So, a post by transfinite about deviant art being transphobic reminded me of something I don’t think I’ve put in blog form.
I left deviant art because of the absolutely failed moderation scheme they have in place. The question of whether they should moderate or not is one for another post, but I do think that if they choose to do so, they are obliged to actually follow through when something is reported to them.
About a year ago I was browsing around desktops looking for something interesting, and stumbled across an actual Nazi who was doing all kinds of art promoting National Socialism, and white power in general. I reported the art and about two weeks later got a canned response back saying the wall paper “White Power Babe” did not qualify as hate speech under their rules.
So I responded:
Hate art report marked as invalid
Jun 18 03:00 pm
I submitted a report about http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/163606620/
This was marked as invalid with what appeared to be a canned response, saying the deviation did not “The staff reserves the right to remove immediately and without warning any submission which advocates or promotes the genocide, killing, or destruction of an identifiable individual, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender or disability or which promotes inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.”The stated goals and methods of the White Power movement are to do all of the above. This is true for virtually every white power group out there. This background is clearly meant as a promotion of White Power movement, and as such is a direct promotion of Racism and a whole slew of other hatreds. Per your own FAQ, “Submissions which incite or willfully promote hatred against an identifiable group or individual will be removed in a similar fashion without warning.”
As a promotion of a movement that engages in hate crimes, this deviation clearly falls under the definition of hate art.
Another two weeks later their response was the same exact pasted response that I got the first time.
Thank you for contacting deviantART, I will be assisting you with your support ticket. Our apologies for the long wait!
I have reviewed the deviations in question and I have concluded that the themes used do not violate any current deviantART policy
It is important to remember that you could find various deviations to be personally offensive for one or more reasons but you should try to keep in mind that your personal feelings of what is offensive and official deviantART policy could differ on several points and things which you find to be personally offensive could be tolerated and allowed by deviantART.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if you require additional assistance.
Sorry. Two moderation fails that blatant is TOO much. Goodbye DA, and Good Riddance.
H/T s.e. smith, TheSilverParty, and solidad.