Guidelines: I’m confused

Community Episode Fan Community
1

My story was reviewed and I was given a LONG list of things to fix. Some I found a bit confusing.

I had scene where a police officer aims a gun at a criminal and is told to raise his hands, he doesn’t, starts to reach for something and is shot in the arm. It was banned as “torture.” I don’t understand, this is police procedure. Granted, she has untagged it, but I just find it an odd thing to do.

A character refers to a female dog as a bitch. This is the correct English word for a female dog. I was told it was still swearing?! But how? Noteworthy, I also used the words bastard in reference to a fatherless child and nothing was said.

A character tries to get a kiss from another character when she isn’t interested and it was reported a “depicting sex.”

Also I was told that kissing in underwear is not against guidelines but I had a scene where they were and it was reported. Yes she backed off that as well, but again, I’m not sure if the reviewer is being over cautious or really just doesn’t like my story in general.

I had to Reupload new backgrounds as they claimed they could see product placement in my old ones (which episode has already approved.) She told me to publish when changes are ammended. Unfortuantely I can’t until episode approves the new ones. Kinda a catch 22 eh?

Someone can elaborate further it would help a lot.

2 Likes
2

episode sometimes are kinda strict, I seen very popular stories do stuff there break the guide lines.

I dont understand this one. like there most be some more in the situation then just a kiss.

even though its correct there is better words to use, like just calling the dog a female.

I get it suck to get this message about haveing to edit, I got too for not long ago, to remove an explanation on how a poisen work.

this was the reason
Assault, Violence & Torture: promotes or
depicts excessive violence or assault, including (but is not limited to): sexual assault, murder, and torture against humans or animals * Depiction(s) of torture or parental abuse on screen

  • Graphic / explicit / detailed description(s) of rape / assault / murder / torture / violence / gore / etc., including (but not limited to): heavy or excessive use of blood or weapons or scars, use of dead bodies or body parts

As observed in:

and this was what I had written(note a charactere told about something happening many years ago, nothing was shown)

It makes people bleed out from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. and I still remember the sound of him choking on his blood, and the feeling of the blood dripping on me.

its not really fair when trending stories, have drugs rape, and very sexual scenes, but this isnt allowed.

1 Like
3

This is correct, and it is still kind of used as profanity as well.

The character is getting a kiss from another character and it not interested is not depicting sex. Now depending on that scene whether the character is FORCEFULLY getting a kiss from someone, then that can be sexual assault, or if the character is not forcefully giving the other character a kiss and the character kindly refused then the other character should not kiss the character and apologize.

There’s nothing wrong with kissing in your underwear, and then the scene fades out after that, depending on where they are kissing, (in bed? or somewhere else?) and what do you mean when “she backed off”, like she stopped kissing and then go to get dressed or something? :thinking:

Well yeah, you can’t publish until everything is approved so the reviewer is just letting you know until everything is approved.

1 Like
4

That was the joke of the chapter. That she thought she was swearing when she actually wasn’t

1 Like
5

I had scene where a police officer aims a gun at a criminal and is told to raise his hands, he doesn’t, starts to reach for something and is shot in the arm. It was banned as “torture.” I don’t understand, this is police procedure.

I know you said they removed that flag but if your scene was somehow quite gory, the torture part of the guidelines is within the excessive violence category, so that makes sense imo.

A character refers to a female dog as a bitch. This is the correct English word for a female dog. I was told it was still swearing?! But how? Noteworthy, I also used the words bastard in reference to a fatherless child and nothing was said.

I can’t find what I’m looking for, but I have seen in the guidlines that words such as skank, damn, hell, douche, and bastard are allowed without censoring. So that’s not surprising. It’s probably easier to blanket-ban the word b*tch uncensored.

A character tries to get a kiss from another character when she isn’t interested and it was reported a “depicting sex.”

Was the scene depicting sexual assault?

1 Like
6

Check this thread out: FAQ for Episode's Recently Updated Guidelines

1 Like
7

Ah, this is what I was trying to find haha

1 Like
8

Lol. I was trying to find it, it took me about 10 seconds. XDDD

9

maybe its because I am missing context but I dont see how it is funny,

1 Like
10

The background were deleted immediately after she reviewed, so I’m assuming she did it. But she was still reporting them as violations even after the new ones were there. I don’t know if she really looked at it or just assumed I hadn’t changed them

1 Like
11

I’m my opinion skank is way worse than bitch.
What if a guy is called dick? Is that still profanity?

1 Like
12

I really think you are missing it

13

I personally had my story removed (temporarily) for using the word d*ck, censored just like that.

But yeah, I mean the guidelines are the guidelines, unfortunately.

1 Like
14

I understand that, but I think some reviewers take it too far

15

If he is trying to force her how is it not assualt?

4 Likes
16

Also the term ‘b*tch’ is considered offensive and derogatory towards women.

1 Like
17

Because it’s not rape. I mean if a guy walks past a girl and steals a kiss, yes it’s wrong and disgusting, but hardly sexual assault

18

Hi! Technically, it’s part of the definition of sexual assault.

Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual attention, touch, or act that is forced on you without your consent. (…) Such assaults include rape, child molestation, incest, and sexual harassment. Acts such as people touching, fondling, or kissing you without your permission are sexual assaults. (…)

I think a stolen kiss could be allowed in Episode if you make it very clear and obvious that the guy is “the bad guy” and not a love interest, and if the scene adds something important to the story or main character. You also said that your MC backed off in another scene, did she do something against her will? Were those scenes really necessary to the plot? Maybe that’s why your reviewer saw something triggering…? :thinking:

It’s just my opinion so, I suppose the best thing to do is just to write to your reviewer to understand their point of view! ^^

4 Likes
19

But that’s not what she quoted. She quoted 3b which is:
“No explicit sexual details of what is happening, has happened or will happen off-screen”
Which is clearly what is happening there.

As for backing off, there is an option of going ahead or not

20

Hmm, weird :confused: I think you should write back to them so you can explain your scenes, and ask for more details (if you haven’t already done that). It’s complicated to judge without knowing your story, we only make assumptions… Only the reviewer will have all the answers. Sorry for not being very helpful :sweat_smile:

3 Likes