The MCYT AO3 Tags & How To Fix Them
(I attempted to write this post in a more ND-friendly way, since itās long. Hopefully it helps? <3)
Hello, MCYTblr! Iāve been seeing many posts around recently about the MCYT tags on Archive of Our Own, and even though this is not a new problem and one that I and others have been trying to fix for years, I think itās time that we all work together to solve this issue.
But first, whatās wrong with the MCYT tags?
There are three major issues with the current tags, from what Iāve observed. In order of least to most important:
Hermitcraft as a fandom tag is currently Hermitcraft RPF. This is incorrect because most if not all of the works in this tag are not RPF (real person fiction) and instead deal with the Minecraft personas, a subtle difference that Ao3 currently does not recognize. It needs to become Hermitcraft (Web Series).
Dream SMP does not have a fandom tag, and those writing for it are forced to use some combination of Minecraft (Video Game) and Video Blogging RPF. This is similar to the first point in that people are writing about the characters, not the streamers (at least in most cases), and so neither of those tags are actually applicable. Itās messy and disorganized and Dream SMP needs to be separated. This tag should be Dream SMP (Web Series).
Character tags for both fandoms and others contain the real name of the creator in question, as close to their full name as possible. While this is completely logical in fictional fandoms and very useful for avoiding confusion there, for MCYT, these tags are uncomfortable and often more confusing for readers and writers alike. Many creators are not open with their real names, though their names might be out there, and they especially shouldnāt be used in conjunction with the fictional characters they play.
Now, how do we fix these problems?
Itās actually quite simple! Just navigate to Archive of Our Own, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click Technical Support and Feedback. This will open a feedback form that looks like this.
[Image ID: a screenshot of Archive of Our Ownās feedback form. There is a blue bar at the top that reads āour spam filter does collect IP addresses, but we never see them.ā The form asks for your name (optional), your email (required), the language (required), a brief summary (required), and your comment (required).]
But Sy, how do I fill out a good feedback form?
Iām glad you asked! First of all, make the summary short and to-the-point. For example, āDream SMP fandom tag neededā or āImportant issues with Video Blogging RPF character tagsā. Then, explain the problem clearly and concisely, in terms that someone who doesnāt know MCYT could understand. Finally, go back through and add links. Link anything that supports your claims. Wiki articles, news articles, Twitch clips, things that show that youāre telling the truth. For example, if I was explaining why the tags should be changed back to usernames, not real names, I could link a clip of Wilbur talking about his character on Dream SMP and all the behind-the-scenes writing as evidence for the streamers being separate from the characters we write about.
All we have to do is fill out enough of these forms, with enough evidence to support our requested changes, and then eventually, Ao3 will listen to us. Ao3 is a good site and itās nobodyās fault that these tags are currently like thisāthe tag wranglers probably just arenāt familiar with MCYT and are therefore working with what they have available to them.
If you have the time, please fill out a feedback form on one of these three issues (not all three in one, as we want Ao3 to understandāif you want to cover all three, just send in three comments). We want these problems fixed and this is how we do it. We work together.
Weāve done amazing things as a fandom before. Fanfiction is an incredible and valued part of our community. Please, letās fix this.
areudirty
ellievsbear
yousharknotpass
