On reposting without permission
This may come across as preachy, but I'm gonna say it anyway.
There's been a flurry of terrible behaviour from members of the fandom community when it comes to sharing creators' works. This applies to fics, art and other kinds of media. I've just had one of my stories reposted and it was a massive PITA to get the problem rectified.
We are at risk of losing members of our community.
There is a implicit honour system at work here and I think some of us need to acknowledge this. No one is making money from our fandom content. It is a reciprocal system. In exchange for their work, the reward creators receive is garnered through positive interactions, encouragement, feedback and friendship.
The interaction is the point.
When you take control over how the community interacts with someone else's creation, it hurts the creator. It feels like a betrayal. The implied agreement is broken.
Creators are allowed to express their wishes about how they want their work to be shared/used. This is not an impossible standard simply because "it's the Internet". Our standards are as achievable as our willingness to abide by them. Let us hold each other to a higher standard and level of accountability. Report when you notice a breach, speak up for creators, remind each other of the rules, because we can and will make mistakes. The important thing is how we address those mistakes.
It's really as simple as this:
1. PRIVILEGE - We enjoy what others create for us, for free.
2. RIGHTS - Creators tell us how they want their work to be shared/used.
3. RESPECT - We acknowledge the above.
4. RESPONSIBILITY - We don't ignore the above & we call out those who do.