I think that the whole topic of putting sex into stories is a tricky one.
The rule isn’t silly as it is protecting children on the app as it is intended for 13+. In theory, If the episode team suddenly decided that explicit details and graphic sex was allowed in stories, the rating would go up and they would lose their core demographic.
The different sections thing is a good idea but I don’t believe it will happen because a rating on the app store is done for the whole app rather than for specific sections so the app age limit would still go up and episode wouldn’t want that as it would damage their business.
Episode featured stories barely stick to their own guidelines when it comes to sex (Anybody want to be reminded of the In My Bed Drama?) so there is nothing we can really do about it. Just stick to soft stuff.
In my story I have a particular scene where you could choose to ‘spend the night’ with a character or just go to sleep. I worded it like that in my story so that the reader can imagine it however they like and that’s it’s not graphic and won’t violate the guidelines. The scene it’s self is just them kissing then it fades out to black with no mention of the word sex or any explicit details built in.
If it’s graphic, It shouldn’t be allowed in. Scenes that allude to the act without any mention of the word or vulgar details are fine in my opinion. They have these things in PG 13 movies so write it like that.
I think in some cases, stories that revolve heavily around sex are actually really boring lmao.
I assume it comes from the law restriction in the country episode comes from.
In each country you have limites for what can or canot be seen by younger audience and because episode decided to be +13 app thay have to fallow this rules.
The qustion is why they decided sto still keep being kids app when most of the top stories are often having sex just not as descriptive. so now thay must have realized sex sels.
but it is on episode to decide whyt thay want to have on ap and what rules trhay want to fallow.
No. This is an app for 13 and up and they heavily market towards teens. Material here needs to stay PG 13.
While I sometimes think the review team has been acting a tad bit prudish with certain scenes lately (like not being able to describe the way a kiss feels and extending the definition of the phrase “sexual interaction” to any kiss or interaction between a romantically interested couple like flirting- stop clutching your pearls and take a few deep breaths, Gran), it’s important that they stay vigilant in making sure that stories are age appropriate and stay in the PG 13 realm. Anybody who’s been here for longer than two years can tell you about what happens to the TS when they don’t actively monitor story content. Basically, it becomes a poorly written porn fest and allows way too much room for predators to infiltrate this community and prey on young readers and authors. We don’t need that here.
If you want graphic sex scenes, there are other interactive storytelling apps whose target audience is adults that have sexual content behind a paywall. Episode targets teens, so they need to remain teen appropriate. And honestly, you can and should be able to enjoy a good romance story without having to read explicit sex scenes.
I personally don’t think underage kids should be exposed to mature scenes on an app targeted at them. I think it’s a little bit selfish that older people come on this app and expect us to forget all about the target audience and pander to them. I also think it’s childish! Most mature adults don’t have a problem with reading stories without sex.
Well I have seen story which whas having text like “he took me hard from behind on the kitchen counter”…which proably has nothing to do in +13 story.
But fact is a lot o the comunity stories are aiming on older audience.
So it is more the question if the +13 limit make sence or not.
I guess there is simply a reason why the episode team keeps this rule.
The older reader might see it as ridiculouse, but it is as it is. Episode has right to have rules as thay have now or chnge them if thay want to.
Of cause it bit complicates writing of the more mature stories. But on the other hand, if the story is not based only on sex it will still work even you only know it happened but have n detils to it.
I have no issue with sex in stories in general. I love a good erotica lol but Episode is an app targeted and marketed towards a 13+ audience. Descriptive sex scenes do not belong here. Now if the app was marketed as 18+, then that would be different. Sure, younger people would still read on here, but at least the parents would be aware of the content if they’re monitoring their kids downloads.
There are other places you can read/write if this is the content you’re after. Episode is not the place for descriptive sex scenes.
