Friendly gay guy from Berlin.
Into a lot of things and trying to enjoy the time here.
I live in Kreuzberg, I think the place with the most graffiti on earth. Some of it is amazing, so the Berlin-Street Art pics were taken by me for you to enjoy, and everything else are things that eighter interest me, I support, I like or just think should be seen or shared.
Please ask whatever you like.
This blog does contain adult material at times. Please be at least 18 years of age in order to view this site (or whatever the legal age is in your jurisdiction). Some of what is presented here belongs solely to the owner of serialson. However, quite a lot of the media that is posted on this site isn't copyrighted or owned by serialson. If you come across an image that you own, and you would like it removed, please click the ask button and let me know (it will be removed immediately).
Not long in the aftermath of a buy-out of Tumblr by Yahoo, it is clear now what Yahoo executives meant when stating sites that are not ‘brand safe’ would be ‘left alone’ — these sites would be isolated, disconnected, and abandoned.
This is an understatedly bad move, that endangers the status of many artists and queer websites much like commiepinkofag that aren’t necessarily ‘adult’ in nature yet can be construed as such.
When I first started writing this, I did not know the extent that Tumblr/Yahoo were taking in their approach. However, it was soon revealed the new ‘adult’ restrictions had far greater reach. On mobile devices, searching such flagrant terms as #gay, #lesbian, #bisexual produces no results.
Curiously, you can still search #fag #dyke and #queer.
Not Safe for Much
The nefarious NSFW flag can be attributed to a great many queer-oriented sites. This term is entirely too subjective, especially in this age of reactionary politics. Depending on where one works, and whose sensitives the censors are trying to placate, any number of sites could be deemed ‘unsafe.’ If one is lucky enough to work from home, or even an ‘adult video’ store, does the NSFW even apply in the standard sense?
When instituted, this ‘adult’ flag can be placed on any artist or queer website that contains imagery or language that conservatives find ‘offensive.’ This has occurred before on sites such as Flickr, YouTube, Blogger, and a number of other community-based, corporate-run sites, where content is flagged by users, then removed or hidden behind a form to confirm age and entry.
This NSFW flag often serves only as an opportunity for harassment from social conservatives — self-appointed internet-morality police, and an additional burden for LGBQTI community sites who fight to remain a visible resource for queers who already face isolation and bullying.
Many examples can be found where images of same-sex couples merely kissing were removed or banned as ‘offensive’ from another popular social network [Facebook being a primary example]. The ban is often ascertained to be ‘in error’ and rectified after some upheaval and effort of users. Of course, this error in judgement only occurs well after the fact.
Apple also Complicit in Bad Policy
The reason you see innocent tags like #gay being blocked on certain platforms is that they are still frequently returning adult content which our entire app was close to being banned for. The solution is more intelligent filtering which our team is working diligently on. We’ll get there soon. In the meantime, you can browse #lgbtq — which is moderated by our community editors — in all of Tumblr’s mobile apps. You can also see unfiltered search results on tumblr.com using your mobile web browser. … — via TumblrBlog.
Currently, downloading from certain platforms [ i.e. the Apple iTunes store ], apps that connect users to content on the internet, users are prompted to acknowledge and consent to the fact that they may be exposed to dangerous ‘adult content’ via the information super highway. Even the Parental Controls within iTunes should be enough to placate the conservatives and shareholders. Yet it is not, for some reason. Some have attributed this to Apple’s ‘brand sensitivites.’
Asking users to browse the moderated alphabet soup #lgbtq hashtag is not an adequate solution. Policing every hashtag isn’t sound business practice, which I imagine is the reason for complete removal of very innocuous, singled-out terms.
Without promoting this requirement to browse #lgbtq on mobile apps, it’s bad form and practice — even from a UI [user-interface] perspective. Not everyone will know or think to look for a hashtag acronym. They may not feel part of, or even know whether they may want to fit into any particular abbreviated group.
Another issue of semantics, not everyone agrees on an all-encompassing #alphabet-umbrella. My preference is to arrange them as LGBQTI [ which I pronounce LGB-Cutey ]. Some prefer LGBTQQIA while others stick with the old school LBG. Any number of permutations fit for the user — which is the wonderful thing about the diverse backgrounds from that we queers and non-queers come — but not so much for searches.
Isolation and Shame
Again, I come back to the isolation. The very clear message that is sent by a wholesale block of gay, lesbian, trans is that it places a great deal of perceived shame on anyone searching for others that may be like themselves. In this day and age — the 21st century — we still face an uphill battle for equality, basic human rights.
The news is filled with bashings, bullying, homicides, executions — entire countries willing to set into law that being [ or perceived ] gay / lesbian / trans / queer is to be less than human.
I shouldn’t need to explain, that despite some countries that have adopted the ‘gay marriage’ crusade, equality and the dignity of basic human rights is far from achieved.
The relatively simple solution to create an internal ‘safe-search’ preference for users, just as Google offers, works to an extent. This option, on by default, protects Yahoo’s sensitive, and conservative investors. But allow the searches — not a wholesale removal of results from these ‘innocent terms.’
The LGBQTI community has nothing to be ashamed of and should not be treated as NSFW.
The #gay #lesbian #bisexual #lgbqti community want results. Now.
‘We’ll get there soon’
This is what corporate control of the internet will look like. Censorship. Bigotry through the silencing minority communities.
Keep informed and Support Net Neutrality. Knowledge is power, and access to information is important for all. Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Free Press: Save the Internet are making efforts to protect access and user information online in public interest.
Install AdBlocker. Deprive corporate sites of their advertising income. Support the little shops instead, and buy local. As consumers, we have choice. Not often much, but some.
Subvert the Dominant Paradigm. This can take many forms, and queers do what queers do best. I’m probably not suggesting people start posting porn under #LGBTQ at all, since that might lead to systematic chaos.
Side Note: I’d love to know whether Tumblr/Yahoo is writing some automated penis-recognition software, because I would love to volunteer my time in those efforts.
Summary: Rather than leave adult content alone Yahoo’s Tumblr has eliminated its Erotica category, disabled search engine indexing for adult blogs, and removed adult Tumblrs from all internal search. Users are furious.
