Chapter: 1/1

New AO3 Tag Wrangling Policy and the Transformers Fandom

(This is a long one, folks, but I think it's important.)

A new tag-wrangling policy on AO3 has the potential to create some massive confusion and chaos in the Transformers fanfic community, with regards to fandom tags. There is a Reddit post about it here with a focus on anime fandoms, but I want to give some concrete examples for the Transformers fandom on why we DO NOT WANT this, and why I think it's a horrible idea.

The Problem

Basically, AO3 is looking to get rid of the "All Media Types" fandom tag across the board, either by dismantling them or just not maintaining them. The Transformers - All Media Types tag has been an all-purpose tag that you could select when your story doesn't fall into any one specific continuity. Additionally, all most (see below) TF continuities on AO3 are considered a subtag of the Transformers - All Media Types tag. For example, if you look at the link above for all works in the All Media Types tag, you will see fics that are also tagged ONLY with Transformers: Animated, because it falls under the All Media Types tag.

One exception: With the upcoming Transformers: One movie coming out imminently, there will likely be a big influx of stories tagged with Transformers: One. In fact, there are several already. However, it hasn't been linked to the larger Transformers - All Media Types tag yet. I wasn't worrying about it though, because I know these things can take time.

With information about this new tagging policy, however, I'm now wondering whether it'll EVER get linked to the All Media Types tag. If that happens, and when more continuities are developed in the coming years (since you know Hasbro loves creating new universes) this has the potential to cause massive confusion when looking for stories to read.

Searching for Stories with the New Tagging System

So let's say the All Media Types fandom tag isn't accurate anymore, because it no longer includes ALL of the continuities (such as TF:One). You will need to include ALL the Transformers continuities when browsing for TF fics.

How many tags is that? Well, here are all of the tags currently listed under the Transformers - All Media Types tag:

Note that this doesn't include Transformers: One since it hasn't been categorized yet.

You will potentially have to have 40 or more different fandom tags in your search, just in case the author tagged their story with something you weren't expecting.

This massively decreases the findability of a story.

Tagging with the New System

The email response from the Tag Wrangling group (see the linked Reddit post above) seems to be a bit flip in the response to the user's concern. "...encourages creators to tag with the media they intend."

While I appreciate what they are attempting to do, this policy change feels like a solution in search of a problem, especially in larger fandoms with multiple continuities, versions, and media types that are all cross-pollinated in both canon and fanon. While I'm focusing on Transformers fandom, imagine a creator in the DC comic universe writing a story that incorporates bits and pieces from a dozen different reboots.

For example, let's say that I am writing a fic about Ratchet. I am using the setting of the original G1 episodes, but I also am using the characterization of him as a bit of an old man grump. That characterization originated in the Animated continuity, but I want to incorporate bits of pieces of his other characterizations as well (old friend of Optimus from TFP, Ratchet ran a faction-free clinic like he did in the War for Cybertron series, he's got a Decepticon boyfriend like in IDW1 - or maybe even Cyberverse, etc.)

With this new tagging structure, I might potentially have to tag the story with ALL of those continuities. So instead of just slapping down the "All Media Types" tag (and maybe one other fandom tag that matches the characters as best I can), I'll have to analyze my story and try to figure out how best to tag for the characters I used.

And what if you're doing a completely AU version of the story? For example, a humanformers story, or merformers? Using the All Media Types tag along with a Alternate Universe - Human or Alternate Universe - Mermaid tag worked perfectly, since you weren't writing the story to fit into one specific continuity. But now, that might not be an option.

What To Do??

The first thing I would suggest is to contact AO3 (using the Feedback and Support page) and let them know (nicely) that you think this is a horrible idea. Give them some examples on how you use the All Media Types tag to find stories to read, or to help you tag a story. People outside of the Transformers fandom don't always appreciate how absolutely tangled the continuities can be with each other, and providing examples might help them see why this would be a really messy change.

Readers: Be aware that when you are looking in the All Media Types tag, it will no longer show newer continuities. And if AO3 starts dismantling that tag like they suggested they are doing, be aware that some stories won't show up in that tag like they used to. You can also create and then bookmark a custom search page that includes all 40+ continuities. REALLY annoying, but it's a workaround.

Writers: Until they start dismantling the All Media Types tag, ALWAYS ALWAYS tag your stories using Transformers - All Media Types... Especially for newer continuities. This will be especially important if you are writing a Transformers: One story. Right now, anyone who is only browsing the All Media Types tag will not see a story tagged only with Transformers: One. Make sure you're aware of how tags work and how they can affect the visibility and findability of your story.

Epilogue

Ugh. That's a lot of words for a long-weekend Saturday. And maybe I'm overreacting a tiny bit. But my work involves information architecture, and this change just absolutely baffles me. It's almost as though they want to make it harder to find stories. Considering that AO3 won a Hugo partially because of its fantastic tagging system, this change seems like AO3 is doing its best to shoot itself in the foot.

When you have a square hole, a round hole, and a rectangular hole… Yeah, you DO want each peg to go in the "right" hole. But if all of the pegs fit in the square hole, who cares? You got the job done.

I love you @ao3org, but please reconsider this change... Especially for IPs that are as old and are as varied as Transformers.

AND THE TALENT DON'T STOP COMING AHAHAHAHA

Guess I'm getting better at sewing with the machine!!!!

give yourself the gift of reading your own fic. it was literally written just for you.

So I have thrown myself into a huge project, which is to make a plaid for my mother

This is the finished plaid from the creator and all the squares, half squares and quarter squares I have to do.

I've done all that so far, which corresponds to the four corners, all the big borders, half of the small borders and one baby square.

I'm doing it using yarn my mother wanted, which is a mix of cotton and merinos wool. There's 10 colours total but I'm not using the same as what is shown in the pattern.

Chapter 2!!!

Chapter: 1/?

Words: 1 199

Language: English

Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Applies

Relationships: Jimbei & Straw Hat Crew

Characters: Jimbei (One Piece), Roronoa Zoro, Usopp (One Piece), Black Leg Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Nami (One Piece), Brook (One Piece), Nico Robin, Franky (One Piece), Monkey D. Luffy

So I made a poll asking whether people were planning to lock their fics to help prevent them from getting scraped by AI, and I’ve come away with two takeaways so far.

First, a lot of people think fics are getting chosen and uploaded individually to data sets, and think because they only write short works, or write for a small fandom that means their works are unlikely to be picked. That’s not what we mean when we say AI bots have been scraping AO3. We mean that bots are trawling AO3 and pulling any and all data from the site possible. It’s looking at all 11 million works, not just the ones individuals like/think are quality. AO3 has done what it can to prevent it, but says locking fics might help. Hence why many people are locking.

Second, damn. Y’all need to value your writing more highly. The number of tags I’ve seen on that poll saying things like “my work isn’t good, the sets don’t want it” or “I hope my bad writing poisons the sets” or “I only write porny shit anyway” is ridiculously high. It doesn’t matter if you’re not confident in your writing! It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re just writing nonsense! It’s still work you did! It is still a genuine expression of your creativity. It’s important because you spent time on it, you put something into the world that wasn’t there before. You took your love for something and created more from that.

I know it’s often a defense mechanism for vulnerability. If you get out in front of the criticism and shit on what you did, then it hurts less when someone is a jackass about it. But don’t let that convince you your work is without value or worth. You put time, effort, and heart into it. AI shouldn’t get to profit off your hard work and vulnerability. Stop selling yourselves short.

If nothing else, value your labor.

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lmao it’s so funny how on each plateform I post my stuff differently and at completely different time etc

like if you want my full mess at the very moment I post it you have to follow me on four different stuff to know