I'm thinking of further limiting access to parts of Breeding Zone

[rawTOP]

I get a lot of requests for people to cancel their memberships saying the site "isn't for them". I suspect a lot of it is because of the rather strident bug chasing, gift giving and chem sex on the site which is hard for regular members to avoid if they're not into it. So, what I'm thinking is that the basic membership to the site won't give access to those areas of the site. You'll have to make a separate request to get access to those areas.

These are the areas I'm considering restrictions on:

Gay Bug Chasing & Gift Giving would be grouped together in one request...

• HIV Fetish (and all of it's subforums)
  
• Bug Chasing & Gift Giving Fiction
  

Chem Sex stuff would be grouped together in one request...

• Everything listed above in Gay Bug Chasing & Gift Giving
  
• Sex With Enhancements
  
• Chem Sex Fiction
  
• All Groups (they've become a free-for-all area and unfortunately I don't have much flexibility in limiting access).
  

And lastly all the other backroom type sections would be grouped together in one request...

• Straight & Bi Bug Chasing & Gift Giving
  
• CD & Tranny Bug Chasing & Gift Giving
  

Notice that all groups are going to get restricted. This can't really be helped. The forum section of the site is much more manageable than the group section which means a lot of the vanilla stuff in the groups will move into the forum section of the site.

Now, all of this is going to create a moderation/admin nightmare, so I'm thinking I may apply a "moderation fee" of $5-10 every time you want your settings changed. You'll pay via a check or a Paypal-like service (this site isn't "family friendly" enough for Paypal) and we'll take care of it for you.

One upside is that the discussion in the restricted areas will be by people really into that particular thing. There will be fewer "tourists". So there will be somewhat more privacy - though anyone who pays the moderation fee can still see what you're saying...

So what are your thoughts on all of this? Do you like the idea? Don't like it?

[TopPigRaper]

I think the hole purpose of this page is for people that want bugs and gift and stealth, so many other sites for all other. this siteis the only one for this

[genericuser]

I think it is a great idea, especially in light of the recent increase in HIV related arrests and prosecutions in many States in the US. Heck there is a non-HIV related trial in NYC where a guy is getting prosecuted for deviant online sexual fantasy site chats and legal file trading activity that his wife came across on his laptop and it freaked her out so she went to the police. Scary world when you can be arrested for your fantasy chats/thoughts which didn't include specific plans to commit illegal acts but merely unspecific fantasy chat. I mention this because fantasy writing about sex goes back centuries and I'd hate to see the wonderful fantasy writing shared on this site be impeded.

RawTop you do a great job of looking out for all of us and squashing any trolls or shenanigans; if there is anything I can do to help lessen your burden with the coming moderation/admin nightmare, please let me know.

Thanks again RawTop.

[rawTOP]

I think the hole purpose of this page is for people that want bugs and gift and stealth, so many other sites for all other. this siteis the only one for this

But I want the site to serve a broader audience (while still serving it's existing core users). I've always wanted the site to have a broad audience, which is why all the bug chasing and chem sex stuff is separated in it's own section. But the problem is the average user sees all that stuff whether they want to or not which turns off a lot of guys.

And I'd challenge you on the "so many other sites" - name another bareback discussion forum that has active participation. Even Paul Morris' forum is pretty much dead. And as far as bareback hookup sites - BBRT is about the only decent one and it needs some competition. That's really my motivation in all this - I want to broaden the appeal of this site so as I add new features it can compete with BBRT. Back in the day I helped BBRT get off the ground and got people to move from Bareback.com to BBRT. Now I'd like Breeding Zone to morph into a site where it can directly compete with BBRT - but distinguish itself by being more community oriented and having more of a "hardcore" edge.

The last thing I want is for this site to only be about bug chasing and chem sex. That, to me, would be completely unacceptable.

[pozguy]

On the other hand, you could enable people to delete their details

[raw_n_toxic]

You pretty much summed it up by saying " but distinguish itself by being more community oriented and having more of a "hardcore" edge." This is your baby and aiming to a vast of people not everything will please them if they don't like it what you offer there are other sites or even mediums out there.. Even on some other bare sites there is someone that will complain about something. I for one thank you rawTOP for the time and energy for doing this.

[rawTOP]

On the other hand, you could enable people to delete their details

I have no clue how this is related to the changes I'm talking about.

I'm somewhat limited by the capabilities of the forum software (vBulletin). It's great, but it's got limitations and I have to work around them. Messing with the basics of vBulletin is messy and expensive. I'd rather add on than change.

[rawTOP]

One other thing I should mention is that I'm not completely living by the poll results. The discussion is far more important to me. The problem with the poll is that the people who would most like the changes have been driven away from the site by seeing things they didn't like. So of course "don't like" will rule the day. The people that are here like the status quo.

Now that I've thought about that, I'm going to change the poll so I can differentiate between simply don't like and don't like so much that they'll leave and now come back...

[straycowboy]

I enjoy reading certain parts, and find the other parts enlightening, or educational. Would there be a way to perhaps mail a payment? I don't make payments via credit card, or over the internet if I can at all avoid it. I know, its silly, I'm just not comfortable with it, especially in my current situation.

[RawPozLust]

I appreciate this site and all the work that you've put into it a lot. I've contributed to a lot of forums and have gotten a lot of positive feedback.

But if the restrictions you're considering were implemented, I would definitely ask to have my account deleted and would leave permanently. I understand that some people are "not into" some of the ideas and practices of others, but the solution is simply to find something else on the site to enjoy or to move on to another site.

The fact is that you can't please everyone without someone raising an objection. Adding restrictions only shifts the burden of free thought and free expression from one group to another. It also sets you on a slippery slope that is bound to lead to more objections and restrictions.

I'm a firm believer in internet neutrality. If that principle goes, so do I.

Thanks for asking.

[mspButtMunch]

I can totally relate to the administration of the current site and the 'workload' you're going to have if and when the changes are implemented. I personally find that the way the current site is broken down is easy to find 'what interests you'. For example, the bug-chasing/HIV fetish being segregated from the other "fetishes" so I don't totally understand why a new user would be taken back by what's contained on this site. If you don't believe in something or you're not interested, don't read the postings or participate in those groups. Regardless of your decision, I'll stay with ya !

[rawTOP]

I enjoy reading certain parts, and find the other parts enlightening, or educational. Would there be a way to perhaps mail a payment? I don't make payments via credit card, or over the internet if I can at all avoid it. I know, its silly, I'm just not comfortable with it, especially in my current situation.

Yes, mailing a check will be just fine. I'll edit my original post to reflect that.

I personally find that the way the current site is broken down is easy to find 'what interests you'. For example, the bug-chasing/HIV fetish being segregated from the other "fetishes" so I don't totally understand why a new user would be taken back by what's contained on this site. If you don't believe in something or you're not interested, don't read the postings or participate in those groups.

The problem is the home page (Activity List) and the "New Posts" page show everything the person is permissioned for and even the titles of the threads are too over the top for some people.

... if the restrictions you're considering were implemented, I would definitely ask to have my account deleted and would leave permanently.

I'm a firm believer in internet neutrality. If that principle goes, so do I.

Actually Internet neutrality has nothing to do with this. Internet neutrality is whether Time Warner (my internet service provider) has the right to make it difficult for me to get content from Netflix and Hulu (their direct competitors).

I'm not really understanding your objection. Even now you can't discuss certain topics in the public parts of the site. This is just a bit more restrictive.

[einathens]

i think that the current setup is best, with subjects some might find objectionable kept segregated in their own areas, especially with the descriptions/warnings already in place.

i'm not into chem sex or straight/bi or tranny stuff, so i stay away from those sections. don't see why anyone else would have difficulty doing the same.

we're all grownups here. please don't cave to the few who want to act like children.

if you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.

i'm offended by those kardashian people, and much as i might daydream from time to time about having them all killed, i don't actually want anyone to do it. i just stay away from the E! channel, and when i see them elsewhere i turn off the tv and read a book.

[TigerMilner]

I agree with you completely. The hardcore stuff you mentioned restricting is a specific niche and it is not something that those not involved in it want to read. I

But I want the site to serve a broader audience (while still serving it's existing core users). I've always wanted the site to have a broad audience, which is why all the bug chasing and chem sex stuff is separated in it's own section. But the problem is the average user sees all that stuff whether they want to or not which turns off a lot of guys.

And I'd challenge you on the "so many other sites" - name another bareback discussion forum that has active participation. Even Paul Morris' forum is pretty much dead. And as far as bareback hookup sites - BBRT is about the only decent one and it needs some competition. That's really my motivation in all this - I want to broaden the appeal of this site so as I add new features it can compete with BBRT. Back in the day I helped BBRT get off the ground and got people to move from Bareback.com to BBRT. Now I'd like Breeding Zone to morph into a site where it can directly compete with BBRT - but distinguish itself by being more community oriented and having more of a "hardcore" edge.

The last thing I want is for this site to only be about bug chasing and chem sex. That, to me, would be completely unacceptable.

[DepravedIndifference]

From day one as a member, I have been impressed by and grateful for BZ's commitment to freedom of expression and by the rich, provocative, and, for me, utterly life-altering conversation it has elicited. More on the life-altering aspects soon to be posted in another BZ forum--if, that is, I still have access to it as an unpaid, not-capable-of-paying, and wouldn't-pay-even-if-I-could member. I'm in total agreement with RawPozLust on this. The proposed changes would just be one more example of the personal and political tragedy that is the creeping "normalization" of queer life--or what in another time and place we'd have called a fucking closet of orthodoxy and orthopraxy, of guilt and shame.

I appreciate this site and all the work that you've put into it a lot. I've contributed to a lot of forums and have gotten a lot of positive feedback.

But if the restrictions you're considering were implemented, I would definitely ask to have my account deleted and would leave permanently. I understand that some people are "not into" some of the ideas and practices of others, but the solution is simply to find something else on the site to enjoy or to move on to another site.

The fact is that you can't please everyone without someone raising an objection. Adding restrictions only shifts the burden of free thought and free expression from one group to another. It also sets you on a slippery slope that is bound to lead to more objections and restrictions.

I'm a firm believer in internet neutrality. If that principle goes, so do I.

Thanks for asking.