The Storm Zone

Fandom Problem #14,489:

Fandom Problem #14,484:

People in general need to learn to find out what authors actually wanted in the books vs what editors forced them to put in there before judging an author by their literature.

Example:

A lot of people assume Robert E Howard was a sexist pervert because of all the scantily clad women described in detail in the Conan series. However, we have letters he wrote to other authors where he openly complained that the editors were making him write sexual scenes when he actually wanted to focus on world building.

We also have letters he wrote and the stories themselves showing that he was arguing in favor of more strong female leads in fantasy, regularly introduced female characters who were stronger than or equal to Conan in battle prowess, defended the accomplishments of women, and he attempts to address women's issues in many of his stories. He was actually considered very feminist during his time.

Same with summaries. A lot of people dunk on authors if the summary of their books, say anything that compares it to another book, but that's shop talk.

Dear Representative [Name],

I am writing to express my strong opposition to H.R. 8250 (The "Parents Decide Act"). As your constituent and a concerned citizen, I believe this bill introduces unprecedented risks to digital privacy and security.

Specifically, I am alarmed by:

SEC. 2(a)(1)(B): Requiring age verification to even use an operating system creates a mandatory "hardware lockout" that ends anonymous computing and forces users to hand over sensitive identification data to major corporations just to power on their devices.

SEC. 2(a)(3): Mandating that OS providers create a system for all app developers to access verification data is a massive security vulnerability. This effectively creates a centralized API of user identities accessible to thousands of third-party developers, many of whom may lack adequate data protection.

This bill does not protect children; it creates a centralized surveillance infrastructure at the OS level. I urge you to protect the privacy of your constituents and vote NO on H.R. 8250.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Given that, in the wake of this mandatory identification policy, my country seems to be moving to hand over its citizens biometric data, like fingerprints, Face ID files, and identification documents, over to the USA and to ICE to maintain the visa free travel (ESTA) we have, I strongly urge any US resident to send these emails, or make calls.

But if you can’t do that, the most powerful thing you can do is spread the word. Tell your friends, family, coworkers, anyone who can help.

My reach will likely be small, and so I don’t know if this will mean very much in the grand scheme of things, but I cannot stand to see this tracking happen to another population as it did to mine.

And if you think it won’t affect you, it will. All anonymity goes out the window when your accounts can be linked via your personal ID

got a new sketchbook..in draw Harley and Leonardo ..the new one i just thought you should know, sketchbook.

[don't know why]

thanks for your artwork and so much for FleetingAu

it's okay to smile at me every day:]

@izinika

OH??? MY GOD???? THEYRE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL THANK YOOUUUUY AAAAAAAAAH

Fandom Problem #14,339:

Constantly antis are screaming that proshippers are all paedophiles.

And yet I constantly see antis advocating to let minors into adult spaces, because not allowing children to talk with a bunch of adults about sex and kink is somehow oppression towards children.

36 viltrumites are going to get a taste of humanity and the Empire of Viltrum will fade out of their memories and become just a bad memory to them.

Maybe Thragg will get himself a Goth Baddie with some big tiddies. Maybe she hold his head against her chest as he tells her the horrific tale of his life and at the end maybe she'll say "Oh, baby, it's alright. It'll all be okay now, I've got you." While she pets his head.

I hope season 5 just occasionally cuts to Slice-of-Life scenes with the Viltrumites adjusting to Earth life. The white haired chick just banging out the tunes with her rockband, Thula running an accounting form. Kregg doing Sons of Anarchy shit.

Fandom Problem #14,315:

Fandom Problem #13,963:

You can't ship thar! That character is *insert sexuality*

Fandom Problem #13,475:

How actually insane do you have to be to block 99% of a fandom because they don’t ship EXCLUSIVELY your ship in the EXACT manner that you lowkey headcanon as the “canon”…Then proceed to STILL go on the accounts you despise from side accs despite the fact that you have them all blocked from main (and claim that stalking is creepy behavior…hypocrite)..Then see all the stuff and depictions you despise so much and ruin your OWN day…then whine and throw a huge bitchy hissy fit on your main about how the characters “WOULD NEVER DO THAT WAA WAA WAA BLUE LOVES GREEN ONLY!?1!1$2&2&2WAAA WAA”

My brother in Christ WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT IT! You blocked them and most of them blocked you back they don’t want you there and your insufferable canon purist whining!! They don’t like your ship/their lives don’t depend on a fictional ship like yours does! GET OVER IT!!! They can actually enjoy things and have fun with the characters however they want in AUs just how it’s your right to block 99% of the fandom and also hurt your ex friends because they focused more on multishipping one of the characters instead of just doing whatever you wanted and just worshipping your u//w//u absolutely amazing ultimate otp 24/7. Imagine being so terminally online and depending so much on a FICTIONAL SHIP that you drop real people like trash over it just because they’re multishippers and don’t just exclusively ship your ship only and hate all other ones. It’s truly the most pathetic behavior I have ever seen and you need serious help if you show signs of this behavior.

Fandom Problem #13,340:

Fandom Problem #13,340:

They could use facial recognition while people fight these ID laws. I don’t like that either. It’s creepy as hell. But at least it’s not literally handing over your actual real ID or birth certificate or passport to a company.

At the very least, they could just say, “We will not ask for government IDs. Here are the options.” They could make that choice tomorrow. But they aren’t, because companies always try to wash their hands of responsibility.

And you guys are helping them do it when you make excuses for them.

I am on multiple websites that have made the entirely reasonable decision to restrict access to countries that legally require ID verification.

That’s the correct, responsible move. Why? Because the internet is not optional. It is mandatory in modern life. People rely on it for news, communication, education, government updates, social life, activism, jobs.

Entire governments are on some of these platforms, and while they may not rely on discord, the idea is the same. Cutting people off is serious, but sometimes it’s the only way to push back.

if platforms start saying, “Fine. You want to make ID verification mandatory? We’ll restrict access in your country,” it forces governments to make a choice.

Either they accept being partially cut off from the global internet, or they back off and loosen draconian laws.

It also forces the hands of citizens. People who would otherwise cave and hand over their info because they have spines made of gummy worms now have real incentive to push back.

They see the cost of compliance, and they get angry. They start asking questions. They start talking.

Discord has literally proven that it can roll out these systems selectively, country by country.

So why are we bending over backwards pretending it must apply to everyone, everywhere, regardless of local laws? If a country wants to be draconian, restrict it there.

Do not punish the rest of the world.

I live in a country where ID age verification laws do not exist. I should not have to bend to another country’s laws just because Discord wants to play it safe.

Stop acting like they’re helpless. They’re not.

Every single company has choices. Sometimes those choices are inconvenient or costly. Sometimes they’re unpopular. But pretending they’re powerless is just enabling authoritarianism.

And tbqh this isn’t just a tech kinna problem. It’s a privacy problem, an autonomy problem, and a government accountability problem.

Every time you say “oh well, Discord had no choice,” you normalize the idea that oppressive governments get to dictate how platforms treat people everywhere.

The people being affected aren’t faceless. They are real humans in real countries, often under extreme pressure, being told they must hand over private information to access the internet at all.

Meanwhile, citizens in other countries like mine are being forced to comply with laws we don’t even have, because corporations don’t want to deal with pushback.

We can fight this.

Companies can fight this.

They already fight when it suits them, when it saves money, when it protects profit, when it protects their brand.

If they can roll out this stuff selectively, they can also refuse to participate in oppressive systems, or restrict access responsibly. The choice is theirs.

Stop letting them hide behind “we had no choice.”

People act like Discord is some powerless victim. It isn’t. It is a company worth 15 billion dollars, with the capability to make these decisions thoughtfully.

If they choose to comply blindly with draconian laws, that is on them. And yes, it is absolutely fair to call that out.

The internet is too important to let companies shrug and say, “we can’t fight it.”

They can.

We literally had a whole ass REVOLUTION to not be governed by other goverments, so why the fuck are we doing it now?