Patreon Asked Me for Feedback on the Suspension
🕑 Added 2024-03-01 17:55:38 +0000 UTCDisclaimer:
I have tried to be as calm and as logical as a medicated me can be. Please let me know if you feel what I'm saying makes sense, or if I'm being sensitive.
My Feedback:
Respectfully, for my page to be suspended without warning, was very upsetting and unprofessional. I was left unable to update my patrons, the responses to my emails were slow - limited to one a day, and I was given very loose guidance as to how to edit my content to be in line with the guidelines.
The content that was flagged had been up for years. Why now has it been deemed unacceptable? I don't know whether a troll reported my page or AI flagged it up because of keys words, but context absolutely matters when it comes to content. Saying the word 'black' does not make you a racist, just as using the pet name 'mommy' does not make the content feature incest. I feel very frustrated. This kind of censorship hurts both creators and consumers alike.
I've loved my experience on Patreon up until this point. I felt protected, respected as a creator and like my content was valued. To have my page shut down without warning was upsetting. This is my job. One that I care about, one that I worry and stress over, one that I want to do well.
If any future problems arise, I would really appreciate a warning email, allowing me time to talk to my patrons and keep them in the loop. I've also lost out on a month's earnings because of the suspension. I'm very fortunate - my wage is ridiculous for what I do. I make up role-plays and sell short romance stories. But this could have happened to a creator who wasn't so fortunate. This could have had real consequences, not just me feeling uncertain for a week.
I'm saying this because I have a genuine concern for my future on Patreon. I want to stay here. I've built a history here and a community. Please read through my thoughts. I and (potentially) other creators would really appreciate it.
Comments
The Keys
Solid
CurrentlyEatingPies
"And so what if the content IS Incestuous?" I can already Twitter going ballistic.
scott flanagan
Same! Seriously, if they are going to call out one person be consistent across the board, otherwise it just comes off as targeted. And so what if the content IS Incestuous? its all fiction, unless they can prove real world acts are taking place they shouldnt have the right to censor someone's content. This isnt YouTube where everyone has access to the content on the platform, its Patreon, we as customers pay for this service and content, we know what we are getting into when we subscribe.
Goldbrand
I read enough honesty and emotion that you sound human and not a heartless money grabber, but still being professional. Nice balance, I'd say.
Buck Toddrustle
I couldn’t have put it better myself, Tea. And as for YOU Patreon, as Tea said, a little professionalism would be nice in the future.
Makai-Knight_Soren
No warning AND no proper explanations on what you did “wrong”. 🤦♂️ (P.S. welcome back Tea) 🥳
Joseph Brown
You're a better person than me Tea. I applaud your professionalism.
CurrentlyEatingPies
Seems to respectful to me. I know a creator that makes legit incest porn.
Brant Burrows
Much more reasonable and measured than i would have been
PDH
A well articulated thoughtful response to their stupidity Tea. I'll be sending them feedback too about this ruling against you
Cooper Little
Smoked em
VoiceEnjoyer
Sounds perfect
Jeremy Knight
I'd also add what's up with the clear double standard. There are audio creators who do role plays of Milfs, Stepsisters, Stepmoms, Twins, Teachers to violent role plays of monsters, Yanderes and other characters subjecting the listener to torture, stabbing, snuff, kidnapping, blackmail, psychological abuse, physical abuse, cutting their lims off and fighting. I'm not saying they should get their pages taken down but you're so soft in comparison.
Greenstrike
Patreon, you had one job, to not do a youtube
Dusk
You may have to consider censoring your naughty words going forward, too. “JowBlob”, “FittyTucking”, “SepStister”… “F.I.L.M”…lol
Nam Bui
First off, thank goodness you got your page back. We were all worried and that’s reflected very well in your feedback to Patreon. I can empathise with how you feel when reading your feedback. The only thing I suggest to edit in your response might be to leave out “my wage is ridiculous for what I do” after the phrase “I’m very fortunate…” in the fourth paragraph.
James
I'd say you're spot on - If they have a problem with some or another piece of content, they should let you know, and give you a chance to amend it BEFORE they go around upending the whole thing, be it a new piece of content or an old one. This is, in my opinion, especially true with the older content, as the older content plainly had been acceptable previously - Retroactive censorship is absurd, be it for Mark Twain and "Huckleberry Finn" or you and your audios. In a comment on what I believe is a since-deleted post, I described you as the "Mistress of Wholesome Degeneracy" - in terms of what has been your particular niche, I stand by my description, on the basis of your production accomplishments. Beyond even that, though, you are, as we see in ALL of your posts, a remarkable and creative person; I am gratified by your return, and I look forward to seeing what else your creativity produces.
Koytei
Hey Tea, Sorry for the late chime in, and feel free to ignore this if you already submitted the feedback. But! As someone who needs to write emails professionally for a living, I would like to offer some critiques. The following is based on the assumption that the reader of your feedback is not going to know or not care about these points: Paragraph 2: Replace the part with “troll” with a phrase like “...my page was disingenuously reported on or an AI…” Paragraph 2: Remove the sentence where you express your frustration, your first paragraph expresses this wonderfully and corpos tend to hate repeat phrases Last Paragraph: I would replace the “please read through my thoughts” with something like “Thank you for your consideration”. I am sorry if I am too forward with these critiques, love you Tea! - Imikid
Latefordinner
I think this is a good response. I’m sorry you had to deal with this, this must have been incredible stressful and frustrating. You didn’t deserve it.
Swearzy
Another person I follow has moved to subscribestar . adult that might be another route
MG
The whole thing feels a bit targeted to me. Given their inconsistency with enforcement. I understand that's a fine line to toe, given the chance they crack down on other creators because of it and that's some bad vibes. I know other people on here who make content that includes the same apparently "forbidden" themes. Add to that, they seem happy enough to take our money but deny us access to the thing we pay for? Consideration of other platforms at this point?
Warden D.
Very well said Tea! This kind of thing is absolutely outrageous! The fact that you couldn't even use the community messages to tell patrons what was happening and instead had to hope that they followed your Twitter is insane. And I'm so tired of this corporate censorship. It's not fair to the creators or the consumers. 💜💜💜
Jake F
You’re handling far more gracefully than I would, Tea. The part about the flagged content being up for a while really sticks out to me. I follow a few other audio artists on YouTube and Patreon who put up erotic audios with similar subject matter or just use those kinds of pet names. And none of them have had their videos taken down or pages suspended. I don’t know why you seem to be the only one who has to deal with this shit.
Rasmus
Very well put!😊❤️
scott flanagan
Honestly this kind of backwards censorship is what a lot of big media sharing websites have a problem with, and i can think of half a dozen or more Patreon creators who create adult games that do feature incest themes, and their accounts are perfectly fine. This is honestly a problem Patreon shouldnt have though, its not like the content is out there and available to everyone at anytime like it is on a platform like YouTube, we as the consumers have to subscribe for a good deal of content, and if we are subscribing we clearly know what we are getting ourselves in to. Who is this kind of content harming? Who is finding this content without actively searching for it? Censorship like this is ridiculous and frankly abusive.
WolfLord11
I feel like this completely makes sense and I don’t think what you asked for should be basic professional courtesy. How they expect anyone to follow their rules if they don’t have their rules laid out is beyond me. Same, with sending an email before suspending your account. Completely reasonable ask
Lost Puppy
clean and concise
Joshua Jackson
I've said it before when YouTube retroactively enforces guidelines and I'll say it again: RETROACTIVELY FLAGGING CONTENT IS A STUPID PRACTICE BECAUSE IT CAN NOT BE PREDICTED! I understand that it can be seen as a liability to the company but I think maybe communicating to creators about potential changes before they happen would be helpful.
Brian Corrigan
Hey Tea, I really do not like how content creators are treated when it comes to walking the community guidelines tightrope. For some the guidelines are loose and easy to navigate but for others they are strict and stifling. I subscribe to several creators on this platform who have some of the very content you were suspended for and they have been untouched. It sounds like someone reported you for some kind of content violation. It sucks but hopefully it was just a one time thing. As for you not getting paid out for the whole month, is that a timing thing or something like a penalty? Also I am certain that you can set up a payment site for those of us who are willing to support you and your work regardless of Patreon's participation. Even if it is only for the one month.
Tangent King
Honestly? I feel your response was spot-on. Anytime I myself get an email or text asking for feedback for a service that I honestly DID NOT like or agree with, I almost never respond because I get a feeling that I'll get too annoyed writing a reply, say something that I can't take back, get hostile or straight up just call someone a useless [INSERT DIRTY WORD HERE]. Soooo, yeah, your reply has a level of restraint that I wish I had. 😅 X
AbyssmalSoup307
You worded that maturely and professionally. They ought to update you.
That_dutch_guy
You explained it very good
SavvyCat
Like everyone else, I don’t think you’re being oversensitive. Everything’s well-reasoned. A potential edit I would think about is removing some of the comments about your personal financial impact from the disruption. I think it marginalizes that impact a little bit. I think cutting out the aside would work, making it something like: “I’ve also lost out on a month’s earnings because of the suspension. I’m in a fortunate financial position, but this could have happened to a creator who is not as fortunate. This could have had real consequences, not just me feeling uncertain for a week.” I just feel like you might be selling yourself short unnecessarily. We love and appreciate you, Tea ❤️
Blindluck92
Context absolutely matters! I don't know if they will really take it to heart, but they need to hear it for sure.
Zack
Very professionally written 👍
Robert Johnson
I have to agree here, how does using the word 'black' make one racist? It's just a description of one's melanin in their skin. On top of that, if it was a person, that was very immature and if was an AI, using keywords is really stupid.
Monkee Boy
There's nothing irrational about your reaction and feelings about this. No warning, constrained time frame, and new guidelines for content that was previously left alone. Getting wound up by that is totally understandable.
David Murphy
Very well said!
Human soon to be Stinking Helldiver
Also your words are more thought out than what I'm thinking
ned-418
I'd say your 100% in the right here. What they did paints a bad image, could scare off creators not wanting to risk it.
Human soon to be Stinking Helldiver
Perhaps it's time to start our own website?
Phoenix Brave Hideki
This makes complete sense Tea. You were definitely blindsided by patreon since they gave you no warning. And the whole "black" and "mommy" being used as reasons to suspend your page is utter bunk and you have the right to be upset. As you said your lucky to have this a job and make a lot through it but it will be worse if it was a smaller creator or community. So patreon has to to a better job not only for you but to everyone in the platform.
TheLegend28
This is more than reasonable. The decision made no sense at all, so telling them that is absolutely fair.
Michael Garrett
Remember: Patreon is a company, not a person. Their first priority is profit. The second is shielding themselves from liability. This means that their best practice is to suspend first, appeal later, so that they can say that they took immediate corrective action. The fact that “mommy” content, even with the “step” added, is suspended shows that they are automating the process in order to meet the demand to review too much content. They would be legally safer banning pseudo-incest than accidentally allowing actual abusive content to remain.
RZS dran B
Everything that you said here seems alright to me.
Jmann1892
Eloquently put Tea. Sorry you had to go through this and even lose out on what you've rightfully earned. Sadly we all have our masters and you are another unfortunate victim of Patreon bowing to theirs.
Snow Cold
That’s super fair. I just saw this at work, and was like….wtf? Looks very put together in my opinion
Christopher
I think it looks very calm and professional in your response.
Finnish The Finnish
Seems well through out to me, calm but getting the concern across.
freshcutgrass
tell me Tea! let that kettle go off!
Tony
100% you are within your right to speak this way
CatGod
You aren't being sensitive its wild just a sudden deletion without warning it makes sense its just will they listen?
Michael Garrett
What you are saying makes sense. You are not being oversensitive.
June
🖤