Suggestion: Restrict warnings to plain text only

Posted 1 year, 6 months ago (Edited 1 year, 6 months ago) by fuelli

I think one of the main reasons why warnings get misused like they currently are is because you can literally put anything there, including HTML coding, which encouraged coders to create complex "warning codes", often featuring a "byf" section or a "dni" one. There are also people putting unnecessary clutter in them such as aesthetic images, or even worse, seizure-inducing gifs. All of this can make warning inaccessible at best (notably for people who use screen readers or who have a slow/limited internet), or dangerous at worst.

That's why I think warnings should get restricted to plain text only; no HTML, no BBcode, just a short text explaining what the warning is about. I know this won't magically fix all the issues there are with warnings as you can't prevent people from writing "do not steal my characters", but removing the possibility to fully customize this pop-up can discourage people from putting too much unnecessary stuff, or at least getting too long with it.

More warning-related suggestions I've found, if you want to boost them (or if an admin comes by and wants an overview of the userbase's suggestions regarding warnings):

Lavenderfur

-1

I am in complete agreement with Xen. I don't even struggle that much with processing too much text but generally speaking I skip over it anyways. Not because of a DNI or a flashing gif, but because every warning seems the same. However, using html for things such as Visual warnings (such as the one Xen posted above) helps people massively. Being unable to use HTML would change nothing and arguably make it worse. It's not that hard to make a plaintext version of your DNI etc.

Steps do need to be taken but HTML here is actually benefiting in more cases than it is not.

insomnimac

rewording my thing bc I now understand how much of an asshole I came of as, Xen bc I do understand your point and I sounded immature. I suck with words online tbh. the thing is, some of those content warning things can be part of the problem, since some of them ARE actually pretty bright in order to warn about bright colors. it’s almost a paradox.

ANYWAY, huge +1.
people with photosensitivity do exist and even as someone without it, bright colors and gifs make me dizzy and strain my eyes. restricting it to only text and colors like black and white are so much easier to read (maybe even red depending on the shade). just my two cents.

Xen

mac_attac

Just gonna quote what I said on the previous page. It is absolutely not your place to tell someone whether their disability is valid or whether accommodations for them are 'pointless' or not. As someone who works in education and primarily works with children with dyslexia and other word and visual processing disorders, this line of thinking is absolutely not the way. Also I'm not even going to address the "just use a translator" part of your comment because I'm genuinely shocked you posted that without seeing anything wrong with it.

EDIT: Thank you for the rewording, that's much clearer and I see that as a valid concern

Previous comment which addresses the accessibility concern vvvv

-1

While I 100% support revamping the warning system so its actually used as intended, I don't think restricting it to text only will do anything to adress the problem.

Not only will this not prevent people from using them for other things, such as DNIs and "don't do this/that", despite the claim that this will help accessibility, this is actually a huge step backward in accessibility.

I have ADHD and have a lot of trouble processing large bodies of text, and sometimes even bullet lists will pass right by me. English is also my second language, and sometimes people tend to list things in their warnings that I tend to not understand at first. Because of this, I tend to use visual content warnings, since they're more friendly to people with similar issues as myself, but can be relatively universal across language barriers. HTML can also be used to make content warnings more legible and visible for those with dyslexia or other visual processing disorders. Being unable to use HTML would cut away a large amount of steps that people have taken to improve accessibility while at the same time doing nothing about those that use content warnings to peddle sales, tell you not to copy, etc etc. Sure, you might get rid of a few people using content warnings inappropriately, but it's not exactly difficult to make a text-only version of a DNI and place it in your warning. Seizure-inducing gifs should already be against the rules, as well as anything that makes a warning illegible or obsolete in its purpose (EDIT: Such as bright colored text that warns about bright colors, or an image with a gun that warns about guns, etc etc)

^^^^^^^^^ Example of a a visual content warning (code by Donut-Toast)

A better solution would be to make inappropriately used content warnings a reportable offence, or to have checkboxes for each character, which are expressed as a standardized, large, legible warning for that character's content.

crosshairtheclone

-1