Breaking Your Own Rules

[[ .NK. ]]

- And here, Gaia, is my favorite example of you breaking your own rules. Firstly, allow me to quote:

Chatterbox Rules and Guidelines

Cleavage images are not considered to be in violation of any explicit content rules. However this only applies as long as they do not show any n****e and are not provocative or overly revealing.
Images of cleavage/breasts or private areas not covered with any clothing even if blocked by limbs, a sign, other objects, etc. is considered overly revealing and thus not allowed.

I appreciate this rule. I really, really do. And I hope to gods that it's never changed. But allow me to point out how many items give pasties now. I won't even bother naming them - we all know they exist. And they're not clothing, they're items, like a star, or a leaf. These items are directly breaking this important rule, and it's exactly why I dislike them. I also find it funny that all of the items that give pasties that I can think of are/were buyable with real money.

- Another prime example of you breaking your own rules. We're not allowed to use 1337 spelling to circumvent the censor, and yet that's exactly what you did with the Holy $#17! If we're not allowed to do this, I can only assume it's because you guys want to protect those users that don't want to see swearing. So why did you do it with one of your items?

Quote:

This Announcement is a reminder and notice to you all that circumventing the word filtering system is not allowed and will result in warnings being sent to you. Continued circumventing of the word filtering system will lead to a ban being placed on your account. Using replacement letters (such as 1337, replacing e with 3, etc) for example, is considered circumventing and is not allowed.

- During the Valentine's 2009 event, you broke your own rules by giving us signatures that went well over the maximum byte limit that your rules allow. Now, 10 days later, you've still yet to fix it. It's good that you aren't removing those signatures, but it would take ten minutes tops to fix it and reupload it, and no one would lose their signatures.  

[[ .NK. ]]

Reserved.  

[O.T.L.]

Not sure if this is exactly the right place to mention this one, but, in addition to the thing cited above, there's also the whole "PG-13" thing. First off, they claim to be PG-13, but never define how they mean that. However, they claim that, just because they use the term PG-13, it doesn't mean it follows the MPAA definition. Of course, since PG-13 doesn't mean anything but the MPAA definition, that pretty much makes that whole thing pointless. (And while they don't allow certain content, a lot of what they do allow is above the MPAA's PG-13 level; one can post as many obscenities as one wants, which would get you higher than PG-13 from the MPAA, for example.) (Plus, haven't they had movies in the Cinema that are R-rated? (Starship Troopers comes to mind offhand.) Can't really have a PG-13 site when you show R movies...)

Plus, for a PG-13 site, why does their sense of humor show the emotional maturity of a 12-year old? Seriously, Gaia, if you want to be PG-13, try growing up a little, huh? (The whole hot dog thing, "Booty Grab", any number of innuendos in the item descriptions...) I know I'm a bit out of the normal target age group for Gaia, but how immature do you have to be to find these things as hilarious as the Gaia staff (and their sycophantic suck-ups in the forums) must?  

[Andromeda Phoenix]

It's not so much as them breaking their own rules, but rather them trying to tell us, "Do what we say, not what we do or you get warned/banned." And it's not working when it comes to trying to enforce the rules. It also makes them look very and immature. Like those kids on Maury who beat their parents and stuff. Not that bad, but you get the idea.  

[jaggedbubbles]

Anyone remember when the signature lock first went into affect? Like, if your signature was more than x number of bytes, they locked it and you had to pay to unlock it?

For the longest time, the requirements stated the image had to be smaller than 500x500 pixels, which my signature was 400x430 or something, and then randomly the byte size limitation appeared and my signature was locked. They didn't warn me, no announcement on changes, nothing.

And this was a long time ago, mind you.  

[UPC Betsy]

Something else that has bugged me since the release of Fondue and Sundae is the double standard I'm beginning to see.

Apparently it okay for Gaia to release items that are scantily clad and look like they're about to give a b*****b (Sundae) or look like they might be jacking off (Fondue) that's okay.

But I'm sure there's a rule against drawing a picture with the same implications and then posting it on Gaia.

And I may be looking too far into this, but I saw several people mention it in the GCD, and I thought it was a valid point.  

[[ .NK. ]]

I wasn't going to say anything about Sundae and Fondue, but I completely agree, Betsy.

What pisses me off is that they screw around with the sit/standing, then turn around and release items like this.
Don't get me wrong, I like that they were just stand alone items, not in an RIG or anything. That's good. But it's the items themselves that I don't like.

Gaia is dancing around on that PG-13 line, and they're going to continue to do so, I think.

I'm just sick at the lame attempts at sex appeal on a PG-13 site. They're right at that line, but the more they pull crap like this, the easier it will be for them to go over it.
And then look at all of the controversy Alruna caused...then they make another female meant to be even worse.

I wasn't going to say anything because I have a natural aversion to perverted s**t like this - I don't like having it shoved down my throat, in fact it's one of my biggest pet peeves. So my opinion is very biased.

But in trying to remain unbiased, I still find that it's a low trick. It just seems like something that shouldn't be on a PG-13 site.

And also, it's not like people are perverted if they think that one looks like it's giving a blow job and another looks like it's jacking off (I saw people say that in SF). They were drawn that way on purpose and we all know it. It's no coincidence.  

[O.T.L.]

I agree, too. Those are just... way over the line.

I'd ask if there really are people trying to defend them as not being intentionally perverted, but... it's SF. No matter the complaint, there always someone there to defend Gaia's indefensible actions. *Sigh* (I kinda avoided reading any threads on the subject because I didn't want to deal with the inevitable "it's a PG-13 site, it's not explicit!" nonsense; I didn't figure anyone would try to claim that's not what the items are supposed to look like. Guess that'll learn me.)  

[UPC Betsy]

I also hate it when people defending the bunnies tell the naysayers that "Easter isn't really a Christian holiday because it originally celebrated the pagan goddess of fertility. So the bunnies go right with the holiday and therefore you shouldn't be offended."


stare  

[[ .NK. ]]

I was expecting to see "It's PG-13!" plastered all over SF. And I was right.
But then, these are people that had no problem with the borderline hentai image of Alruna we got from the Famestar.
'Thing is, they know the items are explicit. That's exactly why they appeal to them. But they'll deny it vehemently if it gets Gaia in trouble.

And at this point, I don't care that they're Easter items. They could have been released on Christmas - they're still inappropriate no matter what day or holiday it is. People are bringing religion into it just so they can b***h more than usual.  

[UPC Betsy]

I just tend to get hypersensitive about religious abuse, because apparently it's okay to mock Christianity.

But whatever, that's not what this thread is about, so I'll stop being off-topic. heart  

[jaggedbubbles]

I actually look more to it like "Easter - the commercialized holiday that people eat chocolate and marshmallows for" and certainly not "Easter - the rebirth of Jesus".

Anyone who has a sincere problem with any of the events for Easter should try to look at it from the standpoint of a non-Christian.  

[Flying Dicks]

It's not ok to mock christianity, but the origin of the holiday remains the same and you can't change history. period. Christianity borrowed a LOT of traditions and dates from other existing religions. It's just how it is, its not 'the man keepin you down'.
As far as mocking and christianity go I've only ever had christians mock me so forgive me for not feeling sympathy when history wont change for you.

As far as the skimpy items, well, the oldest g corp event had a rather heavy text enchange involving a male and female labtech wherein the female was 'wrestling' the male's large purple snake. It's been here since Gaia was made. Are the items kinda stupid? sure. But thats how it is. Society is oversexed while being told sex is a taboo. This is how things are. It is, unfortunately, the american way to contradict oneself when given a position of authority. If you don't like it, usurp the government, write some petitions, start a movement, or give up and move somewhere else. Gaia isn't going to stop being oversexed because they know they can get away with it. I'm just angry they give us naked sluts and didnt give us the justin timberlake sponsorship d**k in a box/duck in a box item.  

[[ .NK. ]]

Flying Dicks

I'm just angry they give us naked sluts and didnt give us the justin timberlake sponsorship d**k in a box/duck in a box item.

Oh gods. xDD

Why the hell would you even want that?

But anyways. What you said is true. Gaia knows that they can get away with it and that it generates sells. Even I've resorted to drawing s**t I would rather not for some easy money. The world is oversexed. And really, that's never going to change.

I'm still gonna b***h though. Because that's me, and I'm never going to change. biggrin  

[Flying Dicks]

[ .NK. ]

Flying Dicks

I'm just angry they give us naked sluts and didnt give us the justin timberlake sponsorship d**k in a box/duck in a box item.

Oh gods. xDD

Why the hell would you even want that?

But anyways. What you said is true. Gaia knows that they can get away with it and that it generates sells. Even I've resorted to drawing s**t I would rather not for some easy money. The world is oversexed. And really, that's never going to change.

I'm still gonna b***h though. Because that's me, and I'm never going to change. biggrin

Have you ever seen d**k in a box, the skit? It's hilarious. I like dicks, evidenced by my name. I would love a d**k in a box item. I would wear it proudly