virtual CP isn't just weird....it's vile and repulsive! Stop defending these fucks.
Kotaku (Stephen Totilo) apologizes for "that" recent porn article
- Thread starter Chairmanchuck (另一个我)
- Start date
virtual CP isn't just weird....it's vile and repulsive! Stop defending these fucks.
Everyone at Kotaku has been radio silent for days on this matter and again, a carefully worded apology that didn't call out what that post actually was; child porn
Looks like they got some legal advice. I don't even know why that Tumblr garbage was posted in the first place.
Looks like they got some legal advice. I don't even know why that Tumblr garbage was posted in the first place.
I want authorities to do something about it. I already know enough that I don't want to know the details and I expect it to be dealt with, if that isn't happening then that's an issue that needs to be brought to light which is a different matter than me wanting to be ignorant of the behaviours of these people and the types of content they consume.
Maybe if there was a decent article on the subject by a writer that knows how to write with the weight and subtlety that the subject deserves, from an outlet that doesn't have people as their regular writers that often support this kind of stuff then there is a good basis to build on, but the article in question and the history of Kotaku are neither of the above.
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I think people may be expecting too much for Kotaku to even tacitly admit to posting child pornography. What they posted is illegal in enough parts of the world that you don't need a lawyer to realize admitting you did such a thing wouldn't be the smartest idea. This is probably the best apology they are going to be able to give barring legal action against the site.
I'm not defending that, you goof.
I'm arguing against scare_crow's assertion that "all" fandom editorial publishing at Kotaku be put to a halt regardless of the subject matter or content.
Implying that this bad article being published means that people at Kotaku are sociopaths is a pretty ridiculous assertion.
You seriously lack reading comprehension given your reaction. Maybe you shouldn't be champing at the bit to accuse people of defending something vile and gross when it is obvious they aren't doing that.
Huh, seems like you are incapable of apologising for posting literal child porn because hey it's just fiction it's fine 🙄 All kinds of fucked up and the website should be banned and/or any threads with links follow with a write up similar to THQ outlining that they openly hosted child porn.
I had a long day which followed an even longer day, again, my bad. I'm human, I make mistakes and apologized.
But how will they ever know justice!?!?!?
Era's hard-on for speaking to the manager never ceases to amaze me. Half the users here care more about getting people in trouble than actually tackling the issues that the article played with, like how all of these images are extremely widespread across the internet, whether it be on Twitter, Reddit, Discord, etc.
Can you really blame them for not wanting to draw attention to that aspect of the issue?
The subject being brought to light requires that you and others not be ignorant to what's going on. That's literally what the term 'bringing to light' means: dispelling ignorance. Maybe you should have some empathy for the people who don't have the luxury of your ignorance.
Yup, totally agree. I've made that point multiple times in this thread.
Sure, that's understandable. Just like it's understandable that the people working at Kotaku are also human and make mistakes, just like it's understandable that Kate Gray is a human being who made a mistake.
In the words of Bronsonlee: Don't ever talk to me again.
No one posts CP by mistake.
Posting child porn should it be handwaved as a mistake. This includes drawings that depict the idea of it even if it is fake.
Even more than that, would you publicly admit to committing what is certainly a crime in multiple countries? This is probably the best apology they are going to be able give.
The mistake was in posting the images and not condemning the content hard enough. They should've just described the content and done a more in depth analysis of why its problematic.
You really think I'm hand-waving this issue? It was a massive lapse in judgement and Totilo recognized that and apologized for it. Would I like to see an apology from Kate Gray? Yes. Can I see how something like this would get posted, as bad as it was? Yes.
I would argue that being able to tell the difference between what is sexualising children (where they are literally being raped, be it fictional or not) and what isn't is a rather low ethical or moral bar and as such isn't an "understandable" mistake. Much like THQ with their openly spotlighting 8chan and saying "woops we didn't know!" How the hell do you not know that showcasing literal depictions of children being raped is actually incredibly disgusting ethically but also fucked up morally for some shitty, poorly written excuse of an article that "tries" to investigate how sex could be better written in games.
Hell, the fucking images weren't even FROM A GAME. How do you fuck up your overarching reason for the whole piece from the beginning.
Looking at your other posts I have no idea what your point is any more, seems very contradictory.
On one point wanting awareness, but then supporting an absolute waste of an article that does nothing, certainly doesn't address what you have spoken to me about, and I remind you it is on a platform that has promoted similar content in the past.
The images were from porn made using source filmmaker (software made specifically to make video out of game assets) and using assets from a video game. The article never claimed the images in question were from a game, just that they were game related and clearly created by the gaming community. The article wasn't talking about how sex could be better written in games, it was talking about how the porn the game community produces is gross.
The article was so bad and shallow, so I get why you misunderstood the premise.
I'm not supporting the article, I think the article was shit. I'm trying to explain the broader context of how this article would happen and why we need more discussion about this subject, and all you want to do is whine about how your precious ignorance is shattered
Yes because that's what I'm doing :/
If you can't understand why people don't want to see that then there is nothing more to be said.
It is what you were doing. Of course I understand why people don't want to see those images. But people need to know that it is out there, all over the mainstream internet, and nothing is being done about it.
Because people saw an opportunity to shit on Kotaku. That or they actually had to see it themselves so they are mad about that.
I know there's an absolute dog-pile on Kotaku over this... but I do think it sheds light on the fact that the gaming community does ultimately put little value in fictional depictions of horrific things. Games like Mortal Kombat, DOOM, and others do absolutely glorify violence and gore. Games like Call of Duty and a whole host of popular titles glorify war, violence, and even some problematic notions of patriotism. These types of things are typically defended under the notion that they are works of fiction and have no bearing on reality. The gaming community has constantly pushed this divide between fiction and reality... So when it comes to pornographic content, it's not at all surprising to see this same divide still held by a number of people. I'm not trying to make any sort of outstanding moral judgment on the issue (Kotaku was really dumb to let this be published with the actual images in the article), but I am making the point that this sort of behavior is likely more normalized and accepted via gaming's inherent push to divide fiction and reality as separate spheres that have little intersection. Hence the fact I've really only seen this gain any attention here on ResetERA and I've not seen it mentioned or covered anywhere else really. This site tends to be more in tune with injustices in the gaming world and less perceived effects of media, but for the average consumer of most of these gaming media outlets, it's just not going to register in the same way.
I think this story serves as a great example of how sex positivity can sometimes overreach. Yes, we don't want to pretend sex doesn't happen and we don't want to associate sex with shame. But you have to at some point draw a line between what is a healthy sexual expression and what isn't. Child porn and pedophilia are clear examples of that but sometimes it's not so simple. I'd say BDSM, even between two consenting adults, can also cross that line into unhealthy sexual expression. I know many sex-positivists would accuse me of kink-shaming for that despite the physical and psychological harm it can cause on the participants. Categorically labeling every sexual act as healthy and okay is too reactive of an approach.
I'm 100% sure that anyone that would do the first would not do the second.
Very good point, hence why this needs to be discussed.
This is a fucking fascinating example of when a set of norms and standards become so baked in that they're ultimately invisible until they suddenly crash into a different context. The author clearly, when they thought about erotica involving school-aged Harry Potter characters, didn't think about "this is a sexual depiction of teenagers", at least meaningfully.
Why are you acting as if people are mostly upset because they talked about pornographic games and instead, you know, because they actually posted and approved child porn to appear on their site?
Also, 'they're not doing it well' is such a huge euphemism for actually posting goddamn child porn.
My only regret is not making this post myself, because it's damn good.
I'm not acting like that at all. I understand why people are upset (and rightly so), I'm saying that this is a broader issue than just Kotaku posting an article about it. It's what people are doing with that outrage that I think is misguided and misdirected.
She had some responsibility as well, I'd say...like, you know, most of it for the written piece itself.
She failed her editor, as much as the editor failed the readers
I still stood by to what I said when this thing first blew up: the editor that approved that piece to be uploaded must be fired. Posting child porn is a mistake of that level and gravity. No place trying to be decent--and what I mean by decent is not 'not discussing porn in games' or some such but 'have a goddamn standard for being decent at what you're doing'--should employ a person like that.
Kotaku should still be able to discuss stuff like this, sure, that's great, but I will forever hold the place as 'the place that is okay with employing an editor that approved explicit child porn' if all they could afford to do in addressing the situation is just offering weak apologies.
I don't agree with you that the apology is weak. I understand your frustration but I think you are assuming a level of maliciousness that doesn't exist here. This stuff is so normalized in fandom that many people don't even realize the broader implications of it. That's a huge problem, this article is an example of how widespread it is, but to lay that at the feet of on editor or one writer is misguided. It also solves nothing.