[Graphic by Juliettia]
I’ve never really been involved with EdenFantasys, but I thought it might be beneficial for my readers to know what has been going on with them, in case you shop or write there. You might want to reconsider doing so.
If anyone has other links you think I should include here, or if some of my information is inaccurate and you wish to correct me, please leave me a comment.
EdenFantasys History of Fail(s)
2008
- Sexblog giant Always Aroused Girl works on blogging & PR projects for EF, but is refused payment for her work, and so sues her employer and dukes it out in court, with little success.
- Another sexblog giant, Essin’ Em, works on developing a reviewer program and bringing in new products to the site. Her employer gives her a hard time when she leaves an IM conversation with him to take care of a friend who was just beaten up by her husband, then berates her for not mentioning EF in an interview she gave which had nothing to do with the company, and doesn’t pay her her affiliate commissions in a timely manner.
- EF agrees to sponsor the 2009 NYC Sexblog Calender, then backs out at the last minute.
- The Google Spreadsheet that contains reviewers’ confidential information (full name, physical address, along with their blog name and URL) is made public due to an ex-employee’s fuck up. EF claims that using Google Spreadsheets is not how they typically run their business, which Essin’ Em points out to be a blatant lie.
2010
- That Toy Chick blogs about how she was also forced to legally fight for pay that was her right.
- Epiphora, one of the most prolific sextoy bloggers out there, is banned from EF’s forums for no apparent reason. EF says that she was banned for “drama, rudeness and overall negativity”, but it appears that she was banned merely for stating her honest opinion. She was banned without being contacted about it first, without any of her posts being flagged, and EF goes on to publicly humiliate her in their forums under the guise of “being transparent.” One contributor decides to leave EF for good over this issue, and a whole bunch of posts are written in Epiphora’s support:
~ Essin’ Em: EdenFantasys, Not a Place I Trust
~ AAG: Problems with EdenFantasys, Take Nine Thousand
~ Garnet: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
~ Britni: Bad Move, EdenFantasys
~ The Blogging Slave: EdenFantasys.com Debacle
~ Toys in Love: When Push comes to Shove…
~ Woman’s Tribune: Eden Fantasys, A Sex Shop No One Can Trust
~ Erosblog: Edenfantasys.com Shoots Itself in the Balls… Again
- Maymay, who runs Maybe Maimed, Kink on Tap and Male Submission Art, and who also happens to be a professional computer programmer, discovers that EF’s linking practices are unethical. (This post has been cross-posted here, here, here, here and here, and Maymay is encouraging people to re-post the entire entry, or excerpts of it, in case he gets a Cease and Desist notice.) Basically, EF pretends to link back to its reviewers, contributors, people who they’ve done link-exchanges with, even companies whose products they sell… but they actually don’t. The links don’t work. This prevents others from getting traffic from all of EF’s sites, and ensures that EF will appear higher in Google search results. Google specifically points out that behavior like this is unethical. In his post, Maymay also outlines actions you can take in response to this. You can report EF to Google here.
Internet sex toy retailer Web Merchants, Inc., which bills itself as the “sex shop you can trust” and does business under the name EdenFantasys, has implemented technology on their websites that actively interferes with contributors’ content, intercepts outgoing links, and alters republished content so that links in the original work are redirected to themselves. Using techniques widely acknowledged as unethical by Internet professionals and that are arguably in violation of major search engines’ policies, EdenFantasys’s publishing platform has effectively outsourced the task of “link farming” (a questionable Search Engine Marketing [SEM] technique) to sites with which they have “an ongoing relationship,” such as AlterNet.org, other large news hubs, and individual bloggers’ blogs.
Articles published on EdenFantasys websites, such as the “community” website SexIs Magazine, contain HTML crafted to look like links, but aren’t. When visited by a typical human user, a program written in JavaScript and included as part of the web pages is automatically downloaded and intercepts clicks on these “link-like” elements, fetching their intended destination from the server and redirecting users there. Due to the careful and deliberate implementation, the browser’s status bar is made to appear as though the link is legitimate, and that a destination is provided as expected.
For non-human visitors, including automated search engine indexing programs such as Googlebot, the “link” remains non-functional, making the article a search engine’s dead-end or “orphan” page whose only functional links are those whose destination is EdenFantasys’s own web presence. This makes EdenFantasys’ website(s) a self-referential black hole that provides no reciprocity for contributors who author content, nor for any website ostensibly “linked” to from article content. At the same time, EdenFantasys editors actively solicit inbound links from individuals and organizations through “link exchanges” and incentive programs such as “awards” and “free” sex toys, as well as syndicating SexIs Magazine content such that the content is programmatically altered in order to create multiple (real) inbound links to EdenFantasys’s websites after republication on their partner’s media channels.
A similar slew of posts crop up in response:
~ She Posts: EdenFantasys Accused of Hoarding Links
~ Rayne: We’re Just Waiting, Hoping… Giving the Benefit of the Doubt
~ Sarah Sloane: Beyond Disgusted… Partly with Myself
~ Figleaf: Web Merchants, Inc and EdenFantasys Unfortunate, Unethical, Link-Hiding Policies
~ Menstrual Poetry: EdenFantasys: Crumbling Community
- Britni posts to EF’s forums, linking to Maymay’s entry. The post is removed in less than a day. So much for EF being transparent! Luckily, both Britni and AAG took screencaps of the forum thread.
- EF posts a response to Maymay’s entry, which basically reads: bullshit, bullshit, placating-PR-speak, more bullshit. They claim that they’re using linking practices that many other big websites use, in order to prevent viral links. Hmm.
- Maymay explains why, exactly, their explanation is bullshit. (Cross-posted here.) (More information can be found here.)
- When EF forum members start questioning EF’s practices, voicing their concern, or, in some instances, doing nothing at all, EF responds by locking their accounts and deleting threads and posts, even though they claim to support freedom of speech and claim to not censor their membership. Again, with no warning or contacting of the members who posted the comments in question.
~ Britni: EF Continues to Dig its Own Grave
~ Woman Tribune: EdenFantasys: A Sex Shop No One Can Trust
~ DarlingDove: What I Tried to Say On EF
~ Forum Discussion Screenshot via Mistress Kay uploaded by AAG
~ Forum Discussion Screenshot via Of Sex and Law uploaded by AAG
- EF explains that they are disabling these accounts and posts as a “cooling off period.” They go on to add a FAQ thread, where they elaborate more on the locked accounts, as well as their linking practices, claiming that “there has never been an intention, or agreement, or any commitment to link back to a writer,” “there is nothing illegal or even suspicious in our business practices” and “if you read negative posts about us, look a few lines below or to the side, you will always find our competition’s promos,” none of which makes any sense.
- Sex educator and writer Violet Blue comments that EF may be looking at a reputation crisis, and says she will be writing more about the scandal shortly. Tristan Taormino re-tweets about the debacle, and sex toy stores such as myticklespot begin commenting on it, as well.
- In spite of it all, a number of people are deciding to stay with EF because of other factors.
There’s a good amount of discussion, re-tweeting, etc going on on Twitter under the hashtags #EFLies, #EdensFallacy and #EdensFucked.
Epiphora has put together a (much more well-written) post about these events, with more past-employee-horror-stories, here.
To summarize: the biggest issue some people are taking with EF is that they claim to want to foster a community, but their actions indicate that they could care less.
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25 Responses to Link Roundup: Eden Fantasys? More like Epic Fail
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Certainly seems like they might have standard business practices that are not what they seem!
One correction – while I was *on* the Editorial staff of Sexis for about half a year, I was never the main editor. During my entire tenure, that position was held by The Snarling Misanthrope, aka Matthew Lewis. He did an amazing job of reaching out to new writers and developing relationships with them, and is a big part of the reason why SexIs has the professional writing cachet that is has today.
thanks, sarah.
The biggest issue of all here is the level of damage control. Gary outright stated that they DO NOT censor, yet as of now 5 posts have been deleted today alone, plus two threads locked and one up and eaten by the feared thread eating monster. I call BULLSHIT on everything that WHOLE staff has to say. It is no longer the higher ups, they are all horrible for standing behind this.
[...] started reviewing for Eden after most of the drama that’s being brought up again had died down, so even if I read all of what Eden has to say [...]
[...] an explanation, as you’ve made it clear you owe NO ONE a truthful explanation for anything. We’re all just lying right? [...]
BetterSex.com has also noticed and posted a blog about the issues as well. (http://www.bettersexnetwork.com/blog/better-sex-loves-you) In case you’re trying to keep updated. Also, thanks for adding me to your list and using my graphic!
.-= Juliettia´s last blog ..EdenFallacys =-.
LOVE IT. And you totally read my mind with the “History of Fail” thing. I wanted to use that. DAMN YOU. Not really. This post is awesome.
.-= Epiphora´s last blog ..Squeeze some VixSkin winner! =-.
*is damned*
With the way EF is practicing, it is certainly going to get coverage on Google and not for its ‘sex toys’ but instead for its disgusting way of handling their business with other bloggers and reviewers. This really is an appalling act and I had a good chuckle at the above image of letting it be known of their true fallacy. Thanks for letting it be known Wilhelmina Wang.
.-= MissMarguerite´s last blog ..Death Is Only The Beginning… =-.
[...] A nice and complete chronology of linkage (all of it real and original, of course!!) to all of the gramd EpicFAIL that is EdenFantasys can be found at Heartbreak Nymphomania. [...]
[...] has published a Link Round-Up : Eden Fantasy’s, More Like Epic FAIL on her website Heart Break [...]
You realize you pushed EF to remove the forum posts and trouble makers. When all you bitches were going on and on about the wanna-be epiphora and her “tragic” removal from the forums, a few of you were using this to air your own grievances against EF. AAG and TTC have their own issues. When you were stomping your feet and sticking out your bottom lip about how unfair it was, you never stopped to realize that YOU were the ones starting trouble to begin with. Sad really…
Your sense of entitlement and lack of forethought by leaving the equivalent of a rotten dog turd on EF’s front yard (forums) really doesn’t do much to help your case AND you expect them to just leave it there to attract flies? Grow up little girls.
Then last week with the link thing? This really only affects wannabe bloggers and their desire for recognition in a single search engine and hence (in their bi-celled minds) the world. I can’t imagine manufacturers or distributors getting upset about this…they get links to their sites and sales. The people without jobs who sit at home and write shit about what they’re owed, well…you don’t get a Google point. Go down to McDonalds and apply already. They have 401k you know.
i don’t really get what you’re trying to argue with regards to the links… but as for the “bitching”, did you even read my post all the way through? many people asked intelligent questions and left non-threatening comments, in a mature and respectful manner, but were censored anyway. and it appears that some forum participants were blocked from their accounts merely by association with epiphora or others in question, without even having said anything. this doesn’t seem at all fair to me, especially when EF’s forum expectations of conduct state things like “no one should have to fear backlash for sharing their opinions,” “we strongly support freedom of speech,” and “disagreements or debates are fine, even expected.” they’re simultaneously encouraging people to speak up, and then penalizing them when they actually do.
you don’t realize how much EF is shitting on *us*, the blog community. all of this complaining is in response to disrespectful and outright unethical actions that EF took. don’t even *try* to blame us for starting the “trouble.” EF is merely reaping what it sowed.
i really don’t appreciate your condescending tone. if anyone is acting like an immature “little girl” here, it’s you.
also, posting this comment under “anon”? way to go. no, really, that’s not cowardly at all.
So, you were “politely” accusing them of fraud?
If were were really concerned (generic “you”), why not go PRIVATELY to an EF staffer and ask? By posting publicly you were basically calling out EF in their own yard. The creation of the post, in an of itself, was creating an unpleasant atmosphere. It wasn’t the first either. I know I was intimidated to voting higher on their reviews just to protect my small rating (at the time).
As big as the internet is, this bloggerette group is pretty small and easily traceable and your tweets are PUBLIC. It would be ignorant of EF to NOT follow up on such public dissenters. If some of the dissenters where agreeing off site, wouldn’t it make sense to hold them accountable for stuff they say?
Cowardly? Sorry, not biting. Try a different bait.
i’m pointing out what i observed EF to have done.
since i’ve never been involved with EF and have pretty much been a bystander to all of this, i haven’t been in direct contact with EF. if i wanted to delve into this further, you’re right, it would be responsible for me to ask. but other bloggers, such as Maymay and Epiphora, *have* been in direct contact with EF. AAG, TTC and Essin’ Em also *worked* for EF. you can read about those correspondences in the posts i point out above. EF has also shared their side of the story on their forums.
it makes sense from EF’s perspective as a business for them to want to try and cover their asses. they fucked up, and now they’re trying to shove that under the rug. all of this is bad press for them and it’s damaging to their reputation, so their reaction is logical, but i don’t think it’s *right*. by blocking people, they’re being hypocritical. they’re showing that they care more about maintaining a good image than they do about the “community” they apparently are trying so hard to foster.
i think EF should have engaged dissenters, instead of trying to remove them from the equation, and made moves to fix the problems that people were pointing out. i think they shouldn’t have removed people’s truthful comments, or put up a dishonest explanation, or tried to get away with continuing their unethical linking practices.
you want to talk about accountability? EF is obviously trying to avoid accountability for *their* actions.
.-= Wilhelmina´s last blog ..Link Roundup: Eden Fantasys? More like Epic Fail =-.
i just got what you were saying about the links.
links *do* affect companies and manufacturers, as maymay pointed out. links back generate traffic and publicity for these manufacturers. by ensuring that the links don’t work, EF is denying companies that. EF isn’t just doing this to contributors, but to the companies *whose products they are selling*, as well.
you clearly have no conception of social collateral. the way bloggers get readers, recognition, and a reputation is through blog traffic. it’s shitty of EF to be all “write for our magazine!”, and give people the false expectation that they’ll get traffic and exposure through it, and then turn around and pull sneaky shit like this.
By saying that AAG and I “have our own issues”, I sincerely hope you meant we had a right to take issue with the company, and not issues defined as defects.
You must not feel very strongly about the things you’re saying if you continually refuse to give your identity. I’d be genuinely curious to know if it’s the fact that you privately believe EF to be in the wrong but have a problem with the women speaking here, or if it’s the fact that you work for a large company that stands to lose business with EF if this PR problem isn’t “handled” via passive-aggressive postings.
I worked, physically, in that office, for a year. If anyone has a right to condemn or support the hub of the machine, it’s me. While some may take more offense to the current chain of events than others, I feel that EF is getting back the karma it deserves for the systematic degradation, belittling, and disposable attitude it has kept in place for many members of its staff over the time I’ve been aware of it. Sour grapes? Call it what you will. If it was only me, if others hadn’t reached out for support out of the blue, if they hadn’t – unasked – steered yet others my direction for additional support, I might doubt myself. My social network, however, tells me beyond a shadow of a doubt I made the right choice.
My true hope in all of this is that one day, hopefully in the near future, a buyer will step forward and take the reins back from what could be, but for its owners and their actions, a very good company. Take out the rotten apples and the rest of the bushel flourishes.
big surprise! My comment is awaiting moderation…hypocrisy who??
uh, i’m not *constantly* on the internet, and when a comment comes from a new IP address, i have to approve it first.
[...] Wang’s Link Roundup offers even more on the epic fail, but if I am ever going to get ready for my Retreat this coming [...]
[...] From Heartbreak Nymphomania [...]
Please add me to your list of bloggers who have written about this and will be boycotting EF from now on. http://bdsm-sexperts.blogspot.com/2010/07/edens-fantasy-dilemma-or-why-im-through.html and I’m joining the boycott! Thanks for letting us know!
I do NOT trust eden anymore and I have only been on it for only about 2 months!! They treat you like shit. Especially Kristi, Mistress Kay and Victoria. They remind me of internet Nazi’s!
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