Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Will This Blog Be Going Away?



Will this blog be going away?  The truth is, I don’t know.  I hope not.  But I really don’t know.  Why all the concern suddenly?  Because I got the following email on Monday:


Dear Blogger User,

We're writing to tell you about an upcoming change to the Blogger Content 
Policy that may affect your account.

In the coming weeks, we'll no longer allow blogs that contain sexually 
explicit or graphic nude images or video. We'll still allow nudity 
presented in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts, or 
where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking 
action on the content.

The new policy will go into effect on the 23rd of March 2015. After this 
policy goes into effect, Google will restrict access to any blog identified 
as being in violation of our revised policy. No content will be deleted, 
but only blog authors and those with whom they have expressly shared the 
blog will be able to see the content we've made private.

Our records indicate that your account may be affected by this policy 
change. Please refrain from creating new content that would violate this 
policy. Also, we ask that you make any necessary changes to your existing 
blog to comply as soon as possible, so that you won't experience any 
interruptions in service. You may also choose to create an archive of your 
content via Google Takeout 
(https://www.google.com/settings/takeout/custom/blogger).

For more information, please read here 
(https://support.google.com/blogger?p=policy_update).

Sincerely,
The Blogger Team



Since the email specifically talks about images and videos, I’m hoping that I can save it.  I’ve been hard at work trying to find any and all images throughout all my nearly 800 blog entries.  I’m deleting not just those images, but the entire blog entry they were in.  I think I’ve found most of them, but I’m sure there are still a few out there.  The only ones I’ll allow to remain now are the ones I post to go along with my stories, such as the few at the beginning of this story. 

I used to have a website.  That’s how Karen Singer was born.  But after a few years, a policy change deleted the website without warning.  That hurt more than you might think.  But Karen Singer refused to die.  And a few years later, this blog came into existence.  The purpose and contents of it have changed a bit over the years, but it’s still here.  For now. 

If for some reason, Blogger does decide to restrict the access to my content, then I will close the blog completely.  I hope it won’t happen, but that’s my plan if it does happen.  I currently average about 12,000 blog hits over each thirty day period.  If I post 8 or 9 entries a month, well, you do the math.  That still leaves a lot of people from all over the world who are reading my stories.  More than I ever imagined to be honest.  And I’m grateful for every one out there.  But I’m not going to continue this for the five or six people who will probably write to ask to be allowed to view it.  I put my work out there for anyone who is interested in reading it.  If it’s not freely available, then there’s no point for me.

Once again, let’s hope it doesn’t happen. 
Karen

9 comments:

C B Rigby said...

I totally understand as writing a blog times time and effort so do that for just a few is pointless

erica said...

I for one will be very, very disappointed if this blog goes away. Is there anything we can do to help?

'Lil Melissa said...

I'd truly hate to see the blog close down. I've enjoyed reading your stories and have had some wonderful conversations discussing them with others. Not your average book club. ;) A pox on Google!! I wonder if there is something you could do with FictionMania? Could you just post there every Tue. and Fri.? Whatever the outcome, all the best Karen!!

Sissy Chrissie said...

Amen.

Can't believe google is going all censor all the time.

sarah penguin said...

I hope they'll see reason and let you stay here with your stories, I don't want your tales to go away! I look forward to them too much!

Anonymous said...

Dear Karen!

Hope you can keep up the good work for years to come!

I have followed your blog closely ever since.

Ewa

Anonymous said...

My guess is there were some using the blog to post illegal images and Google wanted to distance themselves from that kind of stuff so to protect themselves they have to make these rules. As always the few destroy it for the many but to be fair I can understand googles point of view here as to protecting their business interests. There are far too many blogs to deal with it individually so they had to make a blanket policy. I hope you can find some other place to post as you are fun to read.

Anonymous said...

I have heard this is a fake. I hope so, because I love your wonderful work and imagination. Thank you soo much.

Michelle

Anonymous said...

Google has already reversed their decision about censoring blogs