It's been a crazy few weeks for the forum. Between server issues, recovering from a hacking incident involving our host, and general downtime headaches, things have definitely been stressful behind the scenes. Thankfully the forum pulled through all of it and is now stable again.
I also want to thank everyone for their patience during the outages and slowdowns. The support, bug reports, and understanding from members genuinely helped keep things moving while the problems were being sorted out.
Server Issues
Server issues should now be resolved. The forum was affected by both infrastructure problems and fallout from the hosting provider recovering from a hack. Most of the major issues should be fixed at this point, including email functionality and forum stability.
If you encounter any errors, please take a screen shot and either post it here or send me a PM. Screen shots help me identify what is happening and make it much easier for the host to troubleshoot the issue.
Rule Changes
Over this past weekend, the well known site motherless.com was temporarily taken offline. The owners later restored the site after beginning removal of illegal content.
I want to take this opportunity to help members understand why the rules on this forum are written the way they are. Clear rules and active moderation are not about restricting creativity. They exist to protect the site, the community, and everyone who contributes here from bad actors or people looking for reasons to target communities like ours.
Out of an abundance of caution, I have added the following rules. Overall these changes should not affect the forum much since we were already operating within these standards, but they add another layer of protection should anyone ever attempt to cause problems for the site.
Rule 1h
Rule 1iNo doxxing or sharing personal information.
Do not post, request, or share real-world personal information about any individual without their consent. This includes names, addresses, workplaces, or any identifying details.
Rule 2bviiFictional Content Disclaimer
All stories on this forum are works of fiction. Content may depict sensitive or controversial themes within a fictional narrative context. Such depictions are not intended to promote, endorse, or encourage real-world harm, discrimination, or illegal behavior. Real world depictions of such behavior are strictly forbidden.
Community ReminderStories may include fictional characters expressing discriminatory views as part of a narrative, but content that promotes or endorses real-world hatred or harm toward any group is not permitted.
Despite the chaos lately, the forum is still here and still growing. New stories are being posted, older classics are being rediscovered, and readers continue supporting authors through comments and ratings.
If you enjoy a story, please consider leaving a rating or comment. Even something simple lets authors know their work is being read and appreciated. A lot of writers spend hours creating content for the community, and feedback helps keep that creativity alive.
Here's hoping for a more stable month ahead. Thanks again to everyone for sticking around and helping keep the forum active.