UPDATES FROM $realitysquared : PORNOGRAPHY & EROTICA

It hasn’t been that long since I’ve discussed this subject and it’s disappointing to see so many people are still ignorant that certain themes and subject matters are not allowed here.

I need to once again address is the fact that deviantART policy does not allow you to submit pornographic material in any form. This includes everything from photography through drawings, paintings and literature.

It is painfully obvious that there are quite a few people who are still ignorant of this prohibition and there are a greater number of people who have convinced themselves that somehow by doing or saying certain things they can somehow make their submission acceptable.

FAQ #565: You prohibit the submission of 'pornographic material'; what do you consider this to be? contains our explanation of what we consider to be pornography. While it describes things in terms of visual imagery these prohibited themes apply equally to written submissions.

We take this situation very seriously when we say it is strictly prohibited. Please assist us in keeping our galleries clean and free of this material by reporting anything which you discover while browsing.

Currently if you are caught submitting material which is considered to be pornographic you are running the risk of being suspended for a minimum of two weeks or having your account banned indefinitely. The punishment will be tailored to match the level of obscenity present in the submission. You will not be warned and you will not get a chance to “fix it”, your submission will be immediately removed and any ban or suspension which is deemed necessary will be applied simultaneously. We take this subject very seriously and the suspensions are intended to drive home the point of exactly how seriously we take it.

I need to point out that while we do offer a Mature Content tag, this tag does not allow you to submit pornography. If you do not understand why we offer such a tag then please consult our FAQ where it is explained.

Also be aware that simply because you happen to be able to find “worse” imagery or writings posted you cannot use this to somehow justify your own pornographic submission.

Be aware that posting “Disclaimers” or “18+” warnings will make no difference.

Finally, efforts to “censor” pornographic themes through the use of blots, bars, positioning, or cropping will be largely be dismissed by the staff during the review of the submission. Do not assume that such measures somehow make your submission acceptable.

The prohibition against the submission of obscene and pornographic content is written in as many places as possible so all users are expected to be aware of the restriction and will be treated as if they do.

UPDATES FROM $damphyr : STOCK RESOURCES

Stock images can be a very useful resource for artists, from reference for drawings to ready-to-use material for manipulations. However, not all photographs are free for use, and a lack of understanding this has resulted in the need to remove a large amount of submissions from many galleries. This week we will discuss what is and is not legitimate stock and other important things to know when using third-party material in your deivantART submissions.

FAQ #217: What are "Stock Photos" and can I use "Stock Photos" in my submissions? is a very important read for any artist submitting manipulations or using stock images in any way. Sources such as Photobucket and Google are not valid stock sources and the images found there cannot be used unless written permission from the original artist can be provided.

Any submissions which credit Photobucket or Google or any other search engine as stock sources without proof of permission or further proof that the submission is indeed a valid stock source will be removed as soon as it comes to the attention of the staff.

Treat all images as copyrighted and unusable unless specifically stated otherwise.

It is the responsibility of the artist to ensure that they are using legitimate stock sources and that they have followed any additional terms set by the stock photographer. Most stock providers require a credit and link back to the stock image used, for example but these extra terms of use can vary greatly. A legitimate stock photo can and will be removed if you have not obeyed the stock providers individual terms of use.

Providing a vague credit to a website can also result in removal of a submission. It is important to link to the specific page where the stock photo is found. As an example, a credit which reads "Stock found on deviantART.com" is not sufficient and the submission runs a very high risk of being removed. Rather than linking to the home page, the submitter should link to the specific URL of the page where the stock image was found. This way the reviewing staff has the ability to confirm that it is a legitimate stock resource.

Also please be aware that including a credit line does not replace the need for actual permission for use where non-stock images are concerned. If an image is not submitted as a stock photo, it cannot be used without proof of permission for editing and/or redistribution from the original artist. FAQ #193: How do I prove that I had permission to use someone's work? will provide further information on the permission required for the use of non-stock images.