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→Inclusion of Meta on the Archive: expanded to more fully encapsulate nature of allowed/disallowed works on the archive and the logic behind them
==Inclusion of Meta on the Archive==
==Inclusion of Meta on the Archive==
The Archive of Our Own TOS FAQ states<ref> [[https://archiveofourown.org/tos_faq#content_faq]]</ref>
{{Quotation|
You can post any '''noncommercial, non-ephemeral fanwork'''.
- What kinds of fanworks can I post?, Content }}
All three of these points must be true of a work to be allowed under the Terms of Service. Later on it also specifies that the fanwork should be "transformative".
The publication of [[meta]] essays on AO3 was not officially permitted until 2013, when the [[OTW Board of Directors]] announced that they had voted to allow meta on AO3 "after a long period of discussion".<ref name="ao3metadecision">[https://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/290 OTW Board Approves Meta Hosting on the AO3], Archive of Our Own. Published February 15, 2013 (Accessed January 4, 2021).</ref> Prior to this decision, meta and fannish non-fiction existed in a somewhat dubious grey area: it was occasionally posted to the site and did not appear to be explicitly forbidden by AO3's Terms of Service,<ref>As evidenced by [https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/315545.html?thread=3780505#t3780505 this discussion] on Livejournal, where [[la_mariane]] states, "Besides, I've seen meta at AO3 before and I'm pretty sure it's allowed by the TOS." and [[Hells' Half Acre]] agrees, "They have a tag for it! And I read their FAQ page and it didn't say anything about disallowing certain kinds of content...so, yeah, people are strange."</ref> but would often attract [[flames]], angry comments and reports.<ref>[https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/315545.html My first anon hate!] by Hell's Half Acre via Livejournal. Published June 22, 2012 (Accessed January 4, 2021).</ref> At one point, AO3 appeared to be taking a stance explicitly prohibiting meta, but the decision was almost as quickly reversed.<ref>Hell's Half Acre's post [https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/317145.html Meta on AO3: Get it while you can.] describes how AO3's team requested that they remove a piece of meta that had been reported by an upset fan. Hell's Half Acre later updated the post to say that "Five minutes after I deleted the meta, I got an email from AO3 apologizing for telling me to delete the meta and saying that I could keep it up until they make a final decision on the status of meta as a fanwork and whether it should be allowed on the site."</ref>
The publication of [[meta]] essays on AO3 was not officially permitted until 2013, when the [[OTW Board of Directors]] announced that they had voted to allow meta on AO3 "after a long period of discussion".<ref name="ao3metadecision">[https://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/290 OTW Board Approves Meta Hosting on the AO3], Archive of Our Own. Published February 15, 2013 (Accessed January 4, 2021).</ref> Prior to this decision, meta and fannish non-fiction existed in a somewhat dubious grey area: it was occasionally posted to the site and did not appear to be explicitly forbidden by AO3's Terms of Service,<ref>As evidenced by [https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/315545.html?thread=3780505#t3780505 this discussion] on Livejournal, where [[la_mariane]] states, "Besides, I've seen meta at AO3 before and I'm pretty sure it's allowed by the TOS." and [[Hells' Half Acre]] agrees, "They have a tag for it! And I read their FAQ page and it didn't say anything about disallowing certain kinds of content...so, yeah, people are strange."</ref> but would often attract [[flames]], angry comments and reports.<ref>[https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/315545.html My first anon hate!] by Hell's Half Acre via Livejournal. Published June 22, 2012 (Accessed January 4, 2021).</ref> At one point, AO3 appeared to be taking a stance explicitly prohibiting meta, but the decision was almost as quickly reversed.<ref>Hell's Half Acre's post [https://hells-half-acre.livejournal.com/317145.html Meta on AO3: Get it while you can.] describes how AO3's team requested that they remove a piece of meta that had been reported by an upset fan. Hell's Half Acre later updated the post to say that "Five minutes after I deleted the meta, I got an email from AO3 apologizing for telling me to delete the meta and saying that I could keep it up until they make a final decision on the status of meta as a fanwork and whether it should be allowed on the site."</ref>
The announcement emphasised that officially permitting meta hosting on AO3 was "just the first step in this journey", adding that the Board and relevant committees would now begin working together to "define exactly how meta will be handled" and "agree on some definitions and policies". The Board also invited feedback on the decision via comments on the news post.
The announcement emphasised that officially permitting meta hosting on AO3 was "just the first step in this journey", adding that the Board and relevant committees would now begin working together to "define exactly how meta will be handled" and "agree on some definitions and policies". The Board also invited feedback on the decision via comments on the news post.
Works which may be classified under the umbrella of "fannish nonfiction", including meta, are now allowed provided they fulfill the other stated requirements (noncommerical, nonephemeral, and fannish) of hosted works.
Fannish nonfiction can be discussions of fannish tropes, essays designed to entice other people into a fandom, commentary on fandoms, hypothetical casting for alternate versions of works, documentaries, podcasts about fandom, explanations of the creative process behind a fanwork or works, tutorials for creating fanworks, guides for fan-created gaming campaigns, or many other things.
'''Fannish vs Nonfannish'''
The Archive is dedicated to fanworks in particular, and is not intended to be a repository of all creative works. However, there are a number of varieties of works produced by fans that do not fit comfortably into a narrow definition of fanfiction, fanart, vids, or other types of fanworks. Original works that are not based on a specific media source (canon) may also count as fanworks so long as they are fannish in nature. As such the line between fannish and nonfannish is recognized to be ambiguous. With the addition of meta to the realm of accepted works on the archive the ambiguity is expanded.
{{Quotation|
In particular, original fiction that is part of an Open Doors project is allowed, as are types of original fiction and quasi-original fiction produced within a fandom context. Examples include such things as anthropomorfic, original fiction that is produced as part of a fandom challenge, exchange, or charity event, and genres such as Original Slash, Original BL, and Regency romances produced in Jane Austen fandom.}}
Disallowed nonfannish fiction includes:
* Episode transcripts and other non-transformative fandom material;
* Primarily autobiographical or non-fandom-related essays (e.g., essays on bike lanes, even if they contain a single reference to a fannish source);
* General complaints about behavior towards a particular creator (e.g., a post stating that a work was deleted due to lack of feedback);
* Suggestions that other fans contact the creator through email or other social networks;
* A single word or pairing name repeated hundreds of times;
* Offers and giveaways.
{{Quotation| Discussions of specific fandom-related events such as conventions or debates over particular incidents, may be more appropriate for [[Fanlore]] than for the Archive.}}
'''Ephemeral vs Non-ephemeral'''
Ephemeral content is generally meant to be read at a particular time and is not allowed on the Archive.
Content disallowed under this requirement include works that are:
* A single short sentence
* A single unedited image, short unedited sound clip, or short unedited video clip
* A .gif with or without a short caption
* Messages about a particular challenge
* A reaction meant to be read while or just after a particular episode airs.
* Message-board, social media or forum-like requests, such as
** Notifying of an upcoming work's release or upcoming challenge
** A request for recommendations for particular kinds of fanworks
** A list of recommended works on a particular topic
** Providing or requesting recommendations or help locating a work
** A description of a challenge for other creators
* Live-blogged episode reactions, which more appropriately belong on a journaling service
'''Allowed Content'''
With the addition of fannish nonfiction, such as meta, currently allowed types of works include:
* An audio performance of a fannish essay about vampire biology across sources, or the same essay in text form.
* Photographs of a knitted character.
* Short clips of footage from existing sources, edited over a song to make an argument or tell a story.
* A comic telling the romantic adventures of the protagonist of a video game.
* Photographs of a knitted character.
* An alternative version of a Jane Austen novel in which there's a zombie apocalypse.
* The supporting text for an original adventure for a tabletop roleplaying game.
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