Updates

This is a announcement update of troubles hiatus for the General category.

As the holiday season is coming up and many fanlisting owners and staffers will be away on vacation, we have decided to hold another troubles hiatus. It will last from December 17, 2006 through January 7, 2007. The hiatus will apply to the troubles and overdue positions only – this means that from the 17th of December until the 7th of January, no fanlistings will be placed on our troubles lists, which includes both the regular troubles process and overdue fanlistings.

We hope that this troubles-only hiatus will make the lives of both fanlisting owners and staffers less stressful during this period. The troubles and overdue processes will return to normal after the 7th of January; as a result, troubles staffers may have fanlisting checks done during the first week of January in preparation for this.

This is a announcement update of security issues for the General category.

We are issuing a general announcement/warning to our visitors about a former staff and community member. Over the past few months, TFL has been dealing with several serious network security issues. A month ago, a member of the Senior Staff discovered that a staff member had broken into a Senior Staff board account, e-mail account, and AOL Instant Messenger account and was masquerading as this Senior Staffer for over four months.

During this time, this staff member had unauthorized access to sensitive network information including server/Cpanel and MySQL passwords. No damage was done to the Network, but we are sure you can see the severity of this situation. This breach left us feeling vulnerable and suspicious which is something that no one should feel in a tightly knit community such as ours.

We removed the person responsible from staff and re-secured the network, however this person tried to circumvent our actions by creating new board accounts and online identities in order to gain access our trust and regain a position on staff.

Further investigation revealed some rather upsetting facts: The person responsible for these security breaches and continued attempts to gain access to our network was an alias for a former staff member who left TFL amidst a very bad situation a year earlier.

With this new information, we gave this person a final warning: Any future attempts to gain access to the Network would result in the Senior Staff banning her.

On Wednesday November 22nd, we discovered newly created board accounts (and new aliases) from this ex-staff member and something even more concerning — the former staffer had approached other board members to ask them to apply for staff and then allow her to staff ‘for them’ (using the board members’ identities for herself).

This was in direct violation to our final warning and as such we have banned this former staffer from the board and from applying for future fanlistings at the network.

The former staffer is Kim H of http://www.evendim.org/. She also was on staff as Ella of http://www.peloria.net and has attempted to start identities as Adie, Adele, and Aella. We have evidence linking all of these identities to the one person, and Kim H/Ella herself has admitted that all of these identities are hers, and all were used in attempts to gain access to the TFL Staff.

As a general rule, we do not air our “dirty laundry” for all to see. We don’t like publicly humiliating people, and often there is no need for the general public to know of problems the Network has with security, fanlisting owners, or our staffers. In this case we feel we have been left with little option but to make this known to the public as Kim H has approached members of our community and asked them to aid her in her attempts to gain access.

We would like all visitors to know that under no circumstance should they ever share their passwords, account details or identities with another member of the community, nor should they apply to join the TFL staff on behalf of anyone else. It is a matter of your own security and network security that you turn down any such offers.

We understand that this is a severe punishment and some of you may feel suprised regarding this decision. We encourage anyone who has an issue with this decision to contact the senior staff either through the contact form or through our email – seniorstaff@thefanlistings.org. Please know that we would not have taken such a drastic measure without proof or unless we felt it were absolutely necessary.

TFL is a large network with over 40,000 currently listed fanlistings and thousands of daily visitors, many of whom play an active role in our community via the message board. Security breaches such as this affect not just the senior staff and general staff, but everyone. It is the job of the senior staff to ensure that the network is secure and remains that way, however every visitor does share some responsibility for their own accounts and passwords.

Please do not share your passwords, please make sure that they are secure (use varying numbers, symbols and varying caps) and hard to guess. Change them regularly. And please, if you are approached by anyone asking for your password information, or for unusual favors regarding the network, please contact the senior staff immediately.

The security of our network is paramount.

This is a general update of TFL 101 and FAQ for the General category.

TFL has recently been reviewing how application decisions are made, and we have clarified many sections of the TFL 101 and Site FAQ so owners are aware of the major, minor, and unimportant factors that staffers review when making application decisions.

Please be aware that these sections are only a guide. They are not a checklist. While we hope our clarifications help owners understand more about the application process, choosing fanlisting owners still remains inherently subjective. TFL gets many applications for subjects – many more than we used to when the Network initially began. Please do not assume that just because you have “met” certain criteria that you should be automatically approved for a subject; please also do not assume that you will have a “better” or “worse” chance than someone else. Because each applicant pool is different, each approval decision is different, and some factors will be more important than others at different times, depending on the fanlisting subject.

This is a announcement update of forms change for the General category.

Recently we have edited the Update Information, Closed, Report, and Awards forms to require that URLs be included exactly as listed on TFL when submitted. We have done this to help combat the large amount of spam we receive via the forms. This means that when submitting your Update, Closed, Report, or Award forms, you must give the fanlisting’s URL as it is currently listed in the database. If you are uncertain as to how the fanlisting is currently listed, please check the Approved pages for the fanlisting URLs. The forms do take into account URL trailing slashes, inclusion or exclusion of www, and exclusion of http://, so you should not receive errors in those situations.

We have also updated the Finished forms to require a valid e-mail address. If you receive an error when submitting a Finished form, please make sure that you were approved for a fanlisting using that e-mail address. Please check the Your FLs link for a list of fanlistings approved under your email address. (Obviously, the URL check does not apply to Finished forms!)

We hope this is not too much of a problem – the spam was getting ridiculous! :)

This is a announcement update of the donation drive for the General category.

Hi everyone,

It’s that time of year again – TFL’s donation drive! TFL’s server costs us $160 a month, and while we are in decent shape right now, our reserves are dwindling and we need your help to keep the Network running.

Recently we’ve added some extra ways to raise money for the Network. You will notice that we have added GoogleAds to the footers of the message board. Click those if anything interesting catches your eye. We have also added some Text Ads to the main page. If you are interested in advertising with us you can head over there and search for “fanlisting”. With Christmas looming, you could ask your parents to get you something from the TFL Cafepress store ;).

We have also made some additions to the many ways you can support the Network!

Donator’s Package:
Right now, if you donate you get your name listed over at the site and also have the ability to PM at the board. In addition, you get a shiny button! Over the Christmas/New Year period we have decided to add some extras – a zip file with things like brushes, textures, and other things useful for your sites that the TFL staff has created exclusively for our donators. This package will be given in addition to the normal donation perks to anyone who donates $20 USD or more.

Banner Rotation
In addition to the business advertising on the site, we have added a spot just below the right menu for owners of fanlistings and fansites or other related websites (so, no Viagra!) to be promoted. For small donation ($5) to the Network you can have a 100×50 button displayed for a month in the rotation. For more information on this, please see the rotation page.

If you’d like to donate, please see here. If you’d like to donate via cash/cheque/money order, please e-mail Brittany directly at brittany@thefanlistings.org, and she can work something out with you :)

We really appreciate your support! Thank you! :)

This is a announcement update of new categories and category changes for the Academia, Arts and Design, Calendar Events, Computer Miscellany and Internet, General, Hobbies and Recreation, Miscellaneous, Objects, People Miscellany, Places, Politics and Organisations, TV/Movie/Book Miscellany category.

For the past few weeks, we have been discussing some changes to the Miscellaneous category. Our reason for this is that the category is meant to be a last-resort place for fanlistings that are unable to be placed elsewhere, but the category had over 500 fanlistings! We decided either 1) to move subjects to other, more suitable categories or 2) to create new categories based on fanlistings currently found in Miscellaneous. We hope these changes will make TFL easier to navigate.

Below are a list of the changes that have been made to TFL:

Category Changes:

Politics has been re-named to “Politics and Organisations”:

* Organisations fanlistings were moved from Miscellaneous
* the Flags subcategory was moved from Miscellaneous into the new Flags subcategory

Arts has been re-named to “Arts and Design”

* Shapes and Design was moved here from Miscellaneous into the new Shapes/Designs subcategory

Computers/Internet/Appliances has been renamed “Computer Miscellany and Internet”

* Tools/Appliances was moved from this category to Objects
* Some fanlistings from Computers/Operating Systems subcategory were moved to Objects
* Computers/Operating Systems was renamed to Operating Systems, and non-OS fanlistings were moved to appropriate subcategories

Category Creations:

We have created an “Objects” category
This category will contain objects – obviously! Fanlistings found here include:

* the Objects subcategory from Miscellaneous
* Incense fanlistings from Miscellaneous
* the Stationary and Crafts subcategory from Miscellaneous
* the Tools/Appliances subcategory from the former Computers/Internet/Appliances category
* some fanlistings from the Computers/Operating Systems subcategory from the former Computers/Internet/Appliances category

We have created a “Hobbies and Recreation” category
This category will be for hobbies and activities. Recreation rides will also be found here. Fanlistings found here are:

* Amusement and Leisure fanlistings from Miscellaneous
* Hobbies from Miscellaneous

We have created a “Calendar Events” category
This category is only for calendar holidays and events. Natural events (summer, midnight, etc.) will still be located in Nature. Fanlistings found here are:

* Holidays and Calendar Events from Miscellaneous

We have created an “Academia” category
This category will be for education and learning. Universities and schools have been moved from Places. Academics and scientists may be applied for here. Subcategories found here are:

* School/University Related from Miscellaneous
* Science and Mathmatics from Miscellaneous
* Schools and Universities from Places

Sub-Category/Fanlisting Moves:

- Most “Astrology and New Age” fanlistings are now located in the Mythology/Religion category within the “Astrology and New Age” subcategory. Some “Astrology and New Age” fanlistings (such as Lucid Dreaming and Intuition) were moved to Concepts/Ideas or Uncategorised within the Miscellaneous category.
- Typography has been moved to the Arts (now Arts/Design) category
- DVD Extras and DVD Commentaries are now found in TV/Movie/Book Miscellany

This is a announcement update of category changes for the General, Miscellaneous category.

Just a reminder about the two polls regarding the Concepts/Ideas and Colours sub-categories. Please go have your say on where you think these sub-categories should be located :)

This is a announcement update of possible errors for the General category.

We are doing a few upgrades around the board and main site. You may see a few errors, or be unable to access certain parts of TFL for the next few hours. We are working on making this as smooth as possible. But please bear with us if there are any errors :) Things should be back to normal in an hour or two. *hugs*

This is a announcement update of category changes for the General, Miscellaneous category.

In a few weeks, TFL will be making some changes to the Miscellaneous category to make both the Network and the Miscellaneous category easier to navigate. Currently the Miscellaneous category contains many subjects that would be better placed in other categories or in their own categories. These changes will be announced soon.

However, we need some input on two categories and where you, as our visitors, would look for them. These are the “Concepts/Ideas” and “Colours” subcategories.

Please help us by telling us where you would look for these subjects – we have two polls over at The TFL.org Board and would appreciate your input :)

This is a general update of announcements for the Albums, General, Literature category.

We’ve created a new subcategory called “Audio Dramas” within the Albums category. All anime/manga audio drama CDs and cassette tapes should be applied for here in the Albums category, rather than at The Anime Fanlistings Network.

Also, all novels and non-manga books based on anime and manga series should be applied for at TFL in the Literature category.

Although novels and drama CDs are based on anime/manga, they are not directly related to them, much the same way that fanlistings for Live Action dramas and Live Action movies based on anime/manga series belong at TFL in the TV Series and Movies categories, or that fanlistings for video games based on anime/manga series are in Games at TFL.

This is a announcement update of approval mix-up for the Albums, General category.

This is an announcement that the fanlisting for Christina Aguilera’s new album Back to Basics is open for applications. When sorting the Albums backlog I accidently forwarded on applications to the staffers helping me clear the backlog. I am very sorry to anyone who thought they’d missed out.

If you want to apply for the fanlisting, please feel free to do so. Again, I am sorry for the mix up! :(

This is a general update of announcements for the General category.

Hi all,
It’s time for a TFL Volunteer Staffer Drive :) If you are interested in becoming part of TFL’s category staff team, then please fill out the staff volunteer form located at http://www.thefanlistings.org/vol_catstaff.php

Currently, we need volunteers who are willing to staff the Troubles position. Although Applications and F/U/C sound more glamerous, we definitely do need Troubles staffers. For larger categories, Troubles involves more time than the other two positions since it requires keeping in touch with Trouble Checkers, replying to fanlisting owners, and double-checking fanlistings. However, without Troubles staffers, fanlistings would never go on troubles and would never be removed from the network. Troubles staffers are very important to the functioning of TFL, but we always seem to be in short supply of them. You can read about what the troubles staffer is required to do on the job descriptions page.

Also, we need volunteers who are willing to staff “less popular” categories like Songs: Male Solo, Songs: Various, Songs: Bands/Groups. You can list as many categories as you’d like in your form. If you are open to taking any category, please say “any category” in your form. Please keep in mind that we already have plenty of applicants for popular categories like Movies, Actors, Actresses, Characters, TV Shows, etc. Although you can of course list them as categories you’re interested in, please remember that it’s very unlikely you’ll be asked to take on those categories as an Applications or F/U/C staffer.

If you have sent in an application before, we still have your application on file. If you need to update your old application, please e-mail me at jackie@thefanlistings.org, and I will send you a copy of what we have in the database so you can make changes (including adding categories etc).

So, if you’re interested in joining the category staff, please consider filling out the volunteer form at http://www.thefanlistings.org/vol_catstaff.php Feel free to list as many categories or positions as you are interested in staffing but the positions above are what we are after ;)

This is a announcement update of category backlogs for the Albums, General, Musicians: Male, People Miscellany category.

We are aware that there are backlogs in the Albums; Musicians: Male and People Miscellany categories. These are being worked on currently by several staffers and we expect complete updates in the next few days. Please be patient and do not re-send forms until the updates are complete. Thanks for your patience. :)

This is a announcement update of troubles rules for the General category.

For some time now, we have been wanting to clarify some of the rules at TFL. Below we will outline the changes that will be taking place. Most are not new rules, merely clarification on our current rules.

If you have any questions about anything you read below, please ask them here or get in touch with the senior staff :)

The major change from your perspective is that we will be introducing “reminders” for minor problems such as links opening in frames; problems with one (of several) TFL link-back; or a relatively minor problem with the countries list. This means that a staffer will send you an e-mail informing you of the problem, and you will have a month to fix it without being troubled. If, after a month, the staffer finds the problem is unresolved during the next troubles check, the fanlisting will then be troubled. We feel this is a much fairer system and will save otherwise looked-after fanlistings from being troubled for minor problems.

Second, we are banning redirection URLs like cjb.net and .tk because they are either inaccessible to all visitors, or they pose security risks to visitors. This is NOT a troubles offense. Instead, we ask that you submit an Update Information form ASAP so that we can link to your actual URL. If staffers find sites using these redirect URLs, they will contact owners to update the URL. Finished forms or Update forms with redirect URLs will be returned to the submitter for the actual URLs.

In addition to the above, we are creating three new specific troubles e-mails. These are so that you will receive e-mails which more specifically state the problem, rather than a more generic e-mail. Again, these are not new offenses; they have just been clarified for both your and the staffers’ convenience. The more specific troubles offenses are:

Unfair rules – code words on the join form: “We found that your fanlisting requires “code words” or “secret words” in the rules page or on the join form before potential members can be added to the fanlisting. As the rules of our network state, you must accept ALL fans, so long as they include a name, valid country, and valid e-mail address. You can NOT require any additional information from them. You may refuse to link their websites for whatever reason, and you may edit member nicknames, but you cannot require “code words” or “secret words” from potential members before adding them to the fanlisting. All fans must be listed. Note: Passwords that members create themselves for the purpose of later updating their listed information are acceptable. Fanlisting scripts like Enthusiast 2 may require passwords in order to verify that the listed member genuinely wants to update his/her information.”

Unfair Rules: Hidden Join Form: “We found that your fanlisting has a “hidden” join form, meaning that potential members can only join the fanlisting after finding a “secret” link hidden within your rules or on the site somewhere. As the rules of our network state, you must accept ALL fans so long as they include a name, valid country, and valid e-mail address. Using a hidden join form is effectively the same thing as requiring a “secret word” or “code word” before allowing potential members to join the fanlisting. You may refuse to link members’ websites for whatever reason and you may edit their nicknames, but you cannot require them to hunt for the join form link first.”

Inactivity on fanlisting: Pending members not added: “We found that your fanlisting has members who have been pending approval or updates for over two months. We require that all fanlistings be updated at least once every two months. This means that all potential members who have submitted join forms within the past two months be added to the fanlisting, and all current members who have requested updates to their information within the past two months be updated. For your fanlisting to be removed from the troubles list, *all* pending members must be added to the fanlisting, and all update forms must be processed.”

Finally, we have added some more detail to our rules page. This is so that what we expect of owners is more explicit, and also so there is more detail to answer commonly asked questions:

1. You must have HTML and graphics experience.
* Provide an existing URL that displays your ability with both of these aspects when you apply.
* E-groups (e.g., MSN, Yahoo, etc.), journal sites (e.g., LiveJournal, Myspace, DeadJournal, etc.), message boards, and anything with pre-made templates are not viable proof.
* If you are using a free site that has HTML generators (e.g., Geocities, Tripod, etc.), the category staffer may decline your application if the site shows little actual HTML or graphics knowledge. Although we do not prohibit the use of HTML generators, we do expect owners to demonstrate some experience beyond that which many basic generators are capable of.

2. You must provide a link back to TFL.org.
* You may use a text link or banner.
* This must be in a visible place (i.e. splash page or index page).
* If your site uses frames, please make sure that the TFL link opens in a new window.

3. You must create the fanlisting in four weeks.
* If you cannot complete the fanlisting in this time frame, contact the staffer as soon as possible to ask for an extension. Be sure to include why you need it and how long you may need.
* If you decide you no longer wish to make your fanlisting, you must submit a Closed form for it. You cannot adopt out an unfinished fanlisting to a new owner.

6. The only required fields on your fanlisting should be a name and a country. You can also require a working email address.
* You may ask for additional information (e.g., ‘favourite book’), but these fields must be optional.
* You may not reject any members, unless they fail to provide a name, a country, or – if required – a valid email address, or a password so the member can edit their own information. Failing to provide any additional information may not be used as a basis for rejecting a member.
* You may refuse to list a URL if you find it offensive, but you must list the member’s name and country.
* You must list actual countries (e.g., not states, provinces, cities, or continents; fictional places like Middle Earth; vague descriptions like “Earth” or “here;” or purely political or charitable organizations like NATO or the UN). Please note that the United Kingdom [em]is[/em] an actual country, but you may require members to specify which country within the UK they are from.

This is a reminder update of fanlisting wording for the General category.

Recently, TFL has been receiving an increasing number of complaints from celebrity lawyers and/or recording companies regarding fanlistings owners’ use of the word “official” on their websites. Because of this, we want to remind you all that using phrases like “official fanlisting” or “approved fanlisting” can create problems, as this makes you (to people unfamiliar with the fanlisting world) look like you have the endorsement of the celebrity, band, etc. Usually the people that contact us are friendly, but this may not always be the case.

TFL strongly recommends that on your fanlisting you are very clear with your wording, and instead of “official,” use something like, “This is the TFL.org listed fanlisting…” or “This is the TFL.org approved fanlisting…” We discourage using terms like “official” or “approved” unless you have the permission or approval of the actual subject him/her/itself. Also, disclaimers and explanations of what fanlistings are can be helpful.

We don’t want to sound like we are coming down on owners for using terms like “official fanlisting” or “the approved fanlisting.” However, we feel that caution is best so that these can be fun like they are supposed to be! :)

If you are confused, want advice, or have any questions, feel free to drop the senior staff an e-mail. We are happy to help out.

This is a update of general announcements for the General, Literature category.

Because the Books category covers more than just books – for example, it also includes short stories and poetry – we have renamed the category to “Literature.” We hope that this new name will be less confusing for visitors looking for or applying for stories, poetry, and other written works. (Please note that plays are still listed under Stage/Theatre.)

This is a announcement update of available listing for the Anime/Manga, General, People Miscellany category.

The fanlisting for Japanese Voice Actors/Actresses (Seiyuu) is open for applications. If you wish to apply for this fanlisting, please apply in the People Miscellany category under the sub-category “Occupations”.

This fanlisting was previously listed at TAFL but was closed there, and both TFL and TAFL feel it is better listed at TFL.

This is a announcement update of site addition for the General category.

As an addition to the TFL 101, we have created a sample fanlisting. This aims to provide new fanlisting owners with something to look at when building their fanlisting. It is meant to be a guide for those who aren’t sure of what fanlistings are supposed to contain or require. Although fanlistings are not required to look exactly like this, the sample fanlisting covers all the necessary parts of a fanlisting, including those required by TFL’s rules, with links to helpful resources. We hope that this will help fanlisting owners, especially those new to the Network.

If you have any suggestions, please send them into the senior staff.

This is a announcement update of new policy for the General category.

Staffers have always been expected to treat visitors politely. Visitors, for their part, are expected to treat the staff politely in return. However, although visitors can contact the senior staff with concerns about staffers, including inappropriate staffer behavior, until now, there hasn’t been any formal policy regarding visitor conduct towards staffers. As such, we have implemented the following guidelines:

If a visitor is harassing or abusive towards a staffer, the senior staff will be notified. “Harassing” or “abusive” mean something beyond snippiness or annoyed, even rude, tones. Generally, this means insults, foul language, or deliberate, stubborn refusals to listen to staffer requests. It can also mean repeated negative e-mails to staffers, either over a specific matter or over a longer period of time.

The senior staff will then determine whether the visitor has gone beyond mere rudeness. If this is the case, then the senior staff will formally warn the visitor about the incident and inform her that her behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the future. She will be told that if she has future problems with a staffer to contact the senior staff directly. Finally, the e-mail will also include what will occur to her if another incident occurs. However, if anything about the situation is unclear, we will contact the visitor and staffer(s) first and inquire about the situation before sending any warnings.

If a second incident happens, the senior staff will temporarily ban the visitor from applying for new fanlistings. The ban’s length will depend on how severe the two incidents were, when they occurred, and other relevant factors. The visitor will be informed of the length of the ban. She will also be warned that if she attempts to circumvent the ban (such as by applying under aliases), the fanlistings approved during the ban will be removed from the network. Furthermore, attempts to circumvent the ban may result in the ban being extended, or, if the circumstances are severe enough, the person’s current fanlistings may be removed from the network.

Any further incidents of abuse or harassment towards staffers will result in permanent bans and/or removal of current fanlistings from the network.

Although this policy may seem harsh, we don’t anticipate it being used often. It will be applied only in extreme circumstances. The majority of TFL visitors are polite, and even those who are not always polite rarely rise to the level of “abuse” or “harassing.” One warning will likely be sufficient to correct any visitor behavior. Once visitors have already been warned of the consequences, there isn’t any excuse for further harassment/abuse. We believe that though staffers are expected to deal with visitors maturely and politely, there are limits to what staffers must tolerate – even when the customer is always right, there is a point when managers step in and firmly tell abusive customers to leave the store.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please feel free to get in touch with the senior staff either on the board or via the contact form on the main site.

This is a announcement update of a rule change and reminders for the General, TV Shows category.

TV Shows Rule Change:
- Any applications received for a new TV series will not be processed until at least a week after the third episode (Pilot + 2 Episodes) has aired.
The purpose of this rule is to give the community a chance to watch a few episodes and apply at their leisure. By all means, you are welcome to send in an application for new TV shows immediately after the Pilot episode has aired. However, it is recommended that you wait to apply until you’ve seen at least a couple of episodes – especially since the Pilot episode is often different from the second episode (because of casting/plot changes and so forth). Note: This new rule applies only to new TV series’ – not seasons. All the existing rules regarding seasons still apply. Please check the category rules page for further information.

If you have any questions about this new rule, feel free to send me a contact form or an email at tvshows[@]thefanlistings.org and I’ll reply straight away. :)

Reminders:
- Before applying, please check here to see if the show/season you want to apply for is already listed in the network.
- Please do not apply for shows that have not yet aired.
- If you’re applying for a show aired in a “foreign” language [Korean drama, etc.] and if that show has an English title, please include it in your application as Subject: Give It All (Ganbatte Ikimasshoi), for example.