In the Rose Garden / Posting Links and Content on the Internet: Is This a Thing?

Kita-Ysabell · Back to Top

Well, hoping to not get that other thread off topic, here's a thread to talk about posting links and content on the internet. Enjoy.

Personally, I think if Tumblr wants to have a shitfit about linking without asking, let them. Links are, by definition, attributed sources, so there shouldn't be a copyright issue, and it leaves the content in its original context, so again, not so much context-free misquoting.

I can see some people preferring to have control over the discussion of their content, and to have it all in one place, but… a lot of the places I'd link from have not-very-good comment sections, and part of the point of linking would be to bring it into the discussion with a different audience. Tumblr especially, as it just… doesn't really have a conversation-friendly format. And do content creators have a right to regulate the discussion about their content? I say hell no. From a million-dollar blockbuster to a slap-dash review of someone's one-panel webcomic, censoring responses to your content is, well, kind of unethical, and we shouldn't be intimidated into allowing it by Tumblrs shitfit-throwers.

If I try and guess at the not-unethical reasoning behind the stigma of linking content without seeking permission, I would guess that it has to do with posting a link and telling people to go harass someone. Which is, by definition, harassment, but the fact that the link was posted, and posted without asking, are not where things went wrong. And while the poster didn't ask, the kinds of people who would do this would not be deterred by stigmatizing posting links without asking.

Flah · Back to Top

I have to agree with the title... Is this a thing?

If content is publicly available, people are going to talk about it, even if you don't want them to. If one wants something to only be seen by a close circle of friends, putting it up on a public website is not the way to go about it. There are plenty of services out there with password protection available, use those.

My intention here is not to sound crass. Even if someone is uncomfortable with strangers seeing their work, they have to be aware that the platform on which they display it plays a huge part in whether they can. And, if they can, then they will.

And while the poster didn't ask, the kinds of people who would do this would not be deterred by stigmatizing posting links without asking.

True that.

crystalwren · Back to Top

Having been a fanfic writer for an alarming amount of time, I have acquired a number of fic recommendations from people who haven't asked for permission to post it, or indeed, haven't even given me feedback on what they're linking. By and large I'm happy with it; any publicity is good publicity, imho, although I have to confess that I've never received an actual flame despite me practically begging for one. Occasionally (more often than I'd like to admit) I go for a trawl to see what the internet is saying about me. In general, it's good things, very flattering. I don't at all mind people directly linking to any of my stories or profiles; it's rather impractical to rec a fic and then expect others to hunt it down for themselves.

However, it is worth noting that the places that house my work at all third party servers; specifically LJ and AO3. I'm guessing that more than a few hits on their content are from hot links, but the servers are massive and the coding is designed to allow for this. I might well feel differently if I ran my own website and I had to pay for any server costs myself. I definitely would object if someone were to post any of my stories or journal entries on their own webpages without my permission. Indeed, on my latest trawl I found a Russian translation for one of my fics that I do not remember giving permission for, although there is a significant chance that I simply forgot about being asked. Loosely connected to this is the fact that my Tumblr page keeps acquiring followers even though I've reblogged all of three entries in the entire time I've had the account; getting followers for the sake of those three frankly gives me the vague creeps.

In general, Tumblr is bugfuck insane in a lot of ways as far as I'm concerned, but I honestly can't see how anyone who runs an open blog or has a profile on a large multi user website can rationally get upset over hotlinking. A person on a smaller site or forum may reasonably object to hotlinking if it's something from, oh, for example, the private section of this forum, or else works that feature adult orientated art that could get the artist into a lot of shit should the wrong person see it.

It's polite to ask before posting links, particularly if you're posting irl opinions or news or research that refers back to factual research done by someone else. But I've done it regardless, and I've yet to hear any objections. And I'm not about to object when someone does the same for me.

Flah · Back to Top

Having been a fanfic writer for an alarming amount of time, I have acquired a number of fic recommendations from people who haven't asked for permission to post it, or indeed, haven't even given me feedback on what they're linking. By and large I'm happy with it; any publicity is good publicity, imho, although I have to confess that I've never received an actual flame despite me practically begging for one. Occasionally (more often than I'd like to admit) I go for a trawl to see what the internet is saying about me. In general, it's good things, very flattering. I don't at all mind people directly linking to any of my stories or profiles; it's rather impractical to rec a fic and then expect others to hunt it down for themselves.

Testify!

There's a certain piece of toaster-related fiction (no, it's not a Brave Little Toaster slashfic, get your mind out of the gutter) that I'd written a few years back that was very popular among a group of creepypasta writers and you can bet that I have a huge ego boost whenever I see a complete stranger acknowledge it in some place that's entirely unrelated. Mind you, I've written some stinking piles of steaming crap as well, so I've grown a pretty thick skin when it comes to harsh criticism.

Considering that a fair number of Tumblr users are kids, who have yet to see how harsh the general internet can be and are at the same time so self-confident that they know their work is an absolute masterpiece, an unkind word can easily crush their entire sense of self-worth. I know, when I started writing and putting it up on the old steam-powered web of the 90's, I sometimes needed a moment when a person said exactly what they thought of my flawless brainchild. I later came to realize that I wasn't ready, then, to really show this stuff off to the world. But, at the same time, it did help me improve. I can bet that these children and teenagers on Tumblr feel bad about others pointing out the flaws of what they've created. But, they'll eventually grow up and realize that it made them better artists or writers or people in general. It hurts, yes, but, as a certain wise comic strip character often said, it builds character.

satyreyes · Back to Top

Dare I hope that people on Tumblr are rediscovering the idea of privacy, and regretting that they gave it away so easily?...

There is nothing that is not dumb about complaining when someone publicly links to something you posted on the public Internet, yet I understand it completely, because I am nothing if not dumb. In their mind, what was going to happen was that senpai would notice them and give them a compliment on the Tumblrs. They didn't really consider that senpai might also stick their note on the school bulletin board. They want to be noticed, but only in a place where they can see and control the discussion it generates. This is completely relatable! It is a valid way to feel! At the same time, they also want lots of people, maybe even strangers, to be able to see and admire their work. This is also completely relatable and valid! But you can't dictate to a stranger where or how they talk about what you did, so these two completely relatable and valid feelings do not mix well together. If I can share a link to your thing -- if your thing is public -- then I might share a link to that thing, and if you aren't okay with that then it shouldn't be public. You have the right to control your audience and venue; if you give up this right, anything you say can and will be used against you elsewhere on the Internets. It sucks, but there it is. emot-frown

Giovanna · Back to Top

satyreyes wrote:
It sucks, but there it is.

Pretty much this. The concept of privacy on the internet is something of a joke, although I do respect explicit efforts to create it. (Like IFD, which is presumed a private space. I would throw a shit fit if someone's content meant for that private space showed up elsewhere if it wasn't my own. I don't give a crap about my stuff.)

There is nothing private, at all, about Tumblr, LJ, FFNet, or any other social media or sharing-oriented site. That is something of the point, and it's not going to get more private, it's going to get less private. I have my own opinions about that (the push for using your real name, everywhere, does squick me) but the fact remains that what goes out on the internet is out on the internet and past your control once it's there. Like you said, it's going up on the school bulletin board, and if you don't expect that, you're being naive.

It's kind of a change from fifteen years ago, when there was a concept of privacy. You preserved it by variation of identity, although the internet to a point did also follow group dictated rules regarding where someone's words could be thrown back at them. It's just not like that anymore, because the culture of several smaller forums for communication (heh like this one heh) just isn't the norm now. emot-frown

QueenOfJebri · Back to Top

If I want a bit more privacy, I'm going to go to my livejournal clones (but not LJ itself, ick) to talk in said "more private" place.

But dude, if I post something on tumblr, it means I... don't care. And it baffles me that other people DO care. It's not even "the internet is not a private plaaace" to me, it's more "there are way better sites for things you want to keep a tad more private, why are you using [insert social media site with no privacy filters]of all things..."

#1 | Back to Top07-13-2014 08:19:55 PM

Posting Links and Content on the Internet: Is This a Thing?

#2 | Back to Top07-13-2014 08:36:09 PM

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#3 | Back to Top07-13-2014 09:00:22 PM

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#4 | Back to Top07-13-2014 09:27:26 PM

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#5 | Back to Top07-13-2014 09:44:01 PM

Re: Posting Links and Content on the Internet: Is This a Thing?

#6 | Back to Top07-15-2014 06:41:33 AM

Re: Posting Links and Content on the Internet: Is This a Thing?

satyreyes wrote:

#7 | Back to Top07-15-2014 07:01:26 AM

Re: Posting Links and Content on the Internet: Is This a Thing?

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