5️⃣Annexe V: Application
Special use of special values, in a special place
We will apply aspects discussed in Annexes I to IV to our target audience: the furry fandom.
What you are dealing with
Furry fandom is diverse and well-known for its social acceptance.
But furries have started to draw political lines on many issues in recent years.
They are socially liberal, putting them at odds with conservatives.
The fandom is mostly, not entirely America-centric - since the community started in the USA.
Thus, the USA’s Democrat vs. Republican (left vs. right) context tends to be widely applied to regions beyond the Western hemisphere.
Consequently, furries tend to view issues, especially politics, in a very black-and-white way.
Move carefully in the community.
Furry fandom can be quite protective of the stances it takes. That is because most of them are from minority groups (i.e. LGBT, POCs, disability communities). These groups have faced abuse, bullying and discrimination.
We must practice care when approaching fandom issues.
Activism blended with fandom.
Furry fandom sources could be activists, be it about minority groups or not.
Use a lot of care when handling these sources.
Your first line of defence: their background
Your source’s background is the first step to catching possible bias or agenda.
Check the sources for biases
Refer to websites like Allsides.com to check for any political biases.
If Allsides says the sources, think carefully before adding that source.
Allsides.com only guides us to weigh the pros and cons of the sources we are dealing with. Don’t use it to indicate a source’s bias 100%.
If we want to use their ratings, indicate we did. Add links relevant to it.
Receipts must be used very carefully.
Always check the receipts’ background, including their provider’s reputation.
If we want to use them, we should use them as a perspective unless their evidence is solid and backed up and not based on inferences.
Sensitivities of Online Controversy Coverage
Furry fandom’s activist nature can take on an aggressive form online. Politics aside, an us-vs-them mindset is a strong characteristic of the so-called “furry drama”.
Furry dramas can be hotbeds of misinformation.
Information, possibly including unverified claims, could spread like wildfire.
Especially when it was by someone with a large social media following (aka popufurs), users who are vocal could direct their influence against us.
Our way of covering controversies
Stay on high ground and show an observer’s view of the situation. That ensures no one can pull us to either side and compromise our safety.
Show a complete timeline of what happened.
Show a diversity of perspectives - the proponents, opponents and the anomalies/neutral/surprising ones.
Put these perspectives within the context of the situation.
Make connections between points if appropriate.
What if someone tries to pressure us?
Pressure means someone wants us out of neutrality and take a stance.
For GFTV, this is not new.
People have come and tried to pressure us.
It has been about swaying us to favour or oppose someone, some group or a side of an argument.
As disputes become more political, more politically vocal people could come at us - when pressured, don’t fight.
If possible, screenshot and keep evidence in web archives and links. Consult the editors to decide what to do.
Engage with the public … while on guard.
Sometimes, feedback is pressure in disguise. Be sensitive and decide, to our best, which is which.
Read news tips carefully. Decide if the items they gave us are relevant to the topic. They - tippers - could even be new sources!
If we follow up with them, we should do our best to demand their sources and decide if the sources provided are reliable.
Remember: reject bribery.
People may try to woo us with gifts like free travel, fursuits or exclusive access to a favourable report about them.
The exception is when the party agrees to respect our independence while we enjoy these benefits.
Make sure they stick to their promises.
The target scope dilemma
Dilemmas can emerge when we report, especially on fandom disputes.
We know this is scary.
People can accuse us of supporting or opposing something at any time.
GFTV may thus take a reputational hit, and we may not want that.
But in Annexe I, we mentioned not being influenced by our stances.
That also means we should not omit viewpoints purely for our benefit.
Remember your duty
Always stick to covering all sides no matter what.
Show events as it is.
Show every voice, concern and action.
Show the truth, not tell the truth.
Here, poodling is a personal choice for many. However, some choose not to poodle.
Show the different voices within the debate and let audiences see the complete picture.
News or advertising?
In Annexe I, we talked about not confusing news with advertising.
Furry fandom is a special case.
Updates, especially from furcons, are more readily available. These are usually ads for their events and activities.
As public events, these ads can be considered news. Non-furry news channels have based their reporting on them.
Thus, when reporting on these updates, describe the furcon objectively.
If they use colourful language like “the colour-filled furcon of the century,” use quotes. Don’t use quotes if it doesn’t help audiences understand.
Let people understand us better.
When forming stories, use language that is easy to understand.
Short sentences.
Active word forms using verbs instead of passives and nominals.
Active: They hiked today.
Passive: They have hiked today.
Nominal: They went on a hike today.
If we need abbreviations, write them in full and explain what it means immediately.
Explain technical terms.
For example: “He says Vulpine Designs’ plans can help furries, specifically those with species dysphoria. Species dysphoria means believing that one’s body is of the wrong species.”
Simplify words.
For example: ‘observe’ vs ‘saw’, ‘delineate’ vs ‘describe’, ‘ allege’ vs ‘claim’
Try not to use idioms or complex terms unless you feel it is the only way to describe precisely what we see.
Use the thesaurus dictionary to use simple versions of words, like synonyms.
Last updated
