Updates

This is a update of for the General category.

For several months now, TFL has discussed creating a rule on how we handle ‘double approvals.’ We have found that handling this has been quite difficult as it is often a mistake, but in some cases, applicants have tried to circumvent the rules.

However, we have decided that we need a definitive rule on what to do in these cases. From today onwards, this is our policy on double approvals:

If a double approval occurs at the network and the second approval is less than 2 months old, the second approval will be removed from the network. Both owners will be contacted regarding this. If the second approval is older than 2 months, it will remain listed, along with the first approval.

We feel that after two months, it would be unfair of us to remove the second listing, so have created this rule to cover those fanlistings that just slip under the radar.

Please note: This rule only is for double approvals that happen from TODAY onwards. Previous double approvals will remain listed and are NOT affected by this rule.

We encourage ALL owners to be careful of how their fanlisting’s name is listed at TFL, especially those of you that have fanlistings for musicians who may have separate stage names and real names. We often find that double approvals happen for subjects that have more than one name and when names aren’t spelt correctly. Please give our staffers ALL names for your subject, along with any useful information about a subject that can help us prevent double approvals.

Please give us an e-mail or post at the boards if you have any questions or comments! 🙂

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This is a update of for the General category.

After a lot of discussion, we have decided to introduce a network-wide rule as to the number of fanlistings an owner can have on upcoming at any one time. These rules are:

6 fanlistings in a category and/or
20 fanlistings in the network overall

If an owner reaches these limits, the staffer has the right to reject the applicant. Meaning the owner must complete some of their pending fanlistings before they can be approved for more.

The reason for this rule is that we have a number of fanlisting owners who get ‘application happy’ or who apply for many fanlistings at once. Usually, these owners then end up with fanlistings on troubles (too long on upcoming), or they close their fanlistings before the fanlistings have even been built.

We have asked staffers to be careful with this rule in case Finished/Update/Closed staffers are behind schedule, but please feel free to use the Additional Information box to let Applications staffers know if you have submitted finished/closed/update forms recently. Include the URLs to your finished fanlistings in the box, also.

If you have any questions about this rule change, please contact us, or post at the board 🙂

This is a update of for the General category.

After some discussion, we have decided to clarify the ‘last updated’ date rule at TFL:

8. You must have an ‘last updated’ date on your fanlisting.

* It must be in an easy-to-locate place (i.e. splash page or main page).
* You MUST either write out the month (4 March, 2005) or if you use a numerical date, you MUST provide a key/legend immediately before or after the date, explaining the format used (4/5/2005 – dd/mm/yyyy).
As more than one date format is considered ‘standard’, you are required to provide a clear way to read the date regardless of the format used. Failing to use either suggested format could result in your fanlisting being added to the troubles list.

All this means is that we are allowing you to use a ‘key’ to show what date format you are using, if you wish.

This is a update of for the General category.

After a long period of discussion, TFL has decided on a policy regarding multiple subjects at/on one site.

TFL prefers each fanlisting to be on its own site. However, we realise there is an appeal to have fanlistings on the same site if they are related.

Fanlistings for similar topics (ie. a movie and a sequel) can share the same site. However, they must either:

– have their own join form, codes and members list

(OR)

– have individual codes and a ‘favourite’ feature, where the member may choose which topic they are a fan of. The fanlisting also must be clearly marked for what it covers.

Fanlistings that can not be ‘merged’ are those for a character and actor and topics which are significantly different from the other. They can, of course, have the same splash page – but must link off to their individual pages.

This is a update of for the General category.

We’ve had an increase in the number of complaints regarding owners using names, images and information without the owners permission. So, we decided to add a new section to the ‘For FL Owners’ section of TFL. It aims to cover copyright, legal issues and formalities:

Legalities and Formalities

While none of the information there is 100% legal advice it does cover the basic issues that are brought to us – fanlisting owners taking images or information without giving credit back to the original source. So please have a look at the information on this page :).

This is a update of for the General category.

After a great deal of discussion, we have decided to officially implement a new guideline for both staffers and applicants regarding fanlistings that are repeatedly neglected. After having been on the troubles list twice for either: a) lack of updating; or b) members list neglect, a fanlisting found to be neglected for the third time may be removed from the network if the troubles staffer in charge deems it appropriate and a senior staffer confirms that the removal can go ahead. This does not apply to other troubles issues, such as dead links, incorrect links to TFL, or unfair rules. You will receive a personalised email if your fanlisting is removed for repeated neglect. We do not expect removals of this nature to occur on a regular basis.

The Rules page has been updated accordingly, and any questions about this new guideline should be directed toward the senior staff via the contact form.

This is a update of for the General category.

There have been some changes in the Adult category, which have affected a few other categories too. We have decided that the Adult category should be for sex-related subjects only, as that is the usual understanding of the term “adult”. When referring to adult models, for example, you don’t think of models who are not children, you think of adults who pose nude. The same applies for adult movies, adult magazines, etc.

This means that all alcoholic drinks, tobacco-, cutting- and drug-related subjects, and some grown-up games such as drinking games and truth or dare, have been moved out of the Adult category and into the appropriate categories as shown below.

————————————-

Food/Drinks
ALL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS, Marijuana/Pot Brownies

Games
Drinking Games, Leisure Suit Larry, Truth or Dare

History/Royalty
Oiran

Miscellaneous
Amsterdam Coffee Shops, Bongs, Cocaine*, Ecstasy*, Glass Pipes, Heroin*, LSD/Acid*, Marijuana/Pot, Speed/Meth*, Tobacco

————————————-

* – We have decided to place a ban on fanlistings for narcotics, which means that if any of the current fanlistings for narcotics (marked with an asterisk *) are ever removed from the network, they will not open up for application.

In future, please apply for alcoholic beverages under Food/Drinks, any tobacco/marijuana-related fanlistings under Miscellaneous (unless you are applying for a food containing marijuana, in which case you would apply under Food/Drinks), and use the Adult category only to apply for sexual activities, pornstars/models, porn movies, adult websites, and other sex-related subjects.

Any questions and comments are welcomed, and should be directed to the Senior Staff via the contact us page. 🙂

This is a update of for the General category.

Since early 2003, a “no character groups” rule has been in place in the Characters: Book/Movie and Characters: TV categories. It was implemented to make things easier and more clear-cut for both staffers and fans, but it has ultimately caused more confusion than it’s worth.

After a great deal of discussion, we have decided that it would be best to abolish the rule entirely and allow Characters of, Females of, Males of, Teachers of, Vampires of, Students of, etc. fanlistings in addition to the character group fanlistings that have always been accepted, the ones for fictional bands, groups, clubs, races and species. Gender-specific character groups are limited to “male” or “female”. Male includes men and boys, and female includes women and girls. Also, you are not able to “stack” descriptors. This means that “Male Characters of” is okay. “Vampires of” is okay. “Male Vampires of” is not okay.

Staffers will be able to use some degree of discretion when it comes to approving fanlistings like this. If a character group you apply for only has one member, it is unlikely that it will be approved.

This is a update of for the General category.

There is a new rule for the adult category.
If you own a fanlisting in this category you cannot require members to be a certain age before they can join your fanlisting.
Why?
Because not all countries have the same “legal” ages. In some places you can drink when you are 16 while in others you must be 18 and others 21. Therefore, you cannot require your members to be a specific age. I will be doing a check and emailing all the fanlistings that currently require this. Your site will not be put on troubles unless this is not changed within 2 weeks. So, please, if you currently require this on your adult-related fanlisting, change it now to save me some time.