Blackout Friday

[switch842]

The one-day content strike is on for this Friday, March 21, from midnight GMT to midnight GMT.

For 24 hours, we will not post or comment to LJ. Not in our own journals, not in communities. Not publicly, privately, or under friends-lock.

This is a protest that will have long-lasting effects, showing up forever in the daily posting statistics.

This is a protest that will not harm LJ in the long run, as leaving LJ might do.

This is a protest that will demonstrate the power of community, as all users unite to support Basic users and the concept of adfree space.

This is a protest that will educate the new owners that LJ is driven by user-created content.


How Can I Help?

DO post about this in your own LJ.
DO post and comment about it in appropriate communities.
DO remember that it's based on Greenwich Mean Time, which may not be your local time.
DO turn off LoudTwitter and your RSS feeds for 24 hours.
DO feel free to friend beckyzoole for updates, and defriend when the strike is over.

DON'T forget to get permission from community mods before making an off-topic post or comment about the strike.
DON'T be spammy with your posts or comments about the strike.
DON'T forget to turn your LoudTwitter and RSS feeds back on when the strike is over.


Why is there a Content Strike on Friday March 21, from midnight to midnight GMT

We are holding the Content Strike because we want to demonstrate that LiveJournal is content-driven.

We are holding the Content Strike because we want the new owners of LiveJournal to better understand the power and resolve of the LJ Community of Users.

We are holding the Content Strike because all of us, Paid, Permanent and Plus users as well as Basic, want to demonstrate our solidarity as a Community of Users. We do not consider Basic users to be freeloaders, we consider them to be valuable content-providers and Friends.

We are holding the Content Strike because we ache to do something to show our displeasure, and commenting on the news post -- even with cat macros -- just isn't powerful enough!

beckyzoole will be emailing and snail-mailing SUP that the strike has four terms:

1. Restore basic accounts for new account creation.


2. Inform users before any change to the site that affects how we use the site or demands on our resources.


3. Run change proposals by the Advisory Board and take their advice into account before implementation of any change.


4. Homophobia, misogyny, and racism must not be a part of the decision making processes about appropriate content of the site, including what user interests are deemed appropriate.


NOTE: I'm aware that there may be good business decisions for eliminating Basic accounts. If Basic accounts are to be eliminated, though, that action should be taken only after approval of the Advisory Board and consultation with the LJ Community of Users.

Credit and thanks due to lavendertook for the wording of the terms, with which I am in full agreement.



The 24-hour strike will begin at the following times for the following locations:

Thursday, March 20, 2:00 PM -- Honolulu
Thursday, March 20, 4:00 PM -- Anchorage
Thursday, March 20, 5:00 PM -- San Francisco
Thursday, March 20, 6:00 PM -- Mexico City
Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM -- Chicago
Thursday, March 20, 8:00 PM -- Montreal
Thursday, March 20, 9:00 PM -- Buenos Aires
Midnight -- London
Friday, March 21, 1:00 AM -- Paris
Friday, March 21, 2:00 AM -- Istanbul
Friday, March 21, 3:00 AM -- Moscow
Friday, March 21, 4:00 AM -- Dubai
Friday, March 21, 5:00 AM -- Islamabad
Friday, March 21, 6:00 AM -- Bangladesh
Friday, March 21, 7:00 AM -- Bangkok
Friday, March 21, 8:00 AM -- Singapore
Friday, March 21, 9:00 AM -- Tokyo
Friday, March 21, 10:00 AM -- Brisbane
Friday, March 21, 11:00 AM -- Sydney
Friday, March 21, 12 Noon -- Suva

Comments

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I've been reading about this, and haven't decided how I feel about it, yet, but I'm mostly confused by the time zone thing. Am I missing which one is the east coast one? *g*

[switch842.livejournal.com]

I think East Coast is with Buenos Aires. I believe the time zone thing is so that it really is world wide all at the same time. It's not like, staggered or anything.

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I got the worldwide thing, but I just didn't see a city that I knew was in my time zone. *g* I have no problem with them including all the cities there, but I wish they'd also included New York or something, so I could think, "Ah, that's my time." hehe

I thought we were five hours behind the UK, though, not three? I'm so confused!

[switch842.livejournal.com]

*shrug* I'm not sure what time zone it is then....

[kittykat2305.livejournal.com]

did I miss something important? oh crap am I going to be forced to renew my membership when it runs out cuz if so I guess that would be the end of my lj career. and I do so love it here..

[switch842.livejournal.com]

The first thing they did is remove the basic account from being an option when people create new journals. So, you have to have a paid account or ads all over the place. And then they removed "bisexual" as a valid search term. WTF is that about? I don't know. I think there's a few other things. I'll see if I can find the other post about it....