New guildines summarized

I saw that at most 1000 of the people who viewed episode’s newest post on the forum didn’t see the new guidelines, so here I am trying to help stop the spread of misinformation

Not allowed periodt:

  • promotes or depicts excessive violence or assault, including but not limited to sexual assault, murder, and torture against humans or animals;
  • includes hate speech or content that promotes hatred or discrimination against individuals or groups, on the basis of race, ethnic or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, gender, age, or sexual orientation;
  • promotes suicide, self-harm, abuse, or bullying;
  • promotes excessive alcohol, tobacco or drug use;
  • promotes gambling, betting or casinos;
  • portrays adult themes, including pornographic content, nudity, or prostitution;
  • slanders or libels a person or third party;
  • includes excessive use of profanity or sexually explicit phrases;
  • advertises for outside products or services, including but not limited to website links, reviews, and promotional language;
  • excessively promotes the use of firearms, explosives, and ammunition; or
  • excessively promotes a political agenda.

Copyright:

  1. Any copyrights or works of authorship of other parties, including excerpts or passages taken from literary works, video games, television or film;
  2. References to corporate or business names; or
  3. Any references to real persons or places
    .
    Story covers:
    No implication that characters are having, have had, or are about to have sex. This includes (but is not limited to) any actual or implied nudity, a bed scene with more than one person, depiction of one or more characters who are sexually touching themselves or one another, images that depict sex work or a sexual act in exchange for compensation
    No sexual props or items being used in a sexual context
    No nudity, even with censors
    No guns
    No drug or alcohol use of any kind
    No profanity of any kind
    No depiction of bullying
    No language that relates to racism or racial profiling or stereotypes
    Children under the age of 16 cannot be the focus, including any context of overlays and backgrounds (e.g. a closeup of a child on a swing)
    No use of the Episode logo

Curse words:
No derogatory-based words or discriminatory language
No use of profane language without bleeps or using an * (you can look to ratings from organizations such as the MPAA or TV Parental Guidelines to help understand what may be considered excessive for similar audiences)
No use of sexually explicit profanity
No profanity of any kind in story titles

Sexual content:
No depiction of sex (or anything suggesting that sex is occurring at that moment) in any form, including but not limited to, nudity in a sexual context, gyrating bodies, oral sex, or moaning/groaning.
No explicit sexual details of what is happening, has happened or will happen off-screen
No nudity without censor bars or scenery to censor
No reference to orgies, sexual fetishes, and specific sexual positions
No descriptions or depictions of non-consensual sex. Through content or through choice selection, the reader must be able to give consent to having sex or performing sexual acts (i.e. reader must always have the option to turn it down without punishment or judgment)
No graphic/explicit/detailed description or depiction of active, ongoing sexual abuse involving a character who is under 18 years of age.
No graphic/explicit/detailed description or depiction of illegal relationships such as incest

Drugs and alcohol:
No description or depiction of active, ongoing drug, alcohol or tobacco use by characters who are under the age of 16
No graphic/explicit/detailed descriptions or glorification of the use or effects of drugs, alcohol or tobacco
No glorification of an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
No characters may use hard drugs or associated paraphernalia, including but not limited to: cocaine, heroin or other injectables, non-prescription pills e.g. LSD, prescription brand or non-brand medication outside of prescribed use e.g. Xanax, unidentified powders or pills

Assault:
No graphic / explicit / detailed descriptions of rape / assault / murder / torture / violence / gore / etc. This includes (but is not limited to): heavy or excessive use of blood or weapons or scars, use of dead bodies or body parts
No depiction of torture or parental abuse on screen
Gambling:
No illegal gambling or betting. This includes but is not limited to cock fighting, underground fighting or illegal sports betting

Suicide:
No graphic / explicit / detailed descriptions of suicide / self-harm / etc.
No depiction of suicide / self harm that is depicted as feeling good, being a relief, or a means of escape
No depiction of blood, wounds, gore or bodies resulting from suicide

Hate speech:
No hate speech in any form on the basis of (but not limited to) race, ethnic or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, or gender expression
No glorification of any persons, real or fictional, who promote hate
No promotion or honoring of hate symbols

Advertising:
Authors may not advertise or promote non-Episode services or platforms on the app
No excessive promotion of a political agenda

Real people and places:
Brands
Brands cannot be a plot point or drive the story
Story cards, backgrounds or overlays cannot contain brand references
Real People and Places
No images or illustrated likenesses of celebrities or historical or contemporary public figures are allowed as characters or on backgrounds, overlays or story cards
Celebrities and historical or contemporary public figures cannot appear as characters
Celebrities, historical or contemporary public figures, and real places cannot be a plot point or drive the story.

That’s all! I have noticed some changes but there’s not as many as people make it out to be. I think some people are reading what other people are saying and making an opinion without reading the guidelines. I’m glad episode is banning rape, because it hasn’t been about spreading awareness for a lot of authors, but for a sad backstory or plot twist.

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A post was merged into an existing topic: The Episode Guidelines as I Understand Them