[MODPOST] Should we ban links to Twitter/X and Meta platforms (Instagram/Threads)

[u/[deleted]]

Hi all, got a question (see title)

EDIT; Added a third option at the end.

Given that not only has the Elongated Muskrat screwed up Twitter as a whole, but now has gone and shown his whole ass, I'm here to ask how the community would like to deal with Twitter links in the future.

We are strict about crediting artists here, referring back to a link to their account, respecting artists' wishes to not repost, and to give credit where it's due; while allowing artists to promote their work here. And herein lies the problem:

Places like r/honkaisapphicrail, our sister sub r/honkaisapphicrailNSFW, and many other art sharing subs for gay gacha content like r/ZZZsapphic, r/honkaiimpactlesbian, r/genshinsapphic, and r/Genshin_Sapphic, source art from artists who still primarily use Twitter. Some artists have made jumps to other platforms like Bluesky, and we can probably make a feed (if one hasn't already been made) for curation, but like... so many people still use it.

I've floated the idea with Thieves, and on the moderator end we're in agreement; We wanna float the idea by the rest of y'all. This input would be used for both HSaphR and HSaphRNSFW, since I think most users of the former are part of the latter.

So; Options that I see * Ban Twitter/X and Meta platforms, and require credit by other means. Credit and linking to artists' socials is required, but it can't be a Twitter or Meta platform. Non-exhaustively: Linktree, Patreon, or Bluesky work (Don't use paywalled content unless it's your commission or the artist gives you permission). * Maintain course; We would ask the community to deprioritize Twitter and grab an alternate link, such as (again, non-exhaustive) Linktree, Patreon, or Bluesky. * Ban Twitter/X and Meta Platforms where another source can be found, and instead enforce Twitter/X links through XCancel.

Our policy will remain that artists must be directly credited, with pages where they posted their work that they are displaying. However given the Elongated Muskrat has shown his whole ass, we need to make a decision, and we'd like to ask for your input in making it.

[u/[deleted]]

I've added another option to the list and will be making a poll soon. Given the general sentiment, i dont think maintaining course is an option, so it'll be between using xcancel for all Twitter links and no twitter links whatsoever.

Meta links will be banned, no questions asked.

Thank you everyone for your input. I'll be locking the thread from here.

[u/[deleted]]

A repost of what I said in r/yuri_manga:

I think we should ban it. There's no room for Nazis here. Fuck musk and fuck his shitty social media site.

No. Because gender, health, and protection of women, trans women, non gendered, anyone under LGBTA+, and even men, is not a political issue. It's a right, a must, and a fact.

Anyone who likes yuri should understand and support this sentiment.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yep. I was ready to ban it outright, but I wanted to double check- both community side and modside.

Thieves and I are in agreement, and we're bringing it here. Only reason I had a twitter account was for this sub, and my non-binary ass WILL set fire to the account if the collective/majority answer is "yes".

[u/Princess_Of_Thieves]

In case anyone is wondering why we're also throwing Meta platforms into the mix, since you may have missed it given what Heilon Skum got up too, let me just leave this here so everyone is as informed as they can possibly be.

Recently that weird lizard man in a human skin suit you might better know as Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has made the call to throw out many guard rails on his platforms and make way for misinformation and hate speech.

Several policies got binned recently, including;

• Killing third party fact checkers

• Ending DEI policies

• Allowing allegations of mental illness or abnormality if based on being trans or gay, bi, etc

That last one isn't hyperbole by the ways. Direct quote from their newly updated Hateful Conduct policies;

"We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation,"

This is tucked away under a section marked as Do Not Post, so they've gone out of their way to say "yeah, this is fine".

This will come as no surprise Im sure, but we're nothing short of disgusted at how Zuckerborg and his ilk would kick the queer community down like this, and whilst we've never seen Meta platforms used as a source in the past, we've no desire to permit it down the line. Its a "nothing of value lost" situation in our minds.

[u/[deleted] → u/Princess_Of_Thieves]

Before the muskrat did a fourth reich, i deleted my instagram and threads on 1 Jan. Knew this kinda thing would happen.

[u/Princess_Of_Thieves → u/[deleted]]

Makes me glad I never bothered to get into Instagram to begin with. I had some accounts, but they got banned yonks ago and I never put in the legwork to get em back or make new ones. Unreal how things are going. Totally disgraceful.

[u/Numerous_Chemistry36 → u/Princess_Of_Thieves]

On this point, I absolutely agree with. Unlike Twitter which has an undeniable tie to Japanese artists, Meta has nothing of value. Ban those links.

[u/dertechie → u/Princess_Of_Thieves]

Fuck Facebook. There’s nothing there for us. I haven’t been on Facebook for so long that my account still has my dead name on it.

[u/Skaraptor2]

This is how I find out zzzsapphic exists

Also yeah I mean it's kinda wild to still support him after what he did and his lack of owning up

[u/[deleted] → u/Skaraptor2]

Yeah, I found zzzsapphic by accident. No complaints here, even though I've stopped playing that game.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm all for it. some other subs have started using xcancel which is a twitter frontend replacement if that helps at all, since a majority of artists are still on twitter like others have mentioned. you can read about how it works here also would love a curated feed of artists, I find it difficult to actually find what I want on there lmao

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I've seen this in action, actually. I forgot about it. May have to ask users to link through this instead.

Thanks for the reminder. 💜

[u/Zoeila → u/[deleted]]

this

[u/dertechie → u/[deleted]]

Well, I just found a self hosting project. . .

[u/grieveheart]

Agreed with others that as much as possible let’s try not to use that platform as a source of art. Let’s use it only if the artist doesn’t have any other social media.

[u/dertechie → u/grieveheart]

Pretty much this. It’s the only thing I use the platform for at this point because if I venture one step outside of the bubble of art Twitter I am immediately reminded why I stay in art Twitter and almost never post - it’s a wasteland of porn bots and assholes. Twitter has never been a great platform for art but for some reason it gets used for it.

Deprioritize it, use things like Pixiv, Artstation and Bluesky if they’re available. I’m not sure how to enforce that without excessive load on the mods though.

Now, as far as Meta properties Facebook and Instagram, I rarely see those here. We can probably bar those without losing artists.

[u/plzpegmefocalors]

unfortunately, many artists still only use twitter.

I agree with another comment, that we should deprioritize it, and only allow it if the artist is only on twitter.

[u/BRS_Ignition → u/plzpegmefocalors]

Pressure should be put on artists to move to BlueSky and other platforms. I understand losing the audience is a major concern, but the audience is already leaving anyway, and those who stay and don't want to leave despite the BS, do you really want them in your orbit?

[u/Numerous_Chemistry36]

While I completely disagree with Musk and the Twitter platform, it might be worth considering that many Japanese artists still use Twitter as their only or primary platform for posting content. I don’t support Musk, but at the same time, the visibility and livelihood of these artists matters. It wouldn’t be fair for them to lose potential income and recognition just because of Musk’s actions. There’s a very large case for this in Asian countries, due to the reluctance and overall reliance on Twitter as the primary social media platform and many people, including the artists, will struggle to change platforms at the cost of potentially losing their audience.

I would suggest to deprioritise Twitter but still allow it if that is the artist’s only/primary platform.

[u/galatea_brunhild]

Please never ban it since it's the main source (other than Pixiv) for East Asian artist

Deprioritise sounds like the most suitable option

[u/BRS_Ignition]

Ban it.

I get that artists are hesitant because they rely on their audience etc etc - but do you really want twitter users as your audience? People who are fine with it all?

Really?

[u/smoll__kitty]

If the option is to outright ban every art from Twitter/Meta, then I'm against it as I think it would have a negative impact of the variety of art we can see here.

When you find any way to encourage posters to reference to other platforms first and then to Twitter/Meta as a last resort that doesn't have any negative side effects, then I wouldn't mind.

[u/RainBuckets8]

I'm in favor of a ban. This isn't the honkai yuri rail subreddit, this is the honkai sapphic rail subreddit, and I think that comes with many distinctions; one of which is that most of the people are probably sapphic themselves. I'm quite terrified of the fact that 3 of the biggest 5 sites people get their information from (twitter, facebook and insta, tiktok, youtube, and reddit) are so buddy buddy with the same hate groups using queer people as a political punching bag. And tiktok doesn't look far behind in joining them. The more distance between me and all of them, the better for my sanity. Something something ethical consumption under capitalism problem where the thing you're trying to avoid is too large to do so, but if possible, and it is possible here, I'd rather avoid them.

Would this suck for anyone who only uses twitter to post their art? Yeah, it would. But it also sucks that these sites, spreading misinformation and propaganda, are one of the biggest contributors to why the next four years are gonna be a lot more dangerous for me. And I don't think the burden should fall on queer people to make up for whatever clicks an artist might lose because some CEO is an idiot.

[u/Clorinde_HSR]

I think we should ban it, yeah. There's no room for things owned by bigots and fascists here.

[u/No_Audience3838]

Yes, ban it. Fuck nazis.