Under My Skin...

No Fashion Today, Just An Opportunity for Fellow Bloggers and Content Creators to Open up a Dialogue about Review Blogging and The Responsibilities That Come With It.



I am not a review blogger, I have said it before, and I think I need to reiterate that before I start this discussion. I do not solicit review copies, although I do graciously accept them, because with my tight schedule, I know I am bound to miss a lot of wonderful items out there on the GRID. I do not guarantee I will even have the time to look at what I receive, and as someone who does a "Look Of The Day" blog, for the most part, I only really have time to do one outfit a day. I do not just throw on folders of clothes and snap away, I take time to put an outfit together, choosing the hair, skin, eyes, lashes, accessories, and I do it with great care. So while I receive many wonderful things, I can only put one look per day on my blog, and that is no slight to anyones review copies, it is just that I cannot manage more then that and keep up with a post per day goal for myself.

My Question Is:
Is the responsibility of independent bloggers to investigate review copies of items that they have received to ensure that they are not contributing to, or supporting, content theft?

I am sure that we can all agree that content theft is absolutely irreproachable. It is unacceptable, and it hurts us all. Similarly, I think we would all agree that proven questionable content should garner no support on the feeds, and even if we have cherished and supported that fraudulent content unknowingly, we should refrain from showcasing it further. But is it the responsibility of the Blogger or the Content Creator to get the word out when a DMCA is about to be filed?

I cannot possibly be aware of all the DMCA actions going on in-world, and I am certain there are hundreds if not thousands of cases under review. But how can we know what is safe to blog, and what is not. Is there some data-base I am un-aware of where pending disputes are listed so I can stay away from those items until resolutions are found?

As bloggers, must we go back and delete all the posts that have included the objectionable items, do we edit our blogs? Do we post a statement to let others know our stance on the situation? Do we act before a resolution is reached, and what happens if we all act after hearing only one side of the story, or do we wait for statements from both parties involved in the DMCA.

Why do some content creators opt not to file DMCA Cases if they are certain they are being victimized? Is it ignorance of the process? The Hassle of the Forms? And if you don't file a DMCA, is it still OK to make statements against another party in a public forum?

Why do some content creators choose to go public with these issues, while others don't ever bring their cases to light? I am really interested to hear from content creators who have or have not chosen to go public.

PLEASE COMMENT! You can respond anonymously of course, and all comments will be published. Is there a way we as a community can come to some agreement about how we should deal with this issue that can prevent hurt feelings and regrets?

~ Ketsy

The Fashion Planet Feed...

This post may not be popular with everyone, but I have seen drastic changes going on on the Fashion Planet - World of SL Feed and I am not entirely sure they are positive. Please feel free to COMMENT, I will post all comments received, I want to know if you agree or disagree.

In the last few weeks, there have been dozens of new Blogs added to the feeds. I say WELCOME! I am always happy to see new content and hear new voices. I think it is absolutely necessary that the feed list is updated and these blogs get their place among the hundreds of others. There are some on the feed list that have gone dormant, or are no longer valid addresses, so NEW is good.

I also want to say that even though I waited about 6 months, posting every day to my personal blog before getting added to the feed, I have no issue with brand new bloggers with only a few posts showing up on the feed. I don't run it, it is not my place to decide.

What I do have a problem with, is people not respecting the fact that the feeds are a very busy place, and though the audience for them is relatively small, I get incredibly frustrated when people:

A) Repost of the Same Entries Day after Day for Weeks on end. I mean WORD FOR WORD same pictures, repost after repost with titles like "What's New @ [Insert Store Name Here]. For daily consumers of the blog, this is a real turn off.

B) People repeatedly posting NON-FASHION RELATED information on the feeds. I am not talking about things like "I am getting disillusioned with SL" or "My RL is preventing me from posting", or "I am having problems with the new viewer, my computer, etc." that is related in my mind. I am talking about things like posting a Non-SL related survey or fad that is going around, and everyone on the feed does the same thing at the same time, clogging the feed and choking out the Fashion related content.

C) People not using "CUTS" for incredibly picture intense posts, or even worse, people breaking up a single posts into DOZENS of smaller posts on the SAME DAY, meaning they dominate the feed with 10 posts in one day, and you can hardly find any other bloggers posts on the feeds. This is tantamount to "Boggarting" the feeds, taking them over for your personal use, and it is very much like SPAM.

D) People posting Fashion Shots, Images of Clothing and Accessories with NO CREDITS what-so-ever. I don't mind if the SLURLS are not all present, but if you aren't even able to say who made your clothes, you are not giving credit where it is due and it is just frustrating.

E) People CHANGING THE TIMES on their posts, so that they remain at the top of the feed. We each get about 24 hours on the feed, and that is pretty darn generous considering it is a free service for bloggers. I just think it is unfair to fiddle with post times to remain on the top of the heap.

F) New Store Blogs added to the feed that then list EVERY ITEM they have ever made in the same day. Please, break it up over a few days at the very least, it is just overload. Again, like SPAM.

The reason I am posting this, is simply because I can not imagine I am alone in this. I just want people to understand that when I see one of the above things happen, it does not cause me to stop and look at your posts, what it usually does is cause me to scroll right on by, and perhaps after repeated incidences, avoid reading your posts entirely in the future.

As a blogger that almost entirely BUYS what I wear, and does not openly solicit Review Copies, I am not only a blogger, but a CONSUMER of the Feed, and possibly a CUSTOMER. You may not realize how much you may be turning off your potential customers when you do one of the above things, and I am sure that would not be your intention.

Again, I welcome any COMMENTS. If you disagree, tell me why you feel differently. If you have another pet peeve to add to the list, please do.

Thanks for reading.
~ Ketsy

If You Want Attention...

In response to her questions about a new flickr group called "Thinspo in SL", Tenshi Vielle was told "If you want attention, wear a watermelon around your neck" by the groups founder. The group is basically promoting unhealthy looking avatars and idolizing chachexic (it means a wasted body, as in one that has used every single fat cell to keep itself alive... pays to be an RN) and possibly anorexic RL models, and using these images as "Thin Inspirations" and ideals to strive towards.



Tenshi Vielle, among a number of other advocate bloggers, brought the issue to the fore on her blog. In the commentary that followed Tenshi's post on Shopping Cart Disco, she highlighted this ludicrous response to her attempt to join the Flickr group. My comments stated that if someone would make me a Watermelon Necklace, I would wear it and blog it; Because if being anti-PRO ANOREXIA is seeking attention, then count me in!



Moire Georgette of bossa nova fame and the new comme il faut brand promptly dropped this baby on me, and I just got around to wearing it. Sorry for the delay Moire! Embrace the Watermelon People... It is your friend! No one is saying that thin is evil and fat is good, but the promotion of an unhealthy lifestyle in any form is deplorable.