Questions re Photos for Scooby and Members

[Guest fountainhall]

As has been illustrated by the various photo threads which have appeared in recent months, there is clear demand for pics of cute/handsome Asian guys wearing skimpy swimming trunks or just with bare backs (sorry abang, I know you want western guys!!). Threads have included (along with their viewer hits as of this morning) –

Some Model Photoshots – 937
Snapshots for Beachlovers – 695
Best Kiss Contest – 2,813
Taipei Gay Parade 2012 – 2,487
Taipei Gay Parade 2011 – 2,573

It’s not difficult to find the others – because they tend to be among the most viewed of all the threads.

Several points/suggestions I’d like to raise.

1. It seems a pity that these threads/photos disappear after a few weeks or so when they get relegated back a few pages. Would it be of interest to readers for them eventually to be put into a master photo thread – or mini forum so they are all in one place?

2. It seems there are no rules regarding how explicit a posted photo can be. The only relevant part of the Posting Guidelines I can see is –
 

 

No links to pornographic websites are allowed. Posting these links will result in immediate removal of the post and disillusion of the membership of the poster.

I was one of several members who requested that the links to porn websites which once used to be carried at the foot of the Message Board page were removed. I was grateful that was done. So, in raising this point, I am not in any way suggesting that any section of this site should host “pornographic” images. However, that raises the question: what is pornographic?

Currently, photos showing a small amount of pubic hair and perhaps a hint of the upper part of a penis have been acceptable. Photographs of swimsuits with a clearly defined penis and totally nude backs have been acceptable. Photographs of two guys naked above the hips that are clearly suggestive but far from pornographic– as no detail is shown – have also been accepted.

Taking up the point made by another poster, is there room within the rules to extend the boundaries a little – and I stress “a little” – by permitting the posting of, shall we say, more artistic photos of the nude male? That would mean, in my book, no photos including an erection, nor of any suggestion of male sexual activity.

For example, such photos could be of full body shots that include the penis in a flaccid state, or a more close-up view of a naked back. I realise there is perhaps a fine line between artistic and pornographic. But by insisting on virtually full body shots, I think this can be quite easily defined.

 

3. Clearly no-one wants this to become a site that is flooded with such photos. But I think the past posting history is a good guide as to what many like to read/see. Not many of these photos would appear. (After all, not every poster will wish to see them). Further, I do not think it would become a thread/forum like the one some time ago about the ladyboys in Obsessions Club in Pattaya which, whilst enjoyed by some, annoyed others quite intensely because of the sheer volume of photos. Besides, I think most of us agreed this evolved more into egregious advertising for a commercial establishment. But that’s history now.

4. There is more than one way to upload a photo on this Board. To prevent casual visitors seeing any such photos, might I suggest that there be a rule that they only be uploaded using the formal “Attach Files” section after clicking “More Reply Options”. In that way, photos can be seen only by registered members.

5. The matter of copyright was once raised re the use of photographs taken in a public place without the permission of the person so photographed. There was a lengthy thread about this and I see no point going over it again. When I take pics of guys at the Taipei Gay Parade who look and wave at me - and there are dozens of others, including many from the media, taking photos alongside me, I am not going to stop to ask permission. It’s a public Parade and photos of it appear all around the world.

Of web photos, many are freely available on various websites with no copyright attribution. Some of these websites died years ago. To ensure there is no copyright problem, though, I’d suggest that the master thread or photo threads in general include at the end some form of disclaimer frequently found elsewhere, viz –

“No attribution or copyright could be found re the photos in this thread. If anyone advises us that he or a company owns the copyright of any photo, please inform us. We will then place the appropriate credit against the photo or withdraw it at your request. Thank you.”

6. I am sure not all will agree with the above, perhaps including the Board owner. But maybe a discussion will clear up what members would like to see – or not see.

 

To give a rough example of what I mean, here is a site of photos taken by a Japanese photographer. Tohyoh died 7 years ago but the photos remain in copyright and so I will not post any. The link for his thumbnail pics, however, is

 

http://www.tohyoh.com/index1.html

 

Click on Gallery and then on each of the pics. This will reveal a number of small thumbnails with slight masking to prevent illegal use. Some of these photos, if not in copyright, would fall inside the guidelines I suggest. Others definitely would not.

[Guest abang1961]

Yes, I would like to see more Western guys.

No, I did not skip over those Asian boys.

 

Nudity is a 2-edged sword - one of beauty and the other offensive.

Surely there are many beautiful photos of handsome Thai guys around.

For me, as long as they are artistic, I won't bother whether the guys are erected or not?

What is more important to me is that the guys in the photos did it willingly.

 

As for copyright, I don't have a problem with that.. youtube is public domain and I only post naughty pictures of myself

(quite shamelessly too).

[Guest thaiworthy]

4. There is more than one way to upload a photo on this Board. To prevent casual visitors seeing any such photos, might I suggest that there be a rule that they only be uploaded using the formal “Attach Files” section after clicking “More Reply Options”. In that way, photos can be seen only by registered members.

 

I don't like this idea. I never use the "Attach Files" function. I lose too much control that way. I prefer to link them from a photo hosting site. If I want the photo to stop appearing anywhere and everywhere, I can simply edit the post long after by deleting the photo from the external site, just as is done now with YouTube videos. If it came to pass that I could no longer link the photos, I would simply stop posting them.

[Guest fountainhall]

Tw has a valid point. On the other hand, this is a private site. Its Policies make another thing clear  - 

 

 

Gay Thailand membership is restricted to Adults Only

 

Now there are blog sites like bangkokbois.com which are open to absolutely anyone, which seem to use a vast quantity of unattributed photos (many of them on that site very beautiful and most conforming to the standard I have suggested above), and equally seem to have no problem. As to how they should be posted, I am quite open on the issue. I believe it would be up to the Board owner to decide.

[Guest]

I prefer a virtual free for all on nudity, although if some limitations are required, how about:

1 Male only

2 18~35 years old

3 <80kg

 

Also, if there are any sponsors or authorities who may be offended by nudity, let's just start up a photo thread with access restricted to those who have made over 20 legitimate posts.

[Guest thaiworthy]

I prefer a virtual free for all on nudity, although if some limitations are required, how about:

1 Male only

2 18~35 years old

3 <80kg

 

Also, if there are any sponsors or authorities who may be offended by nudity, let's just start up a photo thread with access restricted to those who have made over 20 legitimate posts.

 

i do really like your limitation requirements 1-3, but the issue of linked or attached photos is still an issue for me. I don't know how any "20-legit" criteria could have an effect on that.

[Guest anonone]

I almost think it is good to carry on as before.  Some occasional threads sharing some photos that we find alluring can be fun...and it also provides some insight into the preferences of the members. 

 

I think a huge uptick in posting pictures on the forum will get boring quickly.  Its not like there is a shortage of these types of pictures on the internet....so someone really looking for them will not take much effort.

 

I am not strongly opposed to it, but more than the occasional thread would probably not attract my attention.

[Guest]

I don't know how any "20-legit" criteria could have an effect on that.

If naughty photos were put in a restricted access forum, any Thai censors, or site sponsors would not be able to get access until they have met the entry requirements. They are unlikely to go to the trouble of doing that.   What they cannot see would not be a problem.

[Guest thaiworthy]

What they cannot see would not be a problem.

 

I've never heard of a case where it was a problem. 

[Guest]

I think it's a real or perceived problem with Thai censorship and/or advertisers that is responsible for the no nudity rule.

Perhaps Michael or Scooby might like to enlighten us.

The Boy Toy website which I thought is under under the same ownership seems to permit nudity. 

[TotallyOz]

Perhaps Michael or Scooby might like to enlighten us.

The Boy Toy website which I thought is under under the same ownership seems to permit nudity.

Different sites, different owners. I own boytoy. I no longer own this site.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Different sites, different owners. I own boytoy. I no longer own this site.

 

Does Scooby ever read these posts? I rarely see him make an appearance unless it's a serious bug in the software.

[Guest]

Different sites, different owners. I own boytoy. I no longer own this site.

Sorry, my confusion.

Now I believe nudity is permitted on Boytoy, but has never been officially permitted here, even when this site was under your ownership.

So what would be the reason for the historic difference in policy?

[TotallyOz]

Does Scooby ever read these posts? I rarely see him make an appearance unless it's a serious bug in the software.

 

I don't know.

 

Sorry, my confusion. Now I believe nudity is permitted on Boytoy, but has never been officially permitted here, even when this site was under your ownership.

So what would be the reason for the historic difference in policy?

I don't know the answer other than we didn't want any trouble with Thai censors.

[Guest]

Right, so the earlier suggestion of a restricted access part of the forum would circumvent that issue.

Thai censors would be unlikely to take the trouble to write (say) 20 posts in English to receive an invitation to the restricted access forum. Some fairly swift google research shows at least one "straight" forum operates a similar policy.

 

Now would there be any demand for that? Possibly some. The Male models thread is slightly restricted as we have to find photos of people with clothes on.

Such a forum might just convert a few lurkers into active members.

Would there be sufficient demand though? I'm not sure.

[baobao]

 

Such a forum might just convert a few lurkers into active members.

Would there be sufficient demand though? I'm not sure.

 

While I freely admit I'm a both a rice- and bean-queen, my take on this is that there are already plenty of sites that feature such photos. If members begin sharing risque or erotic images from who knows where there's too much risk of publishing photos of folks who would not care to have their images shared in places other than where they may have posted them themselves, IMHO. iPhone photos are a good example. Granted, once something's on the web it's almost impossible to control, but I think most would agree there are boundaries of common decency.

 

Yes, I post photos of people taken at the beach and other spots and don't have a signed model release from them, but I don't run a site that features porn - nor is it promoted as a "gay" site. I'm gay, but it isn't a large percentage of my posts that deal directly with the subject.

 

Either way, sometimes I look, sometimes I don't. If I (or anyone else) doesn't want to see them the thread can be skipped over.  LOTS of other things to read here.