Just The Facts, Fans
| Website | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Just The Facts, Fans |
| Owner/Maintainer: | J. Hindman |
| Dates: | 2002 |
| Type: | |
| Fandom: | Multiple Fandoms |
| URL: | archived version of the website |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Just The Facts, Fans was an attempt to set up a website and subscription newsletter to identify fans who had failed to pay for fannish merchandise such as fanzines. It was also intended to identify sellers who failed to deliver items after they had been purchased.
The website and service was created and promoted by J. Hindman, a long time zine editor, distributor, and publisher. The site itself was did not include Hindman's name.
In the era of print fanzines, the only way fans had to publicly air complaints and seek restitution was to write letters of comment and personal statements to adzines, letterzines, or newsletters. But by 2002, most fans were communicating via email and websites, as these newsletters and letterzines had fallen out of favor. It would be a few more years before media fandom felt comfortable selling fan produced material on commercial sites like eBay with their built in feedback and buyer/seller protections.
Promotion and Creation
J. Hindman promoted the idea in 2002 on various mailing lists such as Fanzine-L and Zinelist. The idea was to collect buyer and seller names from complaining parties and then sell a subscription to the list of names. All complaints had to be accompanied by a nominal fee of $1 to reduce frivolous accusations. A slogan floated as part of the initial concept read: "Trying to make fandom safe for the good folks."
Website Closure
As of the end of August 2002, their was only one submission. The site folded after a few months.
Some possible reasons for the closure:
- the fear of the unpredictability of other fans, and of the internet, despite the statement on the flyer: "While Just The Facts, Fans believes this service is important, it also recognizes that some measure of control is needed, and that lives can be affected adversely with unforeseen consequences."
- fans were reluctant to submit their complaints to an anonymous website
- the statement from the site that "Just The Facts, Fans is not responsible for the manner of use by anyone of any report."
- fans felt uncomfortable airing dirty fan laundry "in public" aka online
- fans felt uncomfortable with the possibility of personal vendettas, despite the statement on the flyer: "Vendettas are not welcome."
- fans felt uncomfortable with the statement "Just The Facts, Fans reminds anyone submitting alisting that they may be called upon In court to substantiate any claims of wrong-doing. You are responsible for your own words. Remember you are affecting someone's reputation and life."
- fewer fans were buying and selling fanzines to support the business model
- fans felt uncomfortable with the nominal submission fee
From the FAQ
Excerpts from the FAQ:
Facts: The accuracy of ail submissions, and the burden of proof of all claims, pro and con, are the sole responsibility of the person submitting the report. Just The Facts, Fans is not responsible for the manner of use by anyone of any report.
Mission Statement: The intent of this service is to assist fannish buyers and fannish dealers in making informed decisions in their transactions, and to provide a central contact point for persons trying to find others for the purpose of resolving unfinished transactions....
Fees: Fees pay expenses for the web site and its maintenance, printed copies of the listings, postage, etc. Additionally, it is hoped, a fee will encourage a ‘need to know' attitude, and discourage frivolous listings, either pro or con. If a listing is proven to be a bogus complaint, no fees will be refunded, and the listing will be pulled.
Privacy: While Just The Facts, Fans believes this service is important, it also recognizes that some measure of control and respect for privacy is needed, as this is an informal listing service, and not a court or jury. Lives can be affected adversely with unforeseen consequences by what may seem to be a very small incident. This concern dictates the polices of Just The Facts, Fans."
