Green Room - Week 13 - Day 12

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I wrote this tonight, and was going to post it tomorrow morning when I woke up, then I decided screw it and I'm posting it now. If an Idol Week can be 12 days long and counting, why can't two Idol days overlap a real one!!! :)

***

I knew I should have just made in Week 14... if you've tried logging on, I'm sure you have seen the new terms of service agreement notice.

I've had a couple people email me about it.

I'm not going to get into what differences there are between this one, and the one that people previously signed when they got on the site. Mostly because I don't know what the differences are, and am probably the last person you should ask about these sorts of things.

I do know there is some concern that the Russians might be able to access your privacy locked entries and reproduce it. Because nothing excites Putin more than finding out about your sex life and reading your poetry. If it's poetry about your sex life - that's when it ends up on Russian state owned broadcast media.

This isn't the first time people have been concerned about what the Russians are going to do now that they own Livejournal. Nowadays there are people who are concerned about what the Russians are going to do now that they own the United States. ;)

People are afraid that they can't say the Vladimir Putin enjoys sucking dog's testicles. I am not sure why they would want to say that. Because obviously he's a great man and should be respected, and I would be saying that even if he wasn't standing right behind me right now with what I *hope* is a gun pressed into the back of my head.

Being in the US, I have a greater freedom knowing that it is unlikely that I will be rounded up and taken away for saying Putin really does love those dog testicles. Not that I *would* say that, because that would be a completely ridiculous thing for someone to say! Could I, or someone else, lose access if they were to say something like that. I'm sure it's possible. But I'm just as sure that they might as well shut down the Livejournal site if that happens, because really who is going to show up to use it (other than people really into Japanese boy bands)?

If I lived in Russia, I would probably feel differently. I'd probably have my own opinions on Putin and on the Russian government - and on what the rest of the world thinks about them. I wouldn't know what those opinions would be though, given that, as previously stated, I am not Russian. Or have I downloaded pictures of Putin committing those acts alluded to before, because seriously - who would want to see that???

Seriously though, I'm not sure what this is going to mean in the big picture. Or even if there is a big picture. I just know that people are talking about it, and if you, like me, hit the "agree" button, and are

I really wish this hadn't happened in the middle of such an important vote. But that's part of the deal, you play on the field you are given. So this week will play through as planned, and we will see what is coming next when it comes! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1000163.html

Comments

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Note - I'm sure there are some good reasons to be concerned with the new agreement. But I don't know enough about it - so if there are some brave souls who want to post about it - or send me an email and I'll cut and paste the details for those reading but not posting....

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! This is EXCELLENTLY penned, Comrade! You have a wicked good sense of humour and this made me lol tonight.

I have no idea what any of it means, so I will refrain from conspiring. I know folks are concerned...but I don't think it's the ownership of the site that we need to worry about. The users are jumping ship regardless and its just us sailors left.

Why did Putin toss us a few free subscription months, though?

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

Agreed! The Russians have owned LiveJournal for years, but I don't believe there's cause for concern, quite honestly. I mean, anything that's available publicly has always been accessible.

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

Yup, these were my thoughts too!

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

I think it's basically saying that they reserve the right to limit access to troublesome content, but unless we start to see evidence of that translating to blocking things like free expression, we shouldn't panic. More likely, it's to protect them in the case of them canceling a spam account, or other such account with questionable material.

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

More likely, it's to protect them in the case of them canceling a spam account, or other such account with questionable material. Yes, that's pretty much what I got from it too! I don't think there's a cause for concern either.

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

BTW, I looked up that Article mentioned in the agreement, and it basically just lays out procedures for blocking information to access to information on the Internet.

http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/details.jsp?id=14090

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

thank you for the link! <3

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

Seriously, our own government can hack and track us (and do) anytime they please. The moment you type it and hit send it becomes fair game. Plus hey, I can use the views and maybe they'll leave comments and concrit!

Peace peeps!

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

Very true! I honestly think that nobody would own a blog company who didn't approve of people posting about their feelings, options, et cetera. It seems mostly a mechanism to allow them to remove blogs that present legal issues or come from spammmers.

And yes, you should ALWAYS be careful what you say in electronic communications.

[wildrose.livejournal.com]

MTE. I pretty much roll my eyes any time they change something and people start to panic.

Putin did not only gift me free months, but also a grand total of ONE new userpic - for some reason that cracked me up :P

[swirlsofblue.livejournal.com]

I just kind of deal with it all with a resigned acceptance that I'm doomed whatever I do, so may as well continue using livejournal. I find it very suspicious that we're getting 'free' months and extra space.

[impoetry.livejournal.com]

Hey I've got Putin on the phone. He says to go "in like Flynn" on impoetry.

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

Yes, he told me the same thing. He also said he would LOVE more entries about his penis.

Rasputin's Knob

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Fairy tales and folk tales
The phallus nest
And the severed joint
The cockerel steeds

Hens left to fend alone
While the cocks strut
Small puffed up pyetukh
Spurs on their ankles

Eggs for breakfast
Eggs for lunch
Headless rooster in the pot
For supper

Re: Rasputin's Knob

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

Perfect! Double entendres for breakfast, baby!

Re: Rasputin's Knob

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, yummy!

Re: Rasputin's Knob

[impoetry.livejournal.com]

This is incredible, comrade.

Re: Rasputin's Knob

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I wanted to pen a limerick alas my skills are not so bouncy.

RE: Rasputin's Knob

[ryl.livejournal.com]

*bows lowly*

Re: Rasputin's Knob

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Heh. AND I'm counting it towards my NaPoMo!!!

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

This entire entry made me cackle but these excerpts are gold honestly;

I would be saying that even if he wasn't standing right behind me right now with what I *hope* is a gun pressed into the back of my head.

I'm just as sure that they might as well shut down the Livejournal site if that happens, because really who is going to show up to use it (other than people really into Japanese boy bands)?

[murielle.livejournal.com]

Always read the fine print! I believe that completely, which is why after reading Gary's post, and everyone's comments I hit "accept" without reading the new terms of yadda, yadda, yadda. So if anything happens to me blame the Russians!

So much for maintenance!

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

I hit "accept" without reading the new terms of yadda, yadda, yadda. lmao sameee though. I had to ask my friend to log in so she could read it for me after I initially saw this post 😂

[murielle.livejournal.com]

And I had nightmares all night about the Russians coming at me via livejournal. LOL!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I hit "accept" too.

If anything, I think the Russian LJers have more to lose with this agreement than we do. Many of them have left LJ either voluntarily or forcibly, especially if they openly criticized the government there.

One thing I noticed first off -- they're reserving the right to delete any account which hasn't been used for 6 months or more. I'm thinking that might not be a bad thing, considering that a good chunk of people who left LJ probably aren't returning, so there's reason to "clear the dead wood", so to speak.

I need more coffee :p

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

they're reserving the right to delete any account which hasn't been used for 6 months or more. I'm thinking that might not be a bad thing, considering that a good chunk of people who left LJ probably aren't returning, so there's reason to "clear the dead wood", so to speak. I agree. Also I know there are people who hoard usernames but never use the journals, which honestly seems so pointless to me.

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

:O

But some of those people have written fanfic or other stories that I still want to read, even if they're no longer really active in their fandom or on LJ! :(

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

damn, I hadn't thought of that!!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I've seen a lot of concern about Russian access to your private posts? I'm not an IT guy AT ALL... but I know there are people who do that sort of thing around... doesn't every social media company (LJ, Facebook, etc) already have access to all of the "private" things you post on their site, and have some level of legal responsibility to turn it over to the government upon request? Like I said, I honestly don't know... and what levels this could go to...

I know there are folks with really legitimate fears and I want to make sure that I'm doing what I can to find some answers, while at the same time, I have a thing going here and I'm not planning on jumping ship over what "might" be the case. If that were going to happen, I would have been gone long ago back when DW was using LJ's complete lack of ability to think through their roll outs and explain it to people (as well as being able to actually think "this thing we want to do, is there any legit reason people might be doing it, and might we want to build in exceptions from the get-go) as a way of scaring everyone over to their service...

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

and yes, the "Putin is going to be able to steal my poetry" example was real - from one of the LJ Facebook groups I've been reading. There was someone *really* concerned that somehow Putin was going to be getting his hands on her poetry that she keeps under a privacy lock.

Not "the Russian Government" and not, that I could tell, that it's "political", but rather personal... and that she was going to be punished for writing it. (and no, the FB account said they were in the US)

So even with my doing my usual twist to things, like I said, there are people who are legit frightened about this, and I've already seen a reverse Livejournal Lives movement happening... I just can't take part in it (at the moment at least).

[ryl.livejournal.com]

#3: Livejournal is now a Russian dissent network. (http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-classic-websites-that-refuse-to-die-with-dignity/)

I'm not concerned. I have outrage fatigue.

[impoetry.livejournal.com]

Same

If everything is outrageous then truly nothing is outrageous.

[millysdaughter.livejournal.com]

oddly enough, I had to go to the "legal agreement" three times before I was able to "accept"

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I had to do that as well. (twice for me)

I've heard from one person who said she was locked out of her account for awhile for saying no. But I said "No" the first couple of times I looked at it and wasn't able to try again right away.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to come up with a plan that will allow people to participate from outside of LJ. Because I'm not sure the standard ways would actually work, and they definitely won't allow for folks to comment in Green Rooms and in journals...

I still *think* you will be able to vote without having to agree to the TOS, but I'm not sure about that... there's a lot of questions and I know some are taking this *very* seriously.

I try to be light-hearted about everything. Or as much as I can manage at times. But I do understand where the concern is.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Worth a read

https://globalvoices.org/2017/04/04/after-moving-servers-to-russia-livejournal-bans-political-solicitation/

[ryl.livejournal.com]

Another thought I just had: how many of the people flailing and flouncing over the new TOS also have an account on Facebook, a platform that straight up sells all your information to advertisers?

Consistency? We don't need no steenkin' consistency!

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

I was actually thinking along similar lines.

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

Is Funny... I Laugh.

I log in LJ just now. I see Translation is not binding agreement. I am agreeing to not binding agreement... because agreement is not binding. See okay? Okay... s'okay? s'okay.

Also I am of Russian Descent... I am okay. A OKAY. Also I like borscht. Borscht is good.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

From my *completely non-lawyer* understanding, it's if there is a dispute between the translation and the original, they are saying the original is the binding version. (covering themselves in case the translation isn't clear enough on something)

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

In my completely lawyer understanding (as in I'm not a lawyer for moral reasons), that wouldn't hold up if need be if at least the cases most folks on this side of the pond seem to be concerned about.

[vik_thor]

The biggest pushback I've seen has been about the fact it specifically brings LJ under Russian law, specifically requiring compliance with Russian laws regarding minors, i.e. anyone under 19. 0-18 years old.

9.1.3 Mark Content estimated by Russian legislation as inappropriate for children (0 −18) as “adult material” by using Service functions.

In which they include any 'sexual deviancy'. Anything LGBT+ definitely. Which means my announcement about my marriage to my husband qualifies my journal as "adult material". It probably includes anything but one cis-man and one cis-woman (married) having sex only for purposes of reproduction.