existed.

Second... I feel sick. I have spent the last 18 months on the run from an old boyf i affectionatly refer to a the psycho stalker ex. I even changed my real name, thats how scared of him i am. I did keep my LJ account as he never knew this pseudonom, but he did know my other online name. Hence, i've avided posting on FF.net. Thank God because i DO have a listing on FH. just a stub but very worrying none the less.

I was just considering uploading some of my recent stories to FFnet, but with this database, he could easily search for the same stories and find them in my LJ account!!!!!!

Right now i'm freaking out and considering just closing everything.

Fandom has been such a refuge for me, it's horrible that it could be my downfall and lead this... [there are no polite words for him] right to me.

I'm thankful i have been so paranoid and also terrified i've made a slip somewhere. When i changed my name, for example, i did do a flocked post on my LJ asking for opinions. I deleted the post after 24 hours but that info is still "out there" so to speak.

I'm sorry, that probably didnt make much sense. I'm not exactly thinking clearly right now.

Anyway, thanks.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

You're welcome for the head's up. It definitely freaked me out a little bit. I just...why would you go there? Most of us come to fandom to escape real life, not to have more issues to deal with.

[catchester.livejournal.com]

I have calmed down now and i wont be dissapearing from fandom. the ex isnt very net savvy and chances are no one will post personal info on me.

This appears to be a personal grudge, but it's still a very bad precident to set.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

There seems to be a LOT of grudge wank associated w/ criticisms of the OTW. That is bound to happen. However, random grudge wank and a systematic and organized attack on people involved w/ the enterprise are NOT THE SAME. The latter is what's happening w/ the wiki. She's used that site in the same manner against anyone she dislikes for years. It's total crap on a cracker.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

Exactly. While it's not really my thing, I expect flaming wars and anonymous hate sort of grudge wank...but to do this seems to just overstep so many boundaries.

[deirdre-c.livejournal.com]

As someone who is completely paranoid about my rl name getting linked to my fannish pursuits, this is the kind of thing that both gives me nightmares and fills me with RAGE. Ugh. Horrible.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

Exactly! You shouldn't have to worry that something you post will lead to your personal life getting upended over a hobby. It's so not cool. And I just...like I said, I tend to stay out of all the wank/drama, but I couldn't be quiet about this because it's WRONG.

*delurking*

[frostian.livejournal.com]

I waded through this and I wonder how Live Journal, as a corporate entity, feels about this practice. Basically partly_bouncy is stating that LJ is incapable of protecting their clients' interests and rights within LJ. This means LJ, a service-oriented business, is a total failboat.

Hmmm ... maybe Live Journal should get a head's up. There are times when corporate and private citizens' interests merge, and when they do, those sitting on the other side of the negotiation desk don't fare very well.

Re: *delurking*

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not sure how livejournal feels about such things. Except that they probably have something in their disclaimers/TOS that you blog at your own risk. But still? I know it's the internet, but there is appropriate behavior that even newbies know.

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

I think, though, what really bothers me about this whole situation is that it could be motivated by the whole OTW debacle. That a person's dislike of the organization could make them think it's okay to attack someone else.

Her position on connecting fan-activity with RL names and matching up fan-names and RL names predates the creation of OTW - or even astolat's first post about it.

Back during some kerfuffles regarding be in 2006, she not only included my RL name - first and last - on her wiki, she registered my RL name as a domain name and had it link to the fanhistory wiki page, which was locked to prevent people editing it. This sort of linkage to attack people she disagrees with or dislikes isn't new for her.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

oh wow. That's just...I'm not sure I possess the word to properly how wrong it is. I'm sorry you went through that.

I'm hardly naive about fandom, but this just seems completely insane even for us. There is never a reason to fannishly out someone. I'm just...flabbergasted.

[iamzulma.livejournal.com]

hmm. i already knew astolat's real name just by surfing friendsfriends. it was pretty easy to discover.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

But I think there is a huge difference between stumbling upon something and having it on a fandom page with a bunch of personal information that they won't let you remove.

Here from metafandom

[bubble-blunder.livejournal.com]

And the difference gets even bigger when you find out that the page owner is attempting to sell the site and all of the information that she has collected about you (and everyone else in fandom) to the highest bidder.

~Lisa