#but the page is responsive for mobile users | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

zepskies · 21 days ago

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hi! so I had a question, how long did it take you to build a following on tumblr? how long have you been writing for spn as a whole (I assume you started with it but I’m not sure I meant when did you start writing on the app mostly) and do you think it usually takes as long as it did for you for other people? (I hope the wuestion made sense)

Hi there, lovely anon!

Oh, these are great questions, and I'm happy to answer. I'm going to be referencing this post, as someone asked me a similar question.

I also talk a lot about my beginning fanfic/coming to Tumblr experience and building a following in this interview I did with the @idlingintheimpalapodcast.

That being said, here's how I got started in SPN fandom and on Tumblr, and 6 Tumblr Tips related to how I've tried to grow my blog:

Learn How Tumblr Functions

Create a Tag List

Posting Schedules, Announcements, and Sneak Previews

People are Visual (Use Images & Design Elements) + shoutouts to blogs I looked to for inspo

Support Your Fellow Writers! Reblog/Comment on What You Read & Enjoy

When I Do Get Engagement, I Reply to Comments and Reblogs

Deeper dive below the cut:

Writing for SPN & Starting on Tumblr

To be honest, I'm a bit late to the party when it comes to Tumblr. I've written for many different fandoms over the 15 years or so I've been writing fanfic, but I've been writing for Supernatural in particular since around 2015. I wrote on platforms like Fanfiction.net, and later I moved over to Ao3.

I dabbled with Tumblr starting in 2021 while I was working on a Billy Butcher x OC story for the Boys (And So It Goes). But after watching the last season of SPN, I got the SPN bug again, so I started dipping back into the fandom.

But I wasn't really that active on Tumblr until January 2023, when I wrote my first soulmate AU series for Dean Winchester, called Never Say Goodbye (Dean x soulmate!Reader).

That started a very fun journey for me in the Tumblr world, engaging with people and making friends here with awesome people! 💕

Now, here are a few tips on what I've learned in building my following. You don't have to do exactly what I did. This is just my advice based on my personal experience here:

Tip #1: Learn How Tumblr Functions

Everything has been a process of trial and error. I have a professional background in content and social media marketing, so that knowledge has helped me a lot with some elements I'll get into later.

But it took me time to learn the Tumblr landscape. I had to figure out:

Why it's important to reblog -- not just your own work in replying to people's comments, but what you read and enjoy. It's what makes Tumblr go 'round.

The different mobile vs. desktop views and functions.

How to format my posts and use hashtags that would best optimize my fics and posts, based on the most followed tags in the fandom I was writing for.

How to create design elements, like banners, dividers, and headers that matched my aesthetic and the fandom.

Make sure my blog is easy to read, visually, and easy to navigate, technically (links to my masterlists, series masterlists, tag list, my fic library side blog, Patreon, etc.).

I'm still adjusting all these things now and then as I figure out new ways to keep readers engaged, and make my blog as easy to navigate as possible.

Tip #2: Create a Tag List

A tag list is a list of blog users that request to be tagged in your upcoming fics. (See this post on tips for formatting tag lists and optimizing hashtags on posts.)

Some authors don't do tag lists anymore because they find it a hassle (and it can be), but even if you're just starting out, advertise your tag list -- I suggest at the end of a fic and in your bio, your masterlist, and/or navigation page. It will get more eyes on your posts, and hopefully more engagement.

I used Google Forms to build up my tag lists because it's easy to use and it creates a Google spreadsheet for you based on the responses you get (an idea I got from another writer who was doing the same thing). You can also create more sheets within the file to organize the responses by character, for example.

On my tag list, I gave readers options to choose which character they wanted to be tagged on based on the fandoms I write for. I also created tag lists for new series to go with the series masterlist. Like I said above, I created spreadsheets for each of these lists within my tag list form master sheet.

Now, you don't have to do it exactly this way. There are many ways to keep track of a tag list.

Some people may think my approach is too much work, but this was very successful for me in building up my tag lists and increasing my following. Staying organized is key! 🤓✌🏽

I have since created a side blog @zepskieswrites for people to follow with notifications on, since my character tag lists are full.

Tip #3: Posting Schedules, Announcements & Sneak Previews

When my blog started to gain traction from my first SPN series, I knew I wanted to post consistently to keep people's interests. For me, this meant once a week (sometimes more if the mood strikes me), to keep that momentum going. YouTube vloggers do the same thing for this reason. They have a set posting schedule and give announcements.

You don't have to post once a week. You don't even have to have a set schedule. That's just what I did last year to increase engagement, but also because I love to write, I was getting inspired, and I made the time for it!

Remember that writing and sharing your work and being a part of the fandom on Tumblr is supposed to be fun! At the same time, what you get out of something depends on how much time you have to put into it.

Basically what I’m saying is, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into my writing and my blog, but only because it’s been very fun to do it! 😉

Now, going back to being consistent. It can help you! When people know they have content waiting for them by a certain timeframe, and they see that you stick to that deadline, they're more likely to tune in and engage with your work.

Of course, real life comes first, always, and things can derail you, but on the whole I make sure that I keep my word when I say I'm going to post something. Tumblr has a scheduling feature that allows you to schedule posts ahead of time, which I use on a daily basis. That can help you as well.

To try and generate buzz around new stories, I give writing updates or announcements, often with sneak previews, and the dates when I plan to drop the upcoming story. When I'm writing a series, on each chapter I give a preview of the next one, so I can try to keep people invested and waiting for the next chapter.

Tip #4: People are Visual (Use Images & Design Elements)

A huge element of successful content and social media is visuals. The first thing people are often drawn to when they look at a web page, an ad, or any kind of digital content is the picture -- and any other visual elements. Then they look at the title/headline, followed by the rest of the story.

This is why I always lead with the title of the story/headline and a GIF or image at the top of the post for a story. Draw readers in with their eyes to the visual, and then the content. I now create my own design elements, including story headers.

When I got started here on Tumblr, I also took a closer look at how other popular blogs I admired were organizing their masterlists, formatting their stories with banners, dividers, tags/warnings, word count, creating tag lists, and more -- both to create their blog aesthetic and to make it easier for readers to enjoy their work on different levels -- the content itself, and the visual elements.

Shoutouts to some of those writers I looked to, who have a lovely blog aesthetic and organization: @luci-in-trenchcoats @deanwinchesterswitch @deanbrainrotwritings @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior

Form and function is a balance, and they should work together. For example, there are some design/post formatting elements that are getting popular now on Tumblr that I personally don't vibe with, because I think it takes away from the reader's experience.

Like making the entire post or story in small case. Readers that have trouble seeing small fonts won't want to read this.

or making everything in the story lower case. this just bothers me for grammatical reasons. guarantee i will be turned off from reading. 😂

Also, most people browse Tumblr on their phone rather than on desktop. (About 62% according to current Semrush statistics.) So certain things that are small in your desktop version will be even smaller on mobile.

If you have a custom blog design, some design elements may not transfer well visually on mobile vs. desktop, and vice versa. So you'll want to check both versions to see how it looks, and possibly make adjustments.

Now, this isn't to say you have to become a graphic designer if that's not your thing. There are plenty of people who share their lovely designs for free, as long as you make sure to credit them if you use one of their banners, dividers, etc. Check out @cafekitsune and @firefly-graphics, for example.

Some of them even take requests. Just make sure to check their bio to see if they state whether they're currently taking requests or not. (This also goes for writers on fic requests.)

Tip #5: Support Your Fellow Writers! Reblog/Comment on What You Read & Enjoy

This is part of the fun when you start truly engaging with the fandoms you love.

Likes are cool. Comments are wonderful. Reblogs with comments are awesome, because not only do they get that engagement/feedback that they can reply to, but the reblog helps your fellow writers get seen. And while they aren't obligated to, they might be more inclined to do the same for you.

You'll also start to develop relationships within your fandom community. This is how I've made many friends and gained new readers on Tumblr -- by reblogging, sharing, commenting on what I liked about the fics I read. 💜

I try my best to support my fellow writers, no matter how new or how popular they are. Just because a writer has a bigger following, doesn't mean they appreciate feedback any less.

Feedback gives us writers energy and fuels us to write more. It can lead to more inspiration, and to continue the series you might be so invested in.

So if I took the time to read something, if I enjoyed it, I'm usually reblogging it and sharing my thoughts, even if it's just a gif or a couple of lines, or a long raving review. 💖

Tip #6: When I Do Get Engagement, I Reply to Comments and Reblogs

Along with supporting my fellow writers, engaging with the lovely people who read my work is just good fun! It's the best part of sharing my work on here and on Ao3. And it lets them know that you value and appreciate them for taking the time to comment and/or comment in a reblog. 💓💓💓

I hope these tips are helpful! Now, to answer your last question...

Do you think it usually takes as long as it did for you

[to build a following] for other people?

Interesting, but the truth is, I'm not sure. My knowledge of content and social media marketing has probably given me a leg up, I think, even though it took me a while to learn the Tumblrscape. I've also been writing fanfic for a long time. Long before I ever heard about Tumblr.

I've spent years studying literature, creative writing, and screenwriting, and putting it into practice. I've spent years writing for other voices besides my own, outside of the fanfic world. Like anyone else, I can only go by what I've learned, my own instincts, my frame of reference, and what I want to write about next.

Like anyone else, I can only hope that what I put out there vibes with people and touches them in some way, enough that they feel comfortable letting me know what they thought about it. 💜

In the meantime, I'll just keep getting inspiration from this guy (and other characters):

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feminist-space · 2 months ago

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There is nothing wrong with a person who wears adult diapers. Those are an aid, a tool, to help that person be more mobile and preserve their dignity.

If someone has tremors in their hands and needs help picking up everyday objects, that doesn't take away from who they are as a person. There's no dishonor in muscular tremors.

If someone can't see or hear, or can only see or hear with aid of a tool, a piece of technology, that's fine! Here's a really simple one: so many of us wear glasses because our eyes can't do the thing on their own.

Having disabilities doesn't take away from who a person is. Mocking someone for needing aid to do things, however, is morally repugnant. And using ableism to put down or mock someone who themselves is morally reprehensible is still never ok.

It is important for all of us to re-examine how we, too, perform ableist acts in our daily lives. Here are some simple ones:

Stop using ableist words (check out this page: https://www.autistichoya.com/p/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.html).

Stop calling disabled people "inspirational" and using them as a way to say "if they can do it then so can you" (see: paralympic commentaries from the same people who still support organizations like Autism Speaks -- https://www.themarysue.com/the-autism-speaks-controversy-explained/).

Stop mocking people for not being able to move the way you think they should move.

Stop calling bigots "crazy" (their bigotry isn't a mental illness).

Stop saying that "only disabled and immuno-compromised people are at risk from COVID-19" when what is unsaid after that is "so that's why I don't need to care about it or take any precautions."

Stop calling someone "blind" or "deaf" when they're being ignorant.

Stop making fun of someone for taking an elevator or using a motorized scooter at the store.

Eliminate the stigma of disabled people asking for accessibility by making things accessible in the first place.

When you're in a position to design things, physical or otherwise (buildings, software, apps), think about accessibility.

Actively learn from disability activists, what things are actually helpful and actually accessible. Incorporate those things into your design.

Hire and elevate to positions of leadership people with disabilities (and if your gut response is "but we hire by merit," I challenge you: are you telling me you don't think disabled folks can perform the duties of leaders in your organization? What are you saying, exactly?).

Change your organization to be supportive to disabled employees, and get rid of policies that marginalize them.

There's a whole LOT of ableism weaved in to literally everything. Even if we don't get it all in one go (and we won't), it's important to put in the work to do better.

Before someone comments with these:

"what's wrong with people?"

Ableism is EVERYWHERE, it is in EVERYTHING in this world and we have to actively work against it. Don't assume you're exempt. None of us are.

"who says these things?" "who does these things?"

A lot of people. A lot of people you might love. A lot of people that might include us (likely, actually). These mostly aren't monsters in alleyways saying and doing ableist things.

It's the nurse getting annoyed at the person using a wheelchair for having their wheelchair there. It's the dude at the gym who tells his friend that if those paralympians can do it, they definitely can do it. It's the person who keeps telling their friend with long covid to just do more yoga. It's the liberal angry at Trump who mocks him by saying he wears adult diapers. It's the person who builds a business branded and marketed on being kumbaya "we're so progressive" but they made their doors so heavy that they're hard for anyone to open and definitely impossible to open for a wheelchair user. It's the boomer telling a young person using a disabled parking spot that young people can't be disabled. It is literally everywhere. It's that guy telling disabled people they shouldn't be out past sunset ("we're disabled, Daniel, we're not werewolves."--Jen L Rossman).

Reading list, obviously not exhaustive:

https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/magazine/14-black-disabled-women-reminding-us-of-our-power/

https://thedailytexan.com/2018/03/23/stop-using-ableist-language-and-call-out-others-who-use-it

https://www.autistichoya.com/p/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.html

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/no-joking-matter-words-and-disability

https://diaryofadisabledperson.blog/

https://www.thegauntlet.news/p/disabled-peoples-exclusion-from-indoor

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/being-grabbed-pushed-touched-without-27376323

https://www.sociability.app/blog/the-medical-vs-social-model-of-disability

#ableism in everything #ableism #working towards a less ableist world takes work but it's so worth it

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hellyeahscarleteen · 1 year ago

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A Guide to Our Direct Services

Got a sexuality, gender, sexual health, or relationships question? We got you!

We have four free, direct support services so you can get one-on-one help if you can't find what you need on the website, if you you need or want more information, if you need help understanding something you've read here, or when you want support, help, advice or discussion from our staff, volunteers or peer community.

Our message boards: you'll need to register if you're not already registered for the boards; you can do that here. (We welcome contributions and responses from community members!)

Our SMS (text) service: you can text us at (206) 866-2279. The SMS service is free, but message and data rates apply, just like with any texts you send or receive to or from anyone. Per mobile restrictions, the SMS service is only available for users in the United States.

Our online chat (does not require registration): During chat times or with appointments (see under the cut).

The advice column queue (does not require registration)

(Not sure which you should choose? Find more information under the cut)

Scarleteen is a diverse, inclusive space where we are strongly and actively committed to making and keeping a space that feels as safe as possible for everyone, and which honors the diversity of human sexuality and identity. We welcome users of all gender identities, belief systems, ethnicities, economic classes, relationship constructs, and languages. We ask everyone here to work together to co-create and help nurture such an inclusive space, where often very loaded topics are discussed, by following and respecting the user policies and guidelines.

Which of our services should you choose?

The message boards:

Use for: Almost anything, be it simple questions or in-depth, involved discussions over time. This service is also best for when you want both staff and volunteer engagement AND discussion with peers, or primarily peer-to-peer discussion.

How fast will you be answered? Anywhere from a few minutes to within 24 hours. If you're a brand new user, your posts will not show up immediately on the boards: they go to a moderation queue staff review for a little bit first, so we can better screen for trolls or spammers.

Hablamos español: Tenemos voluntarios disponibles para los usuarios de habla hispana.

The SMS service:

Use for: Help finding content on the site to answer your questions, referrals for in-person local services like sexual or mental healthcare, or a referral to our message boards or live chat when you can't figure out which service is best for you. The SMS service is not intended for answers that can be found in our site content, or can be answered or discussed on the boards or via the live chat service.

How fast will you be answered? Within a few hours to 24 hours.

Hablamos español: Tenemos voluntarios disponibles para los usuarios de habla hispana.

The chat service:

(A real-time popup chat window, staffed and seen only by you and our staff and volunteers. It works like an IM conversation or Facebook chat.)

Use for: Sex, sexuality, sexual health and relationship questions, help, support and referrals. This service does require your immediate and full attention, so if you want to be able to come and go throughout a conversation, especially with lapses of several minutes, hours or days, or want to multitask, the boards or SMS service should be used instead.

Monday: 10 AM - 1PM PST and 1 pm-3 pm PST

Friday: 8:30 - 11:30 AM PST

Saturday: 8 - 10 AM PST

If you want a chat at a time it isn't scheduled, you can always come to the message boards and see if any staff are available and ask. We're currently in the midst of making some changes to our schedule, so the current schedule should be considered temporary. You may also sometimes see the available chat icon -- a red S in a small yellow circle floating over the lower left of every site page -- outside of chat hours if and when staff are available for chat at times other than our set hours, and are welcome to come into chat anytime you see that icon.

The advice columns:

(The index of the advice columns is here, to give you a sense of the kind of engaged, professional and in-depth answers it provides.)

Best for: More involved, complex situations where you want a longer, in-depth answer, but can wait days, weeks or even months for your answer. Questions and situations which are NOT time-sensitive (like pregnancy risks or scares, current health problems, or help you need to find as soon as possible). Questions and answers you are comfortable having published widely for all to see (even though they should not ever contain any identifying information where anyone reading could know it was you asking).

How fast will you be answered? As noted on the input form, most advice questions will never be answered, particularly if we've already written a column that has already answered a question. Otherwise, the wait can be anywhere from a day or two to several months. The advice column is intended for longer, in-depth answers to issues that are not particularly time sensitive or immediate. It is acceptable to leave your question in the queue, but then also bring to another of our direct services for a more immediate and guaranteed answer.

#advice #resources #sex ed #lgbtq+

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acafe-official · 1 month ago

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A-Café (Update #25) - Community Discussion

Good morning everyone! I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I'm finally back with another community update. In the first part, I'll be giving a brief overview of where we're at in terms of project progress. Then, in the second half, we'll discuss a new development in app accessibility.

Without further ado, let's begin!

1) Where are we at in the project currently?

A similar question was asked in the A-Café discord recently, so I figured I'd include my response here as well:

Right now we’re reworking the design of A-Café, both visually and architecturally. The initial planning and design phase of the project wasn’t done very thoroughly due to my inexperience, so now that I’m jumping back into things I want to ensure we have a solid prototype for usability testing. For us that means we’ve recently done/are doing a few things:

analyzing results from the old 2022 user survey (done)

discussing new ideas for features A-Café users might want, based on the 2022 user survey

reevaluating old ideas from the previous app design

making a new mock-up for usability testing

Once the mock-up is finished, I plan on doing internal testing first before asking for volunteer testers publicly (the process for which will be detailed in an upcoming community update).

2) Will A-Café be available for iOS and Android devices?

Yes! In fact, the first downloadable version of A-Café may no longer be so device-specific.

What do I mean by that? Well, in the beginning, the plan for A-Café was to make two different versions of the same app (iOS and Android). I initially chose to do this because device-specific apps are made with that device's unique hardware/software in mind--thus, they have the potential to provide a fully optimized user experience.

However, I've since realized that focusing on device-specific development too soon may not be the right choice for our project.

Yes, top-notch app performance would be a big bonus. But by purely focusing on iOS and Android devices for the initial launch, we'd be limiting our audience testing to specific mobile-users only. Laptop and desktop users for example, would have to wait until a different version of the app was released (which is not ideal in terms of accessibility).

Therefore, I've recently decided to explore Progressive Web App development instead.

[What is a Progressive Web App?]

A Progressive Web App (or PWA) is "a type of web app that can operate both as a web page and mobile app on any device" (alokai.com)

Much like a regular mobile app, a PWA can be found through the internet and added to your phone's home screen as a clickable icon. They can also have the ability to work offline and use device-specific features such as push-notifications.

Additionally, due to being web-based applications, PWAs can be accessed by nearly any device with a web browser. That means regardless of whether you have an iOS or Android device, you'd be able to access the same app from the same codebase.

In the end, a PWA version of A-Café should look and act similarly to an iOS/Android app, while also being accessible to various devices. And, due to having only one codebase, development of PWAs tends to be faster and be more cost-effective than making different versions of the same app.

To be clear, I haven't abandoned the idea of device-specific development entirely. We could launch iOS/Android versions of A-Café in the future if demand or revenue end up being high enough. But as of right now, I don't believe doing so is wise.

[What Does this Mean for me as a User?]

In terms of app installation and user experience, not much should hopefully change. I'd like to have A-Café available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

There will also be the option of searching for A-Café via your device's web browser, and then installing it on your home screen (iOS devices can only do so using Safari). We will likely rely on this method until we can comfortably ensure user access to A-Café on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

-------------

And that's it for now! Thank you for reading this latest community update. For more insight into the development process, consider joining the A-Café discord. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this post, we would love to hear your input in the comments below. See you later!

#aroaceapp #aroapp #aceapp #aromantic #asexual #aspec

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rxcya · 1 year ago

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002. SIGN OF THE TIMES.

hi ! this is my SECOND ever doc template, yes I did come back for round two, and i’m very proud of it <3. I worked pretty hard on this doc, trying a lot of new things out. if you are planning on using this doc ( blushing ) please do not remove the credits.

・the link to the doc can be found in the source link! ・sign of the times is a new york times themed doc with certain layouts taken directly from the new york times website! ( https://www.nytimes.com/ ) a prime example of this being the first page of the doc! it has a black and white color palette as well that can be altered with different pictures and different colors of font! ・the doc itself is roughly 6 pages and consists of character synopsis, basic information, appearance, appearance description, personality, personality description, backstory, 11 connections with brief descriptions and 3 word descriptions and many bullets for extra notes or headcanons! ・it also has room for 15 different pictures of your character and 11 pictures for connections! ・sign of the times is not a mobile friendly doc. it just looks funky and overlaps a lot on mobile. also, there are several google drawings that are not accessible for mobile users! ・the faceclaim shown on the doc is @selenagomez on instagram ・likes and reblogs are SO appreciated, thank you SO much for your support! - quickly, i’d like to regard the title “The New York Times” - i fully understand if you want to change the title to something else ! but to do so, you’ll have to use an outside source. - you’ll have to find a website that offers the new york times font for download. ( I used https://www.fontspace.com/category/new-york-times ) - type in what you want your title to be, download the image or screenshot it and then replace the image on the doc itself ! - i know its inconvenient, and i’m so sorry ! if you’re unable to do it, contact me and we’ll work it out!

again, this is only my 2nd ever doc template ! i’m still learning the route of things and how to utilize doc’s in the best way. with that aside, i’d like to thank all of you for the great response i got on my last doc and my 1st doc, claremont st. it was so motivating and i am so so so appreciative! if you do have any suggestions or questions, feel free to DM me ! this can either be on tumblr, or on discord. my @ is rxcya#7080. with that being said, here is sign of the times, a doc by RXCYA 7.28.23

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pawborough · 5 months ago

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Below the cut is our extensive FAQ! If you have a question, check here first!

How long has PawBorough been in development?

PawBorough has been in development since the summer of 2021.

When will PawBorough be playable?

PawBorough will enter closed Beta for Kickstarter backers in late 2024. Open Beta will proceed to allow entry of non-backer users afterwards. Our current timeline projects an extended period of open Beta for new users to join in late 2024 or early 2025, depending on how many features need tweaking and to what extent. We currently estimate full launch in 2025.

Will PawBorough be free to play? Yes. PawBorough will have premium features, but will not be “pay to play.”

Where do I download PawBorough?

PawBorough is a browser game with no need for download. However, we are working on an application for mobile devices which will be available to download in the future. There is not currently a timeline for this development.

Will PawBorough be mobile friendly?

Yes. We are dedicated to mobile usability. Our development of an application is intended to enhance the mobile experience.

Will you have a suggestions page?

Once we have the game refined and populated, we will be opening a forum for suggestions to improve the user experience.

Is PawBorough accepting artist applications?

Currently PawBorough is accepting artist applications. If you would like to work as a visual artist on The PawBorough Team, please send your resume and portfolio to [email protected].

Is PawBorough accepting developer applications?

PawBorough is not in need of developers at this time.

Can I volunteer for PawBorough work?

For the majority of work, we do not accept volunteer applications. We periodically open volunteer applications for early feature testing. For notifications on when these applications open, keep up with our Kickstarter updates!

What timezone will PawBorough be in?

PawBorough will function in EST/ET!

How can I reach out directly to the team?

Please email us at [email protected]. All other methods to contact us may not reach us.

Will you keep the official Discord open after the full launch of PawBorough?

No. After PawBorough launches officially, we will be shutting down our Discord. It is not in our best interest to rely on third party software for communication with our community. Already, this is an issue we take responsibility for perpetuating. We want to ensure all information is sourced to and on our website in a single space. Players are welcome to create their own, unofficial spaces however!

How can I support the development of PawBorough right now?

We take donations from our PayPal. All donations will go towards our continued development. You can also support us by spreading the word! Tell your friends about our project, keep informed on our updates, and join the site when we’re live!

Will you have dark mode?

Yes.

Will there be more breeds/patterns?

PawBorough will continue to add more content over the span of its lifetime. We have currently committed to 21 breeds in total, but new patterns may be added in perpetuity as the game ages.

Can cats die? Is there a way to remove them from the game?

Cats do not die from play. The only way to remove a cat from the game is to voluntarily retire the cat.

What are mystic and domestic breeds?

PawBorough features seven Boroughs that a player may join. A Borough is a culturally unique location in the world of the game. Each Borough has at least two breeds of origin: a domestic breed and a mystic breed. These breeds come in “pairs.” For every domestic cat, there is a mystical, magical counterpart. We call these pairs an “origin set” or “origin pair.” In lore, this is explained as normal cat breeds being magically, genetically altered over hundreds of years. As a player, you will be able to switch between mystic and domestic breeds instantly.

What are the mystic and domestic pairs? What are the origin Boroughs of every breed?

Here are all origin pairs that we have showcased in updates thus far. Shorthair / Bovine = Harvest Prowler / Thumper = Harvest Ragdoll / Fyret = The Metropolis Longhair / Moontail = Luna Snowfoot / Prancer = Sol Wolf / ??? = Cogwheel Littlefang / Stonehide = ???

Can Domestic Breeds be turned into Mystic Breeds (and vice versa)?

Yes. Here is a graphic of the system we are testing, which incorporates Borough origin:

Why not just have separate items for every breed? Why the pairs?

This choice was intended to unilaterally flatten the rarity between mystic and domestic breeds, and instead determine rarity by origin set. With an item for every breed, seeding the items would inevitably become imbalanced in some way. This way, Shorthair and Bovines, for example, are equal opportunity for the player. We did not want to, as a game, incentivize collecting mystic breeds over domestic breeds, thus viewing domestic breeds as a contextually “lesser” option. That has just never been our vision!

Will some Breeds/Patterns/Colors be more rare than others?

Yes. Breed rarity will be dependent on the origin pair. Bovines and Shorthairs may be more common than Longhairs and Moontails, for example. Patterns will have breed and drop rarity. Colors will be dependent on breeding outcomes. You may use our live kit predictor on our website to view how two colors interact. A brief write-up on how color outcomes for kits are calculated is located here!

How much can you customize your two Founder cats?

You will be able to fully customize the colors and sex of your Founders. You will also be able to select from a pre-selected pool of patterns and breeds, which will be changeable for all cats via items. We are currently working on adding the ability to fully customize white coverage for Founders. The only thing you will not be able to change is the Borough birthplace (eye color.) We are also considering adding the ability to freely re-access the creator and change your founders at any time. As a general note, your Founders will be incredibly customizable!

Will kits be able to wear accessories?

Yes! We love that we can do this! This does mean our accessory pool will be more limited. However, kits will be fully customizable!

How will players obtain "Generation 1" cats?

Generation 1 cats are cats which are not born from cats already on the site (i.e “offspring.”) There are several methods to obtain a generation 1 cat, however most notably an item called “incense” can be used to immediately spawn a random generation 1 cat into your camp. Each Borough will have an incense item which spawns a cat with the eyes of said Borough. Incense is obtained via crafting.

Will new colors be added to the demo?

Currently, there are no plans to add new colors, but this possibility is not off the table.

Will you have feathers behind the ear as an accessory?

No. We are aware that, historically, media with anthropomorphized cats has a history of anti-indigenous themes. In the interest of respecting indigenous populations, we will not be illustrating any feather-themed accessories without indigenous sensitivity consultation.

Will I be able to attach tags to my cats? Such as #kit?

Yes, we will be implementing a tagging system!

Will multiple cats be able to have the same species of Fauna companion?

Yes!

Will there be a way to make my cat stay as a kit forever?

Yes. We will be adding perma-kits as a feature.

Can you add a nonbinary/third gender pose to the cats?

We would love to, but we’re a small indie team with limited resources. Three poses with full accessory and pattern functionality is already quite a bit of effort for us, especially with the demand of the art style we are committed to! However, we consider the Mars and Venus poses to be, for all intents and purposes, genderless. The purpose of two adult poses is simply to explore the designs. You will be able to switch between both adult poses at any time via a switch on the cat’s customize page.

Will there be a pronouns section for a cat's page?

We were asked to add this feature quite a bit, and we did add it! We are currently testing a system which may allow custom pronouns (such as neopronouns) that the game will recognize and use in narration and dialogue. This will help aid our initial reservation to the concept.

Will there be a way to change a cat's eye type?

Yes, and eye palette too! The only thing you cannot change is the birth Borough (Borough eye color.)

What's the difference between an Accessory and Decor item?

Accessories are pieces of clothing tailored to layer on each cat pose. They cannot be moved from where they sit on the cat. They can only be shifted above or below other Accessories layered onto the cat. In comparison, Decor items are items which can be shifted, rotated, and resized around the cat. Decor and Backdrop items come together to create a scene!

Can we change a cat's birth Borough/eye color?

No.

To what extent will you feature violence or adult content?

PawBorough is for teens and older. Users must be 13 and up to play. This means that we will feature minor use of moderately strong language, mentions of alcohol, and the allowance of art with cartoon blood and violence. However, photorealistic blood or gore will not be allowed, and we allow absolutely no sexually suggestive content whatsoever.

Will you have a custom system? How will it work?

This question refers to the concept of allowing custom, user-uploaded art to be created into items and imposed over a cat. Yes, we will have a system for this. Our custom cat items are called “pelts.” “Unclipped pelts” will allow for users to draw over the lines of the cat. “Clipped pelts” will go under the lines of a cat, and be easier to work with Accessories. Both will be a premium feature, and come with limitations and restrictions to help maintain the visual identity of the game. We will also be implementing a less complex pelt system for Fauna!

Will you have breeds that resemble big cats?

We will not be featuring any breeds from the Panthera order. This includes lions, jaguars, leopards, tigers, and snow leopards. We also will not be adding cheetahs, due to their cultural association with big cats. In the lore of PawBorough, big cats (and cheetahs) are mythical depictions akin to humans imagining elves! All other breeds from the Felidae family are on the table. This does include wildcats.

Will you add more white coverage possibilities?

Uncertain at this time. The idea is on the table, however we’re currently focused on illustrating for all the planned breeds!

Do you have a “basic” pattern?

No. We do have a pattern called “solid” that may aesthetically resemble a more basic patterning, but we do not have a base-level pattern that users build up from. Instead, all patterns have some degree of rarity and detail.

Is there a way to change a cat's colors?

Yes. Users will have access to items which randomize a single cat’s colors.

Can I rename my cats?

Yes! Much like changing the pose, renaming a cat is able to be done anytime via the customization page.

How will line breaking accents be handled? Won't they clash with apparel?

For those who are unaware, PawBorough features accent genes which may break the silhouette. The answer to this is: yes, they will! We deliberated over this for some time. However, we are treating line-breaking accents much like other accessories. It will be on the onus of the player to prevent clipping with any other accessories, just as accessories can and will clip with one another. Line breaking accents will be layerable among accessories, so users can adjust the layering how they like. From a design standpoint, line-breaking accents will only include biological body modifications. This includes, but is not limited to, horns, teeth, scales, claws, fur, and anything else which would grow from the cat itself. This therefore excludes these attributes from accessories. Overgrowth is an exception to this rule, due to its inception before the restriction was in place. In lore, Overgrowth is explained as a benign, parasitic, magic-touched plant which lives in cat fur and is easily passed to children of infected parents while nesting.

Can accents be in any slot? Can I have the same accent in both slots?

All accent genes can be in either slot! However, you may not have the same accent in both slots. Both slots are able to lack an accent at the same time, however.

What are the default patterns and breeds I can pick for my Founders?

You may create your Founders starting with: Solid Tiger Tuxedo Blotches This list is subject to change. No accent genes will be available for Founders to start with.

How does breeding work?

Breeding is available between two compatible cats. Users will choose to start a nest with two cats. Users will then babysit the nest until the new kits are ready to enter the User’s camp. Kits will inherit colors and patterns based on the parents. Testing of this mechanic is available on our website!

Can players cancel unwanted nests? Is it possible to accidentally lose a nest?

Nests can be reversed via a Bitter Root item. This is an active choice that the player must click several times to confirm. Otherwise, nests remain until the player interacts with them and do not expire.

Can Domestic and Mystic Breeds produce offspring?

Yes! All cats can breed with one another.

How will Paw Borough prevent inbreeding regarding the cats?

Currently, cats which are related via 5 generations apart cannot breed together.

Will cats ever be too old to breed?

We have no intention for a feature like this at this time.

Can cats have multiple mates?

Yes.

How does white coverage work for breeding?

Random coverage spots are chosen for each kit, with dominant spots passed down and recessive spots having a lower chance of showing. The coverage amount is chosen via the algorithm below. none x none => 90% none, 10% low full x none => 5% full, 10% high, 50% medium, 20% low, 5% none full x full => 90% full, 10% high full x medium => 50% full, 10% high, 40% medium full x high => 90% full, 10% high full x low => 25% full, 25% high, 25% medium, 25% small medium x medium => 5% full, 10% high, 50% medium, 20% low, 5% chance of none high x high => 15% full, 20% medium, 65% high, 10% low high x none => 30% none, 30% high, 25% medium, 15% small high x medium => 10% full, 10% small, 40% high, 40% medium high x low => 60% small, 20% medium, 20% high

How many cats are in a litter?

This is subject to change, but a cat can have between 1-4 kits in a single litter.

Can I breed my cats to have different eye colors than my borough?

Yes.

Can I breed my cats with other users?

Yes! We have a system for cross-account nests which will allow two users to both care for a nest and then divide the kits.

Is there a cap on how much regular currency a player can obtain every day?

There will likely be a cap, but questions like these have become difficult to give concrete answers on until we can simulate the economy in closed Beta!

Will there be events during the game?

Yes! PawBorough will have an onsite story which will be told through events, in addition to holiday events which will give users seasonal item rotations.

If I miss story events, how can I catch up?

All real-time story events will be documented in an onsite archive which users can visit and read at any time. Campaign events which surround Guild play will be re-playable, which new users can play at any time.

Will the game have achievements?

Yes. PawBorough will feature a badge and reward system.

Will there be side/minigames?

At this time, we are focused on a closed gameplay loop which is fun, satisfying, and rewarding without the need for an abundance of generalized minigame designs. We may incorporate unique, one-off minigames for immersion in the future. But it is our hope that they won’t be necessary for an enjoyable game. We would much rather focus our resources towards buffing out the gameplay loop, and accommodating several play styles with it!

Are there any plans for a battling system for cats?

Yes! PawBorough will feature teams which may register at the Guild. Users will be able to go on missions with their cats and earn rewards, leveling up their team and earning exclusive items in the process. What stats does a cat have? What are they used for?

Cats feature seven statistics: Stamina, Strength, Sense, Smarts, Speed, Savvy, and Sorcery. A cat's base stat number is divided among these categories. Leveling a cat up will allow the player to build out any given statistical category. Statistics are used for different dynamics in combat (mele, range, healing, dodging, etc.) as well as helping to calculate different daily item yields. Cats can be leveled up both by participating in Guild play and by yielding items. Each cat also has a Fortune and Doom statistic, which affects good luck and bad luck in RNG and general combat. These two stats cannot be changed.

Are base stats completely randomized?

Yes, but there is a cap and a weighted bell curve. All Founders start with the same base stat.

Can I read official lore of the game?

As of right now, we are working on an updated lore page with a more interactive presentation and more meat than our previous iteration. We will notify all social media when we have a new page live.

How will recolors of accessories work?

PawBorough features a dye system. All items will come in 12 standard colors and may be dyed to any of the 12 colors. Dyes are obtained via crafting. “Special dyes,” as they are currently called, will feature more unique coloring from the standard item, such as holographic, polka-dot, or pastel. Special dyes will only be applicable to certain compatible items. (And in all cases, a special dye will only work on an item that the standard doesn’t already apply to. For example, if a shirt is polka-dot by default, there is no reason for the shirt to be compatible with the polka-dot special dye.)

Can I be an Alpha tester? Is Alpha open?

Alpha applications are available here. If this form is closed, it means applications are no longer accepted. Alpha is not open as of June 12th, 2024. We will keep active communication and announce when Alpha opens. Applicants who are chosen will receive emails with the appropriate steps.

If I am chosen as an alpha tester, do I have to sign an NDA?

No.

How will data wipes happen during the closed Beta?

For context, a data wipe consists of removal of all cats, items, currency, and user content. A data wipe will NOT wipe the following: Your account, including your username, credentials, and ID number. Credit for any money previously spent on your account. Closed Beta will feature at least one data wipe as the test comes to a close. However, closed Beta will feature as many data wipes as we the developers deem necessary for testing important game dynamics. As an example, we need to test economic balance, and will wipe as necessary to test new pricing and currency distribution.

Is there a limit to how many Beta Testers there will be?

Closed Beta is limited to the number of Beta Keys sold on our Kickstarter. Population reports put this number at over 1600 keys.

How much earlier do Early Bird tier codes get into the closed Beta?

Early bird codes allow 3 days of early access!

Will Luna Stones be tradeable or will they be locked to your account?

All Kickstarter items will be tradeable.

Are Moontail wings randomly chosen when using a Luna Stone on a cat? What about when you breed a Moontail?

Wing types are random when using a Luna Stone. To change a Moontail’s wing type, an item will be easily available. When breeding, the wing type of the parent will pass down.

I am a backer. How will I receive my Kickstarter rewards?

With the email you used to back, you will be emailed a code for your beta key(s) and a reward code which will be redeemable onsite for your tier rewards/add-ons. Can I still pledge to the Kickstarter?

No.

Are the Kickstarter items obtainable since the campaign ended?

No, and yes. We will not be distributing these items again. They are retired. However, when the site is live, you may trade with backers for Kickstarter items.

Will I lose my Kickstarter rewards after a Beta wipe?

Any redeemable item codes will become redeemable again after a data wipe.

Account

Can two or more people share an account?

No. We limit the game to one account per user. If you are caught sharing your account with another person, you may have your account frozen. All items you may lose by choosing to share your account are at your own risk.

Can system members have individual accounts?

When we say one account per User, we mean User. This means that systems with individual users may have separate accounts. However, any evidence of “funneling,” daily yield transfer, or frequent and egregious transfer of cats or resources which would give a User identifiable advantage over other Users will result in consequences, including but not limited to removal of the aforementioned resources and termination of one or both accounts.

Can you change your Borough after choosing one at signup?

Yes!

Can you change your username? Will multiple people be allowed to have the same username?

Your username will be changeable. No two accounts may share a username.

Am I allowed to have a "side" account?

Accounts are limited to one per user. Evidence of frequent cross-account trading which implies the existence of a side account will result in investigation and consequence.

What is the character limit on usernames?

18. It is the same for cat names.

Will I get my account banned if a housemate and I both play PawBorough, and you recognize the same IP address?

No. In fact, we are rather lenient and understanding of this. We only will take administrative action if the cross-account activity is egregiously imbalanced and rewards one player with a clear, identifiable advantage over other players.

Can players terminate their own account?

Yes.

How many accounts will be reserved for staff use?

The first 10 account IDs will be reserved for staff use. This number may be subject to change.

Is there a referral system? Are there any rewards for referring people?

We are developing a referral system in tandem with our badge system. Our system will reward referring players with a payout every time their referee(s) completes an achievement and earns a badge.

Can I use a cat I made in PawBorough as an original character / purchase commissioned art of this character?

Yes, we love it! However, no content featuring our doll art may be used commercially. You may not profit off of our exact images. We also require that any public use of our art or designs be credited back to our website.

Can I use cats in offsite roleplay? Do I need to give credit? Can I go make my own story out of my PawBorough characters?

Yes. Credit requirement largely depends. If you use an image from the site, you must credit us. If you’re using a mystic design of ours, those creature designs are owned by us. We would prefer if you did not completely divorce them from our game and give us credit for the creature design. Under no circumstances may you use any mystic designs in commercial content. However, we don’t own the concept of a generic cat character. If you create and name a domestic cat in our game, you’re welcome to take it elsewhere and do anything you damn well please with it! Again, so long as you credit any use of our images, and use none of our images commercially! Also, for clarity, we don’t own the concept of moth cats or cow cats, but our specific design elements in tandem with the breed titles are attributed to us. You’re totally free to make a moth cat design for your own use!

Are we allowed to trade art for beta keys with other users?

Yes.

Is offsite trading allowed?

For beta keys, yes, but at your own risk. Note that many games of our genre disallow cross-site trading with games in development, or altogether. We do not allow nor endorse disregarding the TOS of other games. We are considering an embargo on cross-site trading of cats, items, and site currency both during Beta and for a brief initial launch period. This is to help preserve the microcosm of our onsite economy and grow it to a healthy, prosperous size before introducing the possibility of cross-site scalping. We hope you understand this decision. We’ll keep forefront communication with Users on these policies during the game’s lifespan.

Can I sell my Kickstarter rewards for real-life currency?

No. This will never be allowed.

Can I trade my Kickstarter rewards for digital or physical art?

Yes. Art as a traded good would not be counted under the cross-site embargo. If any cross-site content is included in conditions of the trade, it would be considered illegal.

Will there be a safe way to exchange premium currency for regular currency with other players?

Two-step cross-account trading will be in place. Both players will have to approve a supposed trade before it will activate.

#paw borough #indie game #virtual pet #pet site #pet sim #petsite #faq

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mariacallous · 1 year ago

Text

For more than three weeks, Gaza has faced an almost total internet blackout. The cables, cell towers, and infrastructure needed to keep people online have been damaged or destroyed as Israel launched thousands of missiles in response to Hamas attacking Israel and taking hundreds of hostages on October 7. Then, this evening, amid reports of heavy bombing in Gaza, some of the last remaining connectivity disappeared.

In the days after October 7, people living in Gaza have been unable to communicate with family or friends, leaving them unsure whether loved ones are alive. Finding reliable news about events has become harder. Rescue workers have not been able to connect to mobile networks, hampering recovery efforts. And information flowing out of Gaza, showing the conditions on the ground, has been stymied.

As the Israel Defense Forces said it was expanding its ground operations in Gaza this evening, internet connectivity fell further. Paltel, the main Palestinian communications company, has been able to keep some of its services online during Israel’s military response to Hamas’ attack. However, at around 7:30 pm local time today, internet monitoring firm NetBlocks confirmed a “collapse” in connectivity in the Gaza Strip, mostly impacting remaining Paltel services.

“We regret to announce a complete interruption of all communications and internet services within the Gaza Strip,” Paltel posted in a post on its Facebook page. The company claimed that bombing had “caused the destruction of all remaining international routes.” An identical post was made on the Facebook page of Jawwal, the region’s biggest mobile provider, which is owned by Paltel. Separately, Palestinian Red Crescent, a humanitarian organization, said on X (formerly Twitter) that it had lost contact with its operation room in Gaza and is “deeply concerned” about its ability to keep caring for people, with landline, cell, and internet connections being inaccessible.

“This is a terrifying development,” Marwa Fatafta, a policy manager focusing on the Middle East and North Africa at the digital rights group Access Now, tells WIRED. “Taking Gaza completely off the grid while launching an unprecedented bombardment campaign only means something atrocious is about to happen.”

A WIRED review of internet analysis data, social media posts, and Palestinian internet and telecom company statements shows how connectivity in the Gaza Strip drastically plummeted after October 7 and how some buildings linked to internet firms have been damaged in attacks. Photos and videos show sites that house various internet and telecom firms have been damaged, while reports from official organizations, including the United Nations, describe the impact of people being offline.

Damaged Lines

Around the world, the internet and telecoms networks that typically give web users access to international video calls, online banking, and endless social media are a complicated, sprawling mix of hardware and software. Networks of networks, combining data centers, servers, switches, and reams of cables, communicate with each other and send data globally. Local internet access is provided by a mix of companies with no clear public documentation of their infrastructure, making it difficult to monitor the overall status of the system as a whole. In Gaza, experts say, internet connectivity is heavily reliant on Israeli infrastructure to connect to the outside world.

Amid Israel’s intense bombing of Gaza, physical systems powering the internet have been destroyed. On October 10, the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which oversees emergency responses, said air strikes “targeted several telecommunication installations” and had destroyed two of the three main lines of communications going into Gaza.

Prior to tonight’s blackout, internet connectivity remained but was “extremely slow and limited,” Access Now’s Fatafta says. People she has spoken to from Gaza say it could take a day to upload and send a few photos. “They have to send like 20 messages in order for one to go through,” Fatafta says. “They are desperately—especially for Gazans that live outside—trying to get through to their families.”

“Every time I try to call someone from family or friends, I try to call between seven to 10 times,” says Ramadan Al-Agha, a digital marketer who lives in Khan Yunis, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip. “The call may be cut off two or three times,” he told WIRED in a WhatsApp message before the latest outages. “We cannot access news quickly and clearly.” People in the region have simultaneously faced electricity blackouts, dwindling supplies of fuel used to power generators, and a lack of clean water, food, and medical supplies. “It is a humanitarian disaster,” Al-Agha says.

Connectivity in Gaza started to drop not long after Israel responded to the October 7 Hamas attack. Rene Wilhelm, a senior R&D engineer at the nonprofit internet infrastructure organization Ripe Network Coordination Center, says based on an analysis of internet routing data it collects that 11 Palestinian networks, which may operate both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, began to experience disruption after October 7. Eight of the networks were no longer visible to the global internet as of October 23, Wilhelm says. Ahead of this evening’s blackout, there was around 15 percent of normal connectivity, according to data from Georgia Tech’s Internet Outage Detection and Analysis project. That dropped to around 7 percent as reports of the blackout circulated.

One office belonging to Paltel in the Al Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City has been destroyed in the attacks, photos and videos show. Floors have been destroyed and windows blown away in the multistory building, and piles of rubble surround the entrances. (It is unclear what equipment the building housed or how many floors Paltel occupied.) Another internet provider, AlfaNet, is listed as being based in the Al-Watan Tower. The company posted to its Facebook page on October 8 that the tower had been destroyed and its services have stopped, with other online posts also saying the tower has been destroyed.

Multiple Palestinian internet and telecoms firms have said their services have been disrupted during the war, mostly posting to social media. Internet provider Fusion initially said its engineers were trying to repair its infrastructure, although it has since said this is not continuing. “The network was destroyed, and the cables and poles were badly damaged by the bombing,” it wrote on Facebook. JetNet said there had been a “sudden disruption” to access points. SpeedClick posted that the situation was out of its control. And HiNet posted that it has “no more to offer to ensure” people could stay online following “the attacks and destruction our internet servers have suffered.”

Across Paltel’s network on October 19, according to an update shared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 83 percent of fixed line users had been disconnected, with 53 percent of sites providing fixed line connections also being offline. Half of the company’s fiber optic internet lines in Gaza weren’t operational, the update says. The connectivity disappeared this evening, according to Paltel’s Facebook post, which says there has been a “complete interruption” of all its services. Paltel, AlfaNet, Fusion, and SpeedClick could not be reached or did not respond to requests for comment.

Lost Connections

In recent years, governments and authoritarian regimes have frequently turned to shutting down the internet for millions of people in attempts to suppress protests and curtail free speech. Targeting the communications networks is common during conflicts. During Russia's war in Ukraine, its forces have decimated communications networks, tried to take over the internet, and set up new mobile companies to control information flows. When Hamas first attacked Israel on October 7, it used drones to bomb communications equipment at surveillance posts along the borders of the Gaza Strip.

Monika Gehner, the head of corporate communications at the International Telecommunication Union, says the body is always “alarmed” by damage inflicted on any telecommunications infrastructure during conflicts. The ITU, the United Nations’ primary internet governance body, believes “efficient telecommunication services” are crucial to peace and international cooperation, and its secretary-general has called for respecting infrastructure in the Middle East, Gehner says.

Officials in Israel have consistently claimed they are targeting Hamas militants within Gaza, not civilians, while responding to the Hamas attacks, which killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. The Hamas-run Health Ministry within Gaza has said more than 7,000 people have been killed there and released a list of names. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces did not respond to WIRED’s questions about internet disruptions within Gaza.

Hanna Kreitem, a senior adviser for internet technology and development in the Middle East and North Africa at the Internet Society, an open internet advocacy nonprofit, says Palestinian firms have a “big reliance” on Israeli internet firms. “Palestinians are not controlling any of the ICT infrastructure,” says Mona Shtaya, a non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Mobile networks in the Gaza Strip rely on 2G technologies. Al-Agha, the digital marketer, shared a screenshot showing mobile internet speeds of 7.18 kilobytes per second; average mobile speeds in the US in 2022 were 24 megabits per second, according to mobile analytics firm Statista.

“The internet is vital in times of war in crises,” says Fatafta, the Access Now policy manager, who adds that there can be “terrible consequences” linked to connectivity blackouts. The UN’s OCHA said rescue workers have had a harder time “carrying out their mission” partly due to the “limited or no connection to mobile networks.” Al-Agha says he has lost some clients due to the disruptions. The lack of connectivity can obscure events that are happening on the ground, Fatafta says. News crews have told WIRED they have footage from the ground but are “losing the story because of the internet.”

Kreitem says that a lack of electricity and access to the equipment will have made an impact on top of any physical damage to communications networks. “We don't know how many of the people that actually operate these networks are still alive,” Kreitem says. “The network operators are part of the world there, there's no place for them to run. They are as affected as any other person.”

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