Fanlib Warnings

[Rigil Kent]

I just read this over at HoT, and wanted to share it with those of you who have FanLib accounts.

Read HERE

Word of warning...

ETA: I really wish I could say that I'm surprised about this, but based on the "recruitment" email that I received from these guys a while back, I'm not. That whole email just oozed slime and gave me a bad vibe about the whole site...

[Distracted]

Thanks, Rigil. I guess I should hope my disclaimers hold water.

[TPoptarts]

I don't think there's a chance you'd get sued by anyone, since all your stuff is ENT and CBS is one of the companies they do have an agreement with. Hell they're even gonna have like some collaboration or something with Startrek.com soon. So I think you should be safe

[TPoptarts]

I have one Farscape filk though...

[Rigil Kent]

There's always a chance. This is America, after all, where there's always someone trying to sue someone. Forewarned is forearmed, and all that.

Thanks, Rigil I guess I should hope my disclaimers hold water.

Thank Hopeful Nebula. I saw her post over at HoT and remembered that a couple of people here, you included, had created accounts at fanlib. Just wanted to pass it on...

[TPoptarts]

From the page with what the lawyers have to say about FanLib

And is it possible to sue the fan while FanLib walks free even if they host the fic?

[Lawyer:] Of course. That's what they're trying to do with the TOS, but I don't think this is any different from any other fic archive. But 'suing' the fan is going to pretty much just consist of ordering you to take down the story, which is what happens anyways.

[Rigil Kent]

This is America, where OJ Simpson walked. If the lawyers are interested, they will find a way.

Ben Franklin was right.

[TPoptarts]

Yep. But what's their incentive though? How the frell are they gonna profit from suing broke fans??

And what about fans outside America?

[Reanok]

Just to give you guys a heads up and a warning about Fanlib Startrek.com announced over a month ago that on May 31 they were going to announce somekind official fanfiction contest or something to get your stories published don't enter the conest. After reading the sneakiness of Fanficlib you don't want your stories to enter this contest.i thought something seemed strange in that one time announcement in the news section it was taken down only after a day being listed their at Startrek.com.

[HopefulNebula]

T'Poptarts: I posted my theory on HoTBBS. In short, I suspect that FanLib is setting itself up for a lawsuit intentionally so they can take fanfiction out of that legal grey area and make it illegal--unless, of course, it's put on FanLib, which after said lawsuit/laws get passed will have total ownership and control of everything that's posted there. One of the people in charge of this whole thing is the former head of the RIAA. She spearheaded the DMCA, the rise of DRM, and the fall of Napster and Grokster. Whether or not you agree with her on these fronts, you have to admit that it's hard to believe she has the best interests of the people FanLib is ostensibly for at heart. The link Rigil posted has links to more info--the site just seems to get worse as you learn more about it.

Re: lawsuits: All they have to do is sufficiently piss off somebody/a company who's already made his/her/its negative feelings about fanfiction known and is sufficiently powerful to pull off a lawsuit should somebody actually profit off fanfic based on their works--and we already know there are several of those--and boom. There you have it.

And fyi: HopefulNebula. Capital H, capital N, no space. (It happens a lot, so don't worry.)

[Rigil Kent]

And fyi: HopefulNebula. Capital H, capital N, no space. (It happens a lot, so don't worry.)

Hey, I can't get people to spell my name "Rigil" instead of "Rigel"!

[Reanok]

The whole Fanficlib stuff seems rotten and the more reading about this information the slimier they seem to be.

[HopefulNebula]

*snerk* We're in the same boat, then, eh?

I just really hope they don't screw the pooch for the rest of us.

[Rigil Kent]

I just really hope they don't screw the pooch for the rest of us.

Heh. I'll just change a couple of the names and keep on writing my Endeavour fics.

[TPoptarts]

Why?? You have a legal right in the constitution for freedom of speech and creativity and as long as you're not making any money no one can tell you what you're allowed or not allowed to write the hell they're gonna go all totalitarian-ass on the world and not let people express themselves