Tribe.net. Local Connections $item.owner.firstName http://emptyeyes.tribe.net/thread/e0a8d60a-e6b5-42a3-a377-33b372f5e92c#61365268-4a79-4a89-970c-b046e520ce52 2005-12-11T10:08:08Z 2005-12-11T10:08:08Z

So tribe.net dealt itself a killing blow yesterday. Following their stated decision that there's some content they just don't want on what was their promising but underdeveloped Friendster/Craigslist/message- board fusion system, they've taken an extraordinarily broad view of 2257, the American law about depicting minors in actual sexual acts that compels content producers to hold extensive personal data on performers and models. Using a combination of company moderation and community informants, any image smelling of sex will be suppressed or removed from public site. Since Tribe's main users are Burners (from Burning Man) and omnisexual Bay Area polyfuckers, with a small but active enclave of sex workers in the middle somewhere, Tribe would appear to be cutting their own throats. Or polishing the place up for sale. Their policy statements are amorphous enough to have a chilling effect. Tribe users' front pages allow you to display entries from your favourite blogs, part of their last smart move, to make Tribe your homepage on the web. But if I call in content from Sexerati or AVN, I appear to be in contravention of their phrase "sexually active conduct". Even though I didn't make the entries, and don't live in the States, Tribe consider me a producer, and subject to their frankly quite barking take on 2257. Also, you now can't get a Tribe account unless you're over 18. Work that one out.

$item.owner.firstName 2005-12-11T10:08:08Z