I've Been Posted to Artists Beware, Now What?
We understand that being posted to the community can be stressful and scary. Before responding to a post take a minute to gather yourself and read over this document.
Will Artists Beware remove a post about me?
If you resolve a situation, then your post is here to stay with a resolved tag. Resolved tags are prominently displayed on the article itself, and in the preview of the article.
Users do not have the ability to delete their own posts nor edit them. Pressuring or otherwise harassing an individual to delete a post about you will not get a post deleted.
Staff determines if/when a post is deleted. Not submitters. Pressuring submitters to contact us to delete a post will not result in a post deletion
What if the person who has submitted has lied in their post? Will you delete it then?
Yes, if the user has fabricated, omitted, or done anything to invalidate the crux of their beware, please contact one (1) administrator via the Help Tickets form or via DM with proof. We will review the information submitted to us, and it will be reviewed like any other item in our queue. We may ask follow up questions or ask for more proof.
Example: A client has submitted a beware and cut their caps to make it look like the artist hasn't delivered art or a refund. The artist provides proof the art was delivered before the beware was made.
What this does not mean: Disputes about details within an otherwise valid beware are not grounds for removal.
Example: An artist has submitted on a client who has issued a chargeback without warning. The artist didn't mention that prior to the chargeback the client had an unrelated personal fight with the artist's partner. The client feels the beware should be deleted because they feel the fight made them justified in filing the chargeback.
I have proof a post is invalid, but I don't want the information public. I'm afraid to submit it because of this.
Any information you send to staff is confidential unless you tell us you're ok with it being public.
However, if there is a blatant attempt to lie to staff in order to have a post deleted we will release the attempt to the public. Posts that are deleted from the main site can be recalled at any time by an administrator.
An administrator has agreed my post is valid for deletion. What now?
You may choose one of two options:
The post remains online with a “tag reversal” and a clear, prominent mod note about what has transpired. This means that instead of the post's tags covering your names, it will then switch to the person who has submitted on you.
The post is deleted and scrubbed. A site wide announcement and social media announcement concerning the deletion will be posted so that users will know that you are in the clear.
I have it in my Terms of Service that I don't get refunds even if I haven't finished. Can I have the post deleted?
No. "No refunds ever" clauses are considered unethical, and Artists Beware does not honor them. If you have not finished the client's work prior to them asking for a refund, then they are due a refund for work not done.
Do you honor non-refundable deposits?
Non-refundable deposits are honored if it was made very clear to the client that they would not be receiving these funds back. Because non-refundable deposits cover a variety of costs, we do not require any amount of the deposit be refunded. While we understand that some fursuit or costume builders may opt to send purchased materials to the client, we do not require it.
The submitter is harassing me offsite. Can I get the post deleted?
We held a community poll on the subject. So long as the crux of the submitter's post is valid, poor behavior on their part does not invalidate their beware. However, you are welcome to report on any behavior with proof in the comments. Having a valid beware does not excuse harassment.
I was a minor when a beware was posted about me, but I'm not anymore. Will you delete it then?
If you were under the age of 18 when the transaction started, please fill out a Help Ticket or contact one (1) Administrator. As of 2021 we have a no minors policy.
My post doesn't qualify for deletion, but I still want to share my side of the story. Can I do that?
Absolutely! We are delighted to hear from you. Provided that you're civil and follow our Rules of Commenting (especially rules 2 and 5), you are welcome to participate however much you like. Messages sent to staff that are rebuttals to bewares will be redirected to comment.
What if my friends want to come in and defend me? / Can people say they had a good experience with me?
We will not prevent posts that are civil and do not violate any rules from passing moderation. However, just bear in mind that individuals who come with the sole purpose of whiteknighting for their favorite artists do more to harm the artist's reputation than good.
In addition, we will not approve comments that are simply “I had a good experience with this artist” and will instead route them to the positive reviews forum. A good experience with one person doesn't invalidate someone else's negative experience. We have a subforum just for positive reviews, and we would be delighted if your clients shared their good experiences there.
If someone said they were going to make a post about me, can I contact staff to give my side first?
Any attempts to interfere with the queue will be ignored. The queue is handled without outside influence.
Someone said they were submitting on me. Can you tell me if their post is in queue?
The queue and its contents are confidential. We will not state what is or isn't in our queue.
Help! I've tried contacting a Submitter to resolve the issue, but they won't respond. / Help! I've resolved the issue, but the Submitter won't notify Artists Beware staff!
Contact one (1) Administrator or fill out a Help Ticket form, and we will get your tags updated.
I'm going to sue you for defamation/ slander/ libel to get you to remove a post about me!
Artists Beware is a host for content provided by third parties. We do not edit posts beyond small clerical changes, and only vet posts to ensure they meet our guidelines. We make good faith efforts to remove posts that are proven to be fabricated. In short, Artists Beware is protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Other things to keep in mind.
Slow resolution is better than no resolution: If you can't resolve your beware immediately, work out a plan of resolution and stick to it. If you have to refund in $10 increments, then it's better than none at all.
Encouraging your friends or followers to brigade a post: All comments are moderated. Encouraging people to spam a post with vitriol towards the OP will never actually reach the OP. Your friends' and followers' accounts will be banned, and their emails will be reported as spam. A public note will be made that you've encouraged this behavior. Please handle your post with grace. There's never an excuse to harass someone.
Our mods will help mediate: If communication has broken down so much between you and your client, we are happy to step in as mediators. Both parties have to be willing to compromise.