[Suggestion] Hidden Mature Section

[PicaPirate]

Before people shoot me, Ricia was cool with me suggesting this.


Now obviously this is not a site which only allows 18+ players unlike some. We allow 13 (I think) and above players on this site.


This comes with a drawback. For moral and legal reasons, we can't minors looking at diddley's if they can't deal with the riddly's. Also Flanders is also always watching over you.


From experience being moderator on a previous site which allowed minors, they had a system in place I want to suggest here, for older roleplayers to explore mature themes in their stories. Some, like me, are awkward with these omitting fade to blacks, because they live a gap where you could be playing blackjack with hookers for all you know. Plus mature themes can be helpful for the development of plot.


All the cultural and opinions on mature themes aside (we will go on forever otherwise, take it to general), I think there is a way to allow it while keeping minors safe. Reminder this system was on a ipb forum, I don't know how xenforo functions.


Essentially the is a Mature section of the site, for both mature general chat (for planning or whatever) and roleplaying. This mature site is hidden to all users, unless they are granted access to the section by an administrator. Even then, to access the section requires a password to get in, in case you switch device or something.


This would


a. allow people who want to explore mature themes in their roleplays.


b. Stop minors from accessing this.


Whether admins verify by simple trust or through photo ID verification is up to them. Up to their discretion.

 

[Dusky]

Suggestions belong in Site Questions and Information! Other than that... I see the appeal in this, I really do. I just don't think we can trust the users to be truthful about their age and arbitrarily deciding who's trustworthy really isn't professional enough - it's beneath us. Photo ID would also be difficult because you could just send them a pic of someone else's ID, you know? Believe me, there are definitely some things - not even really explicit things - that I would be quite happy to include in my role-playing that I can't as is. I would rather not be able to, though, than put RPN at risk by exposing minors.


Even all that aside, can you imagine all the moderation that would require? O.o

 

[Elle Joyner]

While I understand the desire for this (not personally, as I'm a shy little prude who does FTBs even when it isn't required xD )... I just cannot see any possible way for this NOT to go badly. It's so... SO easy to lie about your age on the internet. All we need is one smartalec thirteen year old to try and outsmart the system by putting in a fake birth year, going in and jumpin' around RPs like a bunny... and then their MOM finds out and chaos ensues for the site/owners/players/the universe.


It sounds hardcore and I don't mean it to, but I've always thought if that rule is difficult to follow there are plenty of places it isn't in play where those types of stories can be written... RPN is just not one of them. People know what they're getting into when they come to RPN (provided they read the rules)... and while it's a wonderful place to RP, it does have a standard set that most RP sites don't... That's the sacrifice one has to make.


It's just too dangerous, entrusting something like this to the honor system... (And I think it might be illegal to look up someone's ID stuff over the net xD )

 

[Mordecai]

You know, I don't know much about these sorts of things, but my knee-jerk reaction was that this site is way too large to have a few moderators checking IDs/verifying age. I just have a feeling it would overwhelm them very quickly, not to mention it would be easy to get around by being untruthful.


 
Heh, heh, heh, +1 to Dusky and Elle for beating me to the punch!

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Along with the upper concerns of lying with the security that is held by the system you've exampled, I think another concern is the possible increase of illegal mature content that isn't sanctioned by this (possible) rule, their content appearing out of the Mature Section. I personally don't feel the need for such a section, enjoying the current level of freedom that is held by the various writers on RpN, but that is just me. However, there are many people that do not deign to read into all the rules of RpN, sometimes asking questions about them or disregarding them until they've broken them and advised by a User or Staff Member.


If this kind of behavior is held true with the introduction of a Mature Section, it has quite a chance to make it so that ignorant Users will merely think that we allow such a behavior and not look into it, producing mature content that hasn't been allowed. Its just my way of looking at the whole idea of having a section such as this.

 

[PicaPirate]

I had no idea this section existed xD


Well we realised the faking aspect when discussing it on TS, hence why photo ID was suggested, however for there also to be a legal waiver to go with it saying "I say Im 18+", as such not making the site responsible but the ones for faking it.


The genius plan of it being hidden is, people like Elle never even need to see it, as its hidden!


Well the site I moderated in the past that had this system worked very well with it, but it was a smaller scale and trust was very high among members. Plus I think the admins didn't even worry that much...


Also for legality stuff, afaik the only thing that legally isn't allowed is characters being minors, so that would technically be the only thing needing to be moderated.


It would be made clear as with any RP, that if someone feels uncomfortable with an RP or thread, there is no obligation to continue an RP. You're not bound in blood to.

 

[Elle Joyner]

I think I just see size being an issue here... This site is huge, and there's literally thousands of members. A smaller site would be so much less difficult to monitor. I mean - I imagine of the vast majority of members who frequent the site on a daily basis more than half are of legal age (I could be wrong, but I see more adults than not)... If even half of THAT number decide they want to join that is a crazy amount of people you'd have to verify, which means ID checks... waivers signed and verified... permissions changed...


And that's a ton of work on a site where there is already a ton of work.


I'd also have concerns WITH the privacy of it all. I mean - it's hidden, yes... but what happens when Billy Jo, who's 25 and signed his waivers and was verified sends Jimmy, who is 13 and not allowed in the section, a PM with an except from this 'hidden' part of the site? Like Glasses said - the rules are clear... but people still constantly break them and most of them because they refuse to even read them, let alone read them thoroughly.


My fears are based on what I have seen countless times over on other sites. People are sneaky when the internet gives them the anonymity to be that way... and all we need is for ONE person to blow it for the entire site.

 

[Dusky]

Waiver are rendered invalid if signed by a minor, unfortunately. So the point is kind of moot. There maaayyyy be some reduced liability on RPNs part with a waiver system, buuuttt....


As far as fictional material goes, that's covered by some laws on creative license which would indeed keep members safe from persecution no matter what sick shit they're into. Why else do you think there's so much crazy fanfic out there?


That doesn't, however, change the fact that it would be a whole new section to moderate either way.


And honestly - some of our mods are under 18.


It's just not doable right now.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

Before people shoot me, Ricia was cool with me suggesting this.
Now obviously this is not a site which only allows 18+ players unlike some. We allow 13 (I think) and above players on this site.


This comes with a drawback. For moral and legal reasons, we can't minors looking at diddley's if they can't deal with the riddly's. Also Flanders is also always watching over you.


From experience being moderator on a previous site which allowed minors, they had a system in place I want to suggest here, for older roleplayers to explore mature themes in their stories. Some, like me, are awkward with these omitting fade to blacks, because they live a gap where you could be playing blackjack with hookers for all you know. Plus mature themes can be helpful for the development of plot.


All the cultural and opinions on mature themes aside (we will go on forever otherwise, take it to general), I think there is a way to allow it while keeping minors safe. Reminder this system was on a ipb forum, I don't know how xenforo functions.


Essentially the is a Mature section of the site, for both mature general chat (for planning or whatever) and roleplaying. This mature site is hidden to all users, unless they are granted access to the section by an administrator. Even then, to access the section requires a password to get in, in case you switch device or something.


This would


a. allow people who want to explore mature themes in their roleplays.


b. Stop minors from accessing this.


Whether admins verify by simple trust or through photo ID verification is up to them. Up to their discretion.

RpN is not a pg13 only site. According to our new rules you just can't have erotic content which is basically the only theme that is illegal for minors.


There are no plans at this time to explore a hidden mature section.

 

[PicaPirate]

Okay

 

[Elle Joyner]

Maybe what might be helpful, Dwiz... because this subject always seems to draw confusion or frustration... is if somebody made an example of an -acceptable- pg13 'romance' scene and it was pasted in with that rule. I feel like sometimes, because of the wording, people think it means all characters must be nuns and priests and characters holding hands will result in immediate banishment from the site. Or maybe just a slightly more thorough explanation of what isn't allowed (Beyond the word erotic).


I know someone brought this up in the Q&I forum a while ago and the respond (might've been from Miz?) was really helpful, even to me... You could just copy-paste that, really.


EDIT: It was Cap!

 

[PicaPirate]

The way I see it at current is like The Sims. They dive under the bed, you're not sure what the actual hell happens and they always have their clothes on the entire time.


That's actually scarily accurate now I think on it to the site xD

 

[Kagura]

The way I see it at current is like The Sims. They dive under the bed, you're not sure what the actual hell happens and they always have their clothes on the entire time.

Just to draw the comparison, even The Sims is rated Teen.


Also what Wizard says, we allow mature content just not Erotic. (:3)

 

[Hippopotamus]

And honestly - some of our mods are under 18.

haha, just me... ;w; //cry

 

[PicaPirate]

Haha, poor Oiteh


Yeah it was just an idea as tbh, most other sites are shit xD this site from a technical perspective and UI is one of the best (auto draft is the best thing ever). If it isn't something the staff wish to pursue then I'll leave it. I guess my German blood makes me a very non-prudish >.>