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Fandom Etiquette
| Synonyms: | Rules of Fandom |
| See also: | The Three Laws of Fandom |
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Fandom etiquette is a often discussed concept and term that refers to unwritten social expectations, rules or guidelines that are upheld within fandom communities. Some fans refer to an overarching fandom etiquette which they feel should apply to fandom as a whole. There are also discussions and concepts of fandom etiquette for fandom activities like commenting on fanfiction or fanart, tagging, or on specific websites for fandom like Tumblr. Some fandoms also have their own in-fandom etiquette.
Over time, concepts of fandom etiquette have changed or developed, and there have also been growing conflicts over expectations of fandom etiquette, particularly as fandom spaces have become increasingly more widely known or as aspects of fandom have breached containment. As fanworks are purged from other sites or sites close, fans moving to new platforms might lead to tension with fans already on those platforms due to differing opinions on fandom etiquette. For example, authors and readers moving from Wattpad to Archive of Our Own, and fanfiction becoming increasingly discussed on platforms like TikTok and Twitter have both led to discussions and arguments around fandom etiquette.
Examples of Fandom Etiquette
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fandom General
Fandom Specific
Platform Specific
Discussions
Criticisms and Controversies
Some fans feel that elements of fandom etiquette are used to shout down or prevent discussions which are necessary for fandom spaces to be more inclusive, including those around bigotry within fandom or poor behaviour by some fans.
Meta and Further Reading
Timeline of Fandom Etiquette Meta