Japanese creator platform Fantia has issued a public apology after creators heavily criticized the company’s newly announced censorship guideline changes, with many users accusing the platform of tightening rules to appeal to a larger overseas audience.
The backlash intensified after Fantia announced a major upgrade to its automatic translation system almost immediately after unveiling far stricter mosaic and censorship requirements for creators.
Many creators online argued the timing made it appear Fantia was aggressively sanitizing content specifically to expand internationally while simultaneously exposing Japanese creators to stricter moderation standards.
In response, Fantia posted a follow-up statement apologizing for how the situation was communicated:
“To Fantia creators,
Alongside the guideline revisions, we deeply apologize for causing discomfort through additional communications that lacked sufficient consideration while creators are already facing significant burdens.
To reiterate, regarding past works, reviews will be conducted sequentially after the revision date.
If content does not comply with the guidelines, the management side will temporarily make the content private and send a correction request.
Since confirmation and response by the management side may take time, in order for creators to continue safely publishing their works, we would appreciate it if you could gradually review and correct high-priority works first.
Additionally, the translation feature update had already been planned and under development long before this, and has no relation to the guideline revisions.
Once again, we apologize for repeating this notice, but these revisions are important and highly urgent due to strict legal guidance we have received.
We sincerely ask for your understanding and cooperation in helping creators avoid legal risks.”
The controversy exploded because shortly before this apology, Fantia had announced a large expansion of its automatic translation tools intended to help overseas users support Japanese creators more easily.
Under the update, creator posts, plan descriptions, and product summaries that previously were not translatable would now automatically translate into English, Chinese, and Korean.
Fantia insisted the translation update was unrelated to the censorship changes, but many English-speaking Twitter users were skeptical due to how closely the announcements were timed together:
Even the aforementioned apology tweet was overflowing with similar comments from Japanese users.
The platform had already come under intense criticism after announcing new censorship standards requiring mosaics strong enough that “the original form of the target cannot be visually recognized.” Creators were also warned that weak blur, transparent mosaics, and partial bar censorship would no longer be accepted.
Man, you gotta love Japanese businesses. Just issue an apology in corpo speak, blame someone else, and you’re good-to-go. What is anyone going to do about it? SUE?
first they bend the knee, now they bend their backs. how fitting.
Yep, and of course, they aren’t walking it back.
100% this was done to target an “international audience” as people are speculating. Why the f♥♥k would some new translation s♥♥t on the site just immediately pop up the instant they announced more censorship? Too fucking convenient lmfao
Hope they fucking rot
The site’s been global for quite a while now given their “select your language” page.
Yes, but the updated AI/MTL translations were done immediately following the new censorship guidelines, it’s just too convenient at this point.
Watch them make it easier to use visa/mastercard on the site now
At this point, the damage is already done, and it’s too late. If I were you, I’d stay the fuc-k away from Fantia.
Don’t forget that although they apologized they did not revert their new plans for the censorship.
Imagine thinking that overseas audiences are going to pay for censored works when they can see uncensored stuff for free already. Typical Japanese delusion. This is why they’re somehow managing to lose to China and Korea, despite those countries not really being that much better, either. China has heavy censorship too but at least they don’t pretend otherwise.
Taiwan is the real competition. They have no censorship but a similar anime culture.