True again. I cannot argue. I still find it sad that to each his own is so neglected, but who am I to preach? As one who enjoys most any media, I may be out of touch ...
Sites could coexist. The Anime Tickling Forum is a prime example of that, and has been for years. I just can't see the greater community fracturing into divisions like M/F, M/M, videos, drawings, and the like. Because I can't see it, I am a poor judge and proponent/opponent of it.
Although now that I think about it, the TickleTheater would probably become a video place if such were to happen. It is, after all, our roots ...
You're a good man, but part of the flaw in the way you think (which you've admitted several times now) is that in wanting the best for everyone, you're spreading your protection too thinly so that the security of this site is underminded by content at any turn. You are not covering the most would-be problematic issues with any fervor (more like indifference), since that energy is equally divided (and so you don't have the willpower to make it more than indifference).
I do not believe, in the long run, it is in this site's best interests to think this way. You need to focus on obvious problems rather than put everything here under a sort of protective umbrella. Some things are simply not worth protecting or allowing. Just because it will piss some people off is a very small price to pay for removing and not allowing some material but being safer for it. No more loli, for example? So what? How many people, active people, would actually create an emotional outburst?
We say we're doing what the users want, but what percentage of the active users actually like loli and things like that? If you were to guess based on post response, I'd say that number is less than 2% of the active members, and those members could be listed by name, with maybe, at the most, another 3% of silent lurkers who like it also and would be willing to come out of lurking status in order for a one-time defence of it.
Speaking completely in technical terms, is that 2% (and the additional 3% silent reserve) worth defending when the collateral damage that can be inflicted through their interest is higher than 2% and is a danger to the entire site?
I agree with Kalamos and others who are talking about compartmentalizing the site even further. If you put all loli related stuff in a forum its easier to manage and remove content without having to swim through it.
"But there isn't enough loli material to merit creating a forum just for it and people probably wouldn't post any there for fear of scrutiny..."
Bingo. And if there is not enough loli material to warrant that, then that means there are not enough people to offend by not allowing the material in the first place.
We should not work on the presumption that a silent majority (our lurkers) care about loli or even know what it is. Just because they don't care, doesn't mean we should decide that that indifference means they don't mind that its here because it suits the interests of the few willing to support it vocally, and so they're the ones who tip the scale in loli favor. It simply means they don't care. That is all. What happens then, is that the vocal minority are the ones who decide these things and it is they, and not the site at large, whom is being serviced and protected as their pet interest or fetish is being encompassed despite the fact its the content that would get us in trouble. It s like putting up a force field around your base AFTER the threat has entered.
How is that balance? Its actually pretty hypocritical in it's own way to claim we don't want to deny the entire site of something, when only a fringe minority would care about a particular aspect of it anyway. At least in this case.
I know it seems like I'm just bashing loli, but I'm just using it as the obvious example of cautious content that it is questionable enough to seriously consider banning.
There is simply not enough expressed support for it to warrant allow it just because its a pet interest or fetish for several known people.
This is a tickling site for adult material.
Looking back at everything I have done, I too am a part of the problem (I don't do loli though) and so as to expell any notion that I may be a hypocrite, I would be willing to cease sharing my work and have my forum deleted if it would help the situation.
I actually don't see it as a desperate measure at all. I keep talking about swallowing one's pride for what we do and what we like in order for the greater good. I can do that.