Morgan DawnNov 25, 2022

Context: fan writers have been offering their #fanfic in printed format. Some via 3rd party printers, some simply formatting fic allowing you to print.

A group of #Destiel #Supernatural fans have formed & written a how to guide to impersonate as an interested fan to gain access to these locked/private copies or the formatted files to report them, their websites & ultimately get them banned from #AO3

Links & more context in the replies

https://chaoticdean.tumblr.com/post/701750704842375168/you-reap-what-you-sow-etc-etc

#fanzines #FandomHistory 1/n

You reap what you sow, etc etc.

Bouncing off this post by @ltleflrt, and because most of this has been happening over the bird app, I think it’s relatively essential to cross-post this to Tumblr so that the Destiel community knows...

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Show threadMorgan DawnNov 25, 2022

Caveat: #TermsofService (TOS) for many 3rd party printers prohibit printed copies of fanfic (even #LuluPress which allows you to set zero profits).

#AO3 has strict policies against mentioning fanfic for sale or linking to fanfic for sale. Again, this is a Terms of Service issue

However, AO3's platform allows anyone to format fanfic for printing or offline reading (PDF, epub etc.)

#TOS are not #copyright laws - you can be fine under copyright & still violate TOS 2/n

Show threadMorgan DawnNov 25, 2022

Printed #fanfiction is not "illegal". It is called #fanzines & has been around for 50 years. All #TransformativeWorks (#FanArt, #FanVids) rely on the #FairUse defense to #copyright. Commercial activity is only 1 of the 4 factors when deciding if an activity violates copyright. The fact that $ exchanged hands is not an automatic copyright violation. $ weighs heavily, but with printed fanfic, only a few copies made, maybe not

Again: #TermsofService =\= copyright law

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-rule-copyright-material-30100.html 3/n

The 'Fair Use' Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material Is Acceptable

In some situations, you may make limited use of another's copyrighted work without asking permission or infringing on the original copyright.

www.nolo.com
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 25, 2022

OK, now to more links

1. Top level overview from a #FanFiction #FanWriter who has their own bigcartel store.

Note: this is only one example of how printed fanfiction can be offered. Do not assume all fanwriters are using commercial, 3rd party platforms

https://chaoticdean.tumblr.com/post/701750704842375168/you-reap-what-you-sow-etc-etc

4/n

You reap what you sow, etc etc.

Bouncing off this post by @ltleflrt, and because most of this has been happening over the bird app, I think it’s relatively essential to cross-post this to Tumblr so that the Destiel community knows...

Tumblr
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 25, 2022

2. Twitter links showing that a group of fans have organized and written how to guides to impersonate interested readers to obtain copies of printed fanfiction and report the writers in an effort to get their websites taken down and get the writers banned from #AO3

https://twitter.com/caslostwings/status/1595121722218647554

5/n

robin // castielslostwings 🏳️‍🌈 #SPNNASH on Twitter

“On request, I’m making the doc Fran aka palominopup created to facilitate reporting fics public: you can see she (and Susan—I’m making an assumption that’s “destiel forever” Susan) signed it. This came from someone inside the SMALL private group she encourages to brigade us.”

Twitter
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 25, 2022

Thoughts: I don't know #AO3 terms well enough to evaluate their actions in this situation.

But the tradition of offering #FanFiction for "sale" in printed format is long and rich and core to our community. Printed fanzines continue to this day with #fanbooks being created and sold, usually heavy on fanart, but with fanfiction included.

Examples: Raw, a #Hannibal fanzine https://rawfanzine.tumblr.com/

Some zines done for charity, some at cost and some offer any $ leftover to the creators


6/n

RAW: A Hannibal/Will Fanthology

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Show threadTrendyKittyKat Nov 26, 2022
@morgandawn
It's my understanding that the TOS at #Ao3 has stipulating against works being sold because Ao3 exists under a branch of the #OTW as a 501c3 tax exempt entity and the for profit element of linking to items for sale, risks violating the terms of that status.
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 26, 2022

@TrendyKittyKat I will defer to those on AO3 Abuse. The coordinated effort seems to be also targeting those who are not linking to the printed fanworks available for sale. Ex: Links to preformatted PDFs that *could* be printed or where the author says: "It is OK to get this printed for yourself".

My comments are not only focusing on TOS or copyright law - my focus is also on members of our community arguing fanfiction and fanzines are illegal, internalizing this and acting on it.

Show threadTrendyKittyKat Nov 26, 2022
@morgandawn
I used to co-run a Fandom newsletter. We tried to relocate from LJ to Ao3 to preserve the archival editions. That same group of Destiel fans reported us because we promoted artists who sold fanworks. So we went a few rounds with the policy and safety arm of Ao3, for the same reasons, and got kicked off.
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 26, 2022
@TrendyKittyKat By promoted ---- was this "In 2014 fan artist ZZZ started offering copies of her fan art for purchase" (link?)"
Show threadTrendyKittyKat 
@morgandawn
No. We were a linklist. So if we linked to an artist who's work that we linked to on their instagram was free, but said Instagram had a linktree with links to their redbubble, etsy or email for commissions, it was a violation. We didn't link to commissioned work as a rule, or anything that could be construed as advertising. Didn't matter.
Nov 26, 2022 at 12:43amWeb
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 26, 2022

@TrendyKittyKat If AO3 declined to include the SPNewsletter because of links to an artist Instagram that then linked to their redbubble...I think that is wrong (again not on the Abuse Team). They should have identified the links and given the option for those links to be removed. Did they do that?

But Link Lists (where we collected the links to happenings as a form of a newsletter) might not fall within "the range of fanworks we allow."

Show threadTrendyKittyKat Nov 26, 2022
@morgandawn
We got both. To continue posting editions, we would have had to completely reformat to both include original fanworks content within the newsletter itself, and stop linking to creators who sold fanworks. The owner of the community had been clear that she wanted to maintain the formatting as it was, without updating. And none of us wanted to change how we curated content based on those guidelines.
Show threadMorgan DawnNov 26, 2022

@TrendyKittyKat To include "Only" fanworks content? Removing the other links?

Pretty sure you can link to "creators who sold fanworks," but not to the sales site itself. Can't link to a page with a "buy this" button on it.

And yes removing both would change the historical value of the newsletter and be a significant amount of work