A few more points:

first off, the story exclusion settings are NOT available to all readers. Probably 90% or more (at a guess) of the readers on the site have free accounts, which don’t have the ability to exclude stories.

Secondly, as someone who really doesn’t care one way or the other about ‘pedo’ stories, I kinda object to the fact that all of those who object to such stories can have the benefit of excluding them, while I still can’t exclude things I DO find objectionable, like cheating or gay content.

Third, I’ve noticed some people mention “obvious squick content”. What the fuck is that? Here’s a news flash: for almost every type of content, there are readers who consider it a squick. Fans of writers like JustPlainBob are probably squicked by romance, while fans of Lazlo Zalezac could be squicked by pedo (or MC), and fans of rache are squicked by… oh, bad example. Those people have no squicks. The point is, too many people think that ‘obvious squicks’ are easily enough defined by their own preferences.

There have been so many suggestions here, I have not noticed if this one has already been made, but . . . Would allowing people to not see *authors* of their choice be an option? I suspect the overhead would be too high.

Why are Pedo stories so bad to some people? There are a lot worse things out there in my opinion, like scat and snuff and a whole world of really distasteful (at least to me) stuff out there. I just ignore all the stories with codes that I don’t like, such as those I just listed, as well as BDSM and other such stories.

Besides, where does one draw the line in Pedo? 100 years ago, here in America, 12 years old was almost an “old maid” and now it’s good enough to put a man away for 20 years. There used to be a saying when I was young… “Old enough to bleed, old enough to breed!” Just because society has declared that 18 is a magical age for sex hasn’t stopped hormones any as far as I can see, that’s why there are teenage pregnancies. Nature says one thing, the church says another. What ever happened to that other old saying “Don’t Fool With Mother Nature!”

The problem with censorship is that it starts you down a real slippery slope. If you start censoring stories, you might as well just forget the whole thing and shut down ANY of the adult stories, as someone somewhere, will take offense to it, and then you have to take them all down. Why have a story site like this at all if you’re going to have to censure all of the stories? Just leave it as it is, and let the readers decide what they want to read! That’s what story codes are for! This IS an “adult content” site after all!

If all the readers that are complaining would write something better, LET THEM!

You will never please every reader with the stories printed so apart from perhaps placing such material in a section clearly marked.
The Publishers then advise an Author of a story is to be placed in a specific catagory because of its content to allow them to decide if it is to be published or withdrawn.
The readers are also made aware of what that catagory contains for them to decide to read it or leave it.
All I believe is required of S.o.L is to conform to the Laws/Rules/Regulations of the area of where it is based.
The Majority of stories here already show content like BDSM, Erotica, Romance, Fanatsy, Sci-Fi etc along with a guide to sexual activerty and participants so I really fail to see what those complaining about are trying to achieve.
I dont like gratutious violence, body altering by torture etc so when I see that shown, I go elsewhere.
Its like the power button on the Remote, if you dont want the TV ON, DONT press it !!!!

‘I don’t like pedo stories, so I want you to stop letting authors from posting them.’ I thought that was the reason for story codes, so I/readers could avoid the stories with themes I/readers don’t like. If you don’t like pedo stories, don’t read them. If you wait long enough, the pedo theme will be replaced by a different theme. Things go in cycles. Just watch. Lazeez, don’t change a thing, if you change the site for those who don’t like pedo stories, will you change the site for those who don’t like gay stories or rape stories or stories with blacks or stories with whites or etc?

This all boils down to censorship, someone complains about something and they want it removed.

the solution is already in place (pedo) <- the storie code been there for awhile. so has MM FF BMSD TEEN (ect ect) the storie codes are the guide to the content. don't like whats playing? change the channel, read a differant story. there is pleanty of content on SOL with out the tag you don't want to read. why have the site owner make a ton of mods to the site? whats going to happen next a long list of tags you don't want to see at registration time?

all i'm saying is whats been said, the tags are there, some people are just too lazy to use/read them.

however on a side note i think authors should put controvtal(sp) tags up right from the start and not fall of the "tags will be updated at the story goes"

“Speaking of Rache stories, does anyone know why dogsex is always between male dogs and female humans?”

Um, rache wrote a story where a boy (who’s in love with his female dog) gets involved with his (female) teacher who has a relationship with her dog. So obviously the dogsex went both direction in at least one story.

But as to the original subject… there really isn’t such a huge amount of pedo stories. There’s more than twice as many cheating-type stories as there are pedo stories, there’s about as much gay content as there is pedo. There’s far more rape stories than pedo. There’s an insanely high number of incest stories compared to pedo. And there are readers who object to each of those types of stories. Are those readers going to get the ability to eliminate exposure to stories, or are the pedophobes (to use a term EP coined) going to receive special treatment?

First off, I agree with many of the other commenters — if a story is properly coded, then the existing system is sufficient and as such it’s the reader’s responsible to self-censor their “squick” reading. And if (and ONLY if) a story is not correctly coded, then it’s OK to hammer them in the ratings over the lack

However, I think Lazeez is saying that some readers may be leaving SOL not because they don’t want to read stories involving pedophilia, but because they are worried that reading such stories (or even visiting a site that hosts such material) may be illegal, like VIEWING child pornography is illegal. No one wants to think that accidentally opening such a story may put themself in dangerous legal territory. I confess to wondering about the potential legal issues myself. And if this fear leads them to to take their paying dollars elsewhere, then Lazeez is quite right to be worried about it. From this perspective, the opt-in policy seems quite reasonable (SOL may wish to keep a record of this decision).

I appreciate Lazeez allowing us to provide feedback on this issue.

As a paying member of SoL I would welcome the ability to censor what I am offered. I have to admit, I probably have not read the manual where SoL is concerned and may already be able to do this; but I would like to be able to set up a profile for myself that would exclude me being shown specific codes. So that once I was logged in I would not see stories with these codes on the Random Stories or during a search, be it by author, code etc.

Blocking by story code as they presently exist wouldn’t work. Their is no differentiation between what a story is basically about and topics mentioned in passing in the story. Probably best to leave things as they are unless that problem can be fixed. Authors aren’t at all consistent how they decide what codes to list. You really need to read the story summary paragraph to know if it’s likely to be interesting.

For PAYING members it’s EASY … Just go to Account info and click on “Edit Category Exclusion Preferences”. Unfortunately NON-paying members don’t HAVE this option. If this option was made available to ALL members there would be no reason for ANY complaints from ANYONE.

That suggestion works for me. A site as good as this one certainly shouldn’t lose readers over an issue like this that can be solved with the click of a button. What is of more concern is the extreme nature of some of those stories and the very young age of some of the children depicted. Maybe the pedo code needs updating with a number indicating age with penalties applying to authors if they knowingly attempt to abuse the site.

I hate censorship of any kind. My argument about the illegality of some sex acts has always been that murder’s illegal, too, but there’s a whole genre called murder mysteries.

Pedophilia–sex between an adult and a child–makes me uncomfortable. The recent stories involving infants really make me wonder. But it is all fiction (one hopes), and a reader can always ignore. (But, come to think of it, it was a high incidence of pedo stories that drove me away from Mr. Double way back when.)

It sounds like the decision might ultimately be a financial one. If extreme topics are driving both readers and authors away, then you’ll have to make a decision that’s best for the continuation of SOL.

Hey EzzyB,

The definitions I mentioned are the ones from the SOL Code Definitions page. And the Lolita says it’s the same as pedo, but has the child initiating the contact.

I think the issue can be best dealt with by three easy changes:

1. Amend the Code Definition of Pedo and Lolita to:

Pedo – A person over 12 years of age, either gender, initiating sexual contact with a person 12 years or younger, either gender.

Lolita – A person 12 years or younger, either gender, initiating sexual contact with a person over 12 years of age, either gender.

2. Make the Category Exclusion Page usable on ALL accounts, Premium and Free.

3. Create a link on every story page (part of the style sheet) that is a simple way for people to report a missed code or wrong code for that story. Click link and select the code you think has been missed. This should provide an automatic note of the story and who is lodging the complaint, with their account code.

Item 1 clarifies what constitutes a pedo / lolita story and makes the definition and application a black and white choice.

Item 2 makes it easy for people to avoid what they don’t like.

Item 3 provides a mechanism to have author coding errors quickly brought to notice and fixed. And any reader who abuses this can easily be identified and actions taken, if it’s seen as being required.

……..

On a personal note, I’m against censorship, and most of my stories have no sex at all. But I don’t let the sex in the majority of SOL stories stop me from posting the no sex stories, as some readers do like them; especially the ones I write under the nom de plume my e-publisher insists I use to keep that series separate in the minds of general readers – Ernest Edwards.

I find I can easily avoid the stories I don’t wish to see by scanning the codes and the synopsis, and even use the Category Exception page to cut some out, as well. A very simple process, it just requires ME to ACCEPT the responsibility for my OWN ACTIONS, and be proactive in being an adult.

As a writer of pedo-stories, why should they be removed, as long as the story is coded properly, then those who donlt want to see them shouldnlt see them

I think the story codes should be sufficient. Leave things as they are.

While I have no interest in this type of story, it seems there is a readership out there for them.
Provided they are legal according to Canadian law and also where the author is located they can be accepted. When an author submits such stories they must include the PEDO category with the first part. If they do not, they should be given a warning and if they fail to do so on a subsequent occasion they be excluded.

Actions have consequences. If you allow pedo, it may drive readers away. I was seriously considering taking this site off my bookmarks because there is so much pedo and so little other compared to earlier times. While pedo is content of which I disapprove, my potential departure was not an issue of censorship in the “we know what is best for you” sense, it is not saying you shouldn’t be permitted to publish pedo, it is saying that I do not want to read it. I am a lawyer, and I advocate the first amendment, but the first amendment is designed to protect citizens from the government prohibiting the dissemination of ideas, even unpopular ones. It’s your website, and you can set your own policies. If you feel compelled by principle to publish pedo, or not, you can. Just don’t whine about suffering the consequences of either decision.

I remember the Dixie Chicks whining that it was “censorship” when country music fans reduced their purchases of the group’s music as a result of their public and strident political statements. It is not censorship for an individuals to take action to further their own principles, such as expressing disapproval of the Dixie Chicks political statements, by refusing to buy their music. It is not “censorship” for this site to set policies against content for the benefit of the site. The pedo authors have no right of any kind to publish on this private site except such rights as the site owner gives them. And if the decision is to publish pedo, the site owners have no right to complain if site visitors vote with their feet. Actions have consequences: choose your own.

I like the idea of choosing the content that you are exposed to, but this has one problem. That problem is that it will eliminate any story that has that code, when it is only the extreme ones that need to be eliminated. A perfect example is John Wales story entitled Tandra. This story has a lot of gay content, but most if it is between human males and Tandra males. This simple distinction changes they gay code into something more like a code that states sex with aliens (alien or xeno maybe). If you simply remove all access to gay stories then what of this story. I think that instead of removing access completely, you could create standard disclaimers for stories that contain certain codes such as pedo, beast, zoo, snuff, and others as the need arises. These disclaimers could pop up when you click the link to the story, and contain a timer that will enable the “next” button after enough time to read the disclaimer has gone by. The disclaimers could say that you are about to enter a story that contains (insert code(s) here), and that the reader should be certain that they wish to read a story with such content. In addition to the “next” button, which takes you to the story, there should be a “previous” button that, duh, takes you back.

Downloading pedo is illegal in many parts of the world. Giving readers the option to not even see the postings for illegal articles is a good solution. First amendment absolutists can relax, knowing that anyone can post, and anyone can read them (even if they are choosing to break the law–their choice). But those who want to be able to avoid breaking the law in their area can do so. The choice should be available to everyone, even free accounts. This is a different issue, by the way, from people who want to opt out of certain types of stories (scat was an example another poster mentioned) which they don’t want to read even though the stories depict legal activities.

Trekkie from Avenue Q said it all in one song. And its TRUE!
“The Internet Is for Porn”
Why you think the net was Born?

* Every second – $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography.

* Every second – 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography.

* Every second – 372 internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines.

* Every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is being created in the United States.

So who but the small minded Bible thumping people complain?
I don’t. Its fun to read and it hurts NO ONE! Because it IS FICTION!!!

One last thing… just in what jurisdiction, precisely, is seeing a story synopsis on a page full of story synopses illegal? Nobody ever has to actually open a story for download unless they choose to do so (or they click on a link provided by an idiot, which proves them to be an idiot as well) so arguing that the mere presence of one type of story is worse than the presence of any other type of story is pretty weak.

People need to do some simple research. The incidence of ‘pedo’ stories on the site is really not that much, comparatively. Here’s a simple fact: there will always be times when there’s a ‘run’ of stories containing some code or another, and it will seem to someone who is squicked by that code that those stories are becoming much more prevalent. It’s an illusion… generated by observer bias, and a few other anomalies. Pedo stories are no more taking over SOL than are gay stories, or cheating stories, or incest stories, or mind control stories, or…

To Laz: If y’all wanna open up story exclusion capability for all accounts, and are interested in creating a ‘review panel’ to determine if stories that have been reported by readers as missing some particular code, I fully support that, and may even be willing to be on such a committee/panel. I don’t support centering out one particular code for special treatment.

I think it’s time to turn the internet off, because it was once a useful and innocent communications tool for research and education, but was quickly subverted to include items of ‘questionable’ content after the public obtained access.

Okay … so *that’s* not gonna happen.

A short suggestion follows and my rant after that.

Since the paid members are the only ones who have the ability to eliminate content you have at least two choices, Lazeez:

1) make the exclusions option available to all readers;
2) do nothing, possibly get hammered by the vocal minority, lose both authors and readers, and watch your site slowly die.

Here’s a thought Lazeez — depending upon the effect of this and other issues on your wallet why not subsidize free membership with advertising that requires the unpaid readers to click-through ads to justify their level of story access? If they want to read one story per day, they must click-through at least one advertisement completely. Two stories, as many ads, and so on. At least that way you’ll receive some compensation for so much ‘noise’ and the work to manage it.

Notice to Readers: It costs money to manage, maintain, and support this site, and it’s hard to imagine a substantial base of paid members to make all this effort for Lazeez worthwhile. We live in a society where compensation for one’s hard work is considered the norm, and forcing a structure and moral code onto a ‘free’ adult erotic story site should require non-paying members to compensate the owner and administrators for their time, bandwidth, and efforts. Don’t like that idea? Then quit complaining!

It appears a vocal ‘few’ (we truly don’t know who or how many) are yet again telling the rest of the world how to live, including what might be acceptable reading on an adult erotic story site and possibly even what’s bouncing around inside our heads. What’s next, burning books in the streets? That’s been tried in Alexandria, Berlin, Tehran, and other cities, and we’ve lost untold riches from an unbelievable variety of writers and thinkers because an unthinking and narrow-minded mob was offended.

Why is it necessary for a loud and easily offended group of people to force others to their model of artificial and unattainable perfection? That’s how wars are started and why so many people have needlessly died through history.

It’s apparent those who are the most offended don’t know how to use the button on the random stories section or for the paid members to use the exclusions tool. If the issue is receiving automatic mail updates that might contain offensive material, then the readers/recipients might need to consider other options for their entertainment rather than force the rest of the world to fit their limited concept of normalcy. If this is related to the Stories Online discussion group, then that isn’t even part of this site and should be handled over there.

I’m horribly offended by stories of rape, torture, murder, cruelty, scatology, cheating, and forced submission, *BUT* I accept that there are people who enjoy reading fiction about those subjects. Since I choose not to partake I don’t bother venturing into their playground and leave them to craft their immoral adventures to their hearts delight. So long as it’s fiction I’m not going to grab my pitchfork or club and march toward city hall in anger. “To each their own” isn’t just a concept, but something more people should attempt to comprehend as a policy for living in a much larger and more informed society.

To those who believe it’s their right to force others to fit their mold:

- Don’t like congested highways and carbon dioxide emissions from cars? Take the bus or a train, pedal a bike, or walk.
- Don’t like pedophilia, rape, murder, incest, adultery, war, bestiality, homosexuality, and all other manner of sin? Burn the bible and all other religious texts, because they *all* contain parables and passages of such vile and disgusting deeds.
- Don’t like reading horribly perverse fiction on a site that might stir your brain into revolt and cause your body to produce hormones that could cause pleasure? Quit reading fiction on this site, overlook what doesn’t appeal to you, or grow up, but don’t attempt to force others to your skewed idea of morality, because there was only one person in history who was described as perfect and purportedly could walk on water.
- Offended by one ‘squick’ that causes you sleepless nights? What the Hell are you doing on an adult erotic story site to begin with, hypocrite?

I receive nothing for posting pedo story content to this site save for less than 0.05% feedback based on number of downloads and even less worthwhile input than that. Most of the feedback I’ve received has been supportive, primarily because I portray an older/younger relationship as consented and gentle, something that other writers cannot claim. Yes, there are those who feel it necessary to lambaste me about the ages of my fictional characters, but as I’ve stated at the top of my story page everything that I write about is entirely fantasy where no individual of any age was ever involved, PERIOD! For the most part people know to stay away from the fiction I write if they’re offended, because I’ve clearly stated that it’s up to the reader to venture past the summary or story codes and that no pity will be taken on a person who knowingly click past the summary page or screen.

This is rant enough for one person during one day. If people don’t want to read pedo stories then they should steer clear of them. If they don’t like to see Stories Online ‘polluted’ with an increasing rash of immoral content (wait a moment while I roll on the floor and laugh my ass off at the irony), then they should offer something to Lazeez and the authors for the content they do enjoy so Lazeez can afford to cordon the ‘squick’ authors onto an ‘adult’ section of an already adult erotic fiction story site.

What part of ‘adult erotic fiction’ isn’t understood?

Eliston.

I’m pretty damned open-minded, but I’ve got to say that the “New Stories” list seems to have a new crowd of stories about sex with the under-12 crowd. And that, to me, is a whole different ball o’wax than, say, the NIS series.

I’m with Ernest Bywater with the suggestion to define the codes more precisely/set a subset of codes for under age 12.

As someone who’s enjoyed getting free porn here for a long, long time, I would appreciate the option of skipping the under-12 stuff, because I really can’t afford a paid subscription right now.

And has also already been said, for me, this is not a matter of First Amendment rights, it’s a matter of you, Lazeez, hearing the sounds of complaints … and eventually, greater silence as folks leave. Then again, if it’s largely the free-riders like me who leave because it’s hard to avoid this stuff, it’s probably no skin off your ass.

I appreciate you opening this discussion and considering options.

One tag OK. Two tags, You’re OUT!