AO3 App Wars

The AO3 App Wars covers a series of fandom discussions surrounding the creation and use of third-party apps in connection with Archive of Our Own.
==Fanfic Pocket Archive Library==
On February 15, 2020, several fans began circulating posts on Tumblr and Twitter discussing Fanfic Pocket Archive Library, a third-party app developed by Simple Soft Alliance . Launched in 2015, the app allowed users to view Archive of Our Own pages inside the app's interface, offering users a dark mode view option, the ability to sort and filter, leave comments and kudos, and login to view restricted content. The app did not copy or host any of AO3 content but served as a 'parser' or "window" into the site, customized for mobile users. The app was offered on both the Google Play Store (Android) and the Apple Store (iOS).  
The app was offered for free, but it did contain ads and the developer asked for 'tips' to offset their costs. There also was an option to pay a monthly subscription fee of 99 cents for weekly fiction recommendations based on reading habits and likes.  The subscription was auto-renewable. By February 2020, the app had over 100,000 installs through the Google Play Store.link to Fanfic Pocket Archive Library dated Feb 16, 2020. According to the developer, the cost to develop and release the app was $2900 (US), while the app earned approximately $20 in ad revenue and $100 in donations over 5 years.
A series of Tumblr and Twitter posts went viral quickly, with most fans objecting to both the ads and subscription fees associated with the app. However, other fans argued that even if there were no ads or fees, the app violated their intellectual property rights, AO3's Terms of Service and transformative fandom community norms by allowing readers to view the AO3 website in an unapproved manner.[avannafruitgiver wrote]: "And even if it isn't monetized, it still really isn't cool to use anyone's work without permission, you know?"[rainofaugustsith wrote]: "....If the creator did not give permission for the work to be used, it shouldn't be used.""' both replying to   Unfortunately, at least one of the original viral posts inaccurately claimed that AO3 fanfic was being 'stolen" and 'copied' which then caused significant consternation leading to snowballing misinformation. Elizabeth Minkel observed that the high level of misinformation indicated a "total breakdown in knowledge about copyright law and basic web technologies" all the while ignoring the irony that fans' objections were "all carried out on large commercial platforms they use every day".
==Complaints Raised by Fans==
Complaints raised by fans included the statements that:
*The app was illegal.
*The app copied and reposted fanfic.
*The app 'stole' kudos, comments and hits because the app use would not show up in AO3 stats.
*The app violated intellectual property right of  fan creators by copying, reposting and distributing fanworks to other locations  without creator permission.
*The app's fees put fan creators, the AO3, and all of fandom at risk by giving studios incentive to target those who were eating into their profits.
*The app violated AO3's TOS by copying data to display it someplace else.
*The app violated AO3's TOS by scraping data even if the data was never displayed anywhere else.
*The app violated AO3's TOS and fan creators IP rights by allowing fans to download fic to their phones.
*The app did not offer any additional value - AO3 was web friendly and readers could easily download fic to their phones.
*The app's dark mode was not necessary because  fans could install other free extensions that offered dark modes.
*The app subverted AO3's warnings system so fans' apps could stay on iTunes and Google Play stores.
*The app's AO3 login feature  was an attempt to steal users personal information.
*The app's AO3 login feature violated AO3's Terms of Service (because the only way to log into AO3 was through a sanctioned browser like Chrome or Firefox).
*The app developer was getting rich from the free labor of fans.
*The app was poorly designed  .
*The OTW was at fault for not suing third-party app makers and protecting their IP.
==The OTW's Formal Response==
On Feb 17, 2020, OTW Legal posted a formal response to two third-party apps, stating that while they could not act on behalf of the fan creators, fan writers could submit  formal DMCA notices against the developed and also report them to the Google Play and Apple iOs Stores.
The announcement did not address whether a DMCA notice would be effective against a 'browser' app (one that merely offered a window or interface with the AO3 website). This may have had to do with the fact that at least one other app  by Woodsign may have been scraping and hosting fic which would be subject to a DMCA claim.This disconnect was originally pointed out by AO3 staff members before OTW Legal  made their public announcement. 
OTW Legal's announcement  also did not  discuss whether the creation and operation of  both apps violated AO3's Terms of Service, although in the comments they discussed that the scraping and gathering of data from AO3 was permissible as long as it did not interfere with the function of the archive.  
A day later, the OTW did clarify that linking, framing and embedding of web content was not infringing in the comments. Presumably, the AO3 Terms of Service permitted this basic aspect of Internet operability, although that was not specifically addressed.
The developer had in fact been in contact with OTW Legal earlier in 2017 where they received permission to 'parse' or create an app that offered a window onto AO3. Her 2017 posts did not make it clear whether the OTW had given permission for the app's subscription fees or ad revenue, but OTW did warn them against using a GUI that mimicked AO3 design and color scheme which were trademarked.
In any event, to many, OTW's permission or the legality of parsing was moot:
A few fans pointed out that there were potential risks to fans when submitting a DMCA, especially if they used their real names and contact info which was then passed along to the app developer. This last point was not lost on fans and some offered to serve as agents in order to submit DMCA notices on their behalf so their real identities could be concealed.
==Groundswell, and Some Dogpiling==
What followed was a groundswell of fan activity across Twitter and Tumblr with fans posting guides how to submit DMCA notices against all 4 app developers, how to contact Google Play and Apple store to file complaints, and submit 1 star reviews (and the vote for them) to drive down app ratings. Because the developers listed their emails on the app store, fans were encouraged to spam the developers inbox. One app, Fanfic Pocket Archive Library had been launched by a friend of the developer and fans quickly located both their Twitter and Tumblr accounts to send complaints directly to her.jewelsrulz wrote: "This piece of shit has a tumblr account too, unofficialao3app. Go tell them what you think... don't forget the @ in front. I didn't want to put it there because I don't want them to receive a notification." in response to Others reblogged her older posts calling her a "piece of shit,"[tomboyish75 said]: I don’t normally curse but ur a piece of shit for taking hard work from authors that spent hours on end creating these stories. See "scum", a leech and parasite",.caffiend-queen wrote: Using this app is supporting a parasite who is indeed profiting off our original work" in a reply to [thekingparrot said] AO3 is a Hugo Prize winning platform run by and funded by volunteers, and here you are making money by piggy backing on it. You are a parasite. as a note to a 2018 post Chasheha-wing wrote that they were glad her app had been removed, that she had failed and that she had suffered. Other comments: You don’t deserve to have a fucking app you fucking thief", "Yeah no, shut the fuck up and delete your app", and Delete your fucking app and account you scum fuck.See cassandranoellewinchester's Feb 2020 reply to the developer's Dec 2018 tumblr post and greedisathot reply to a 2018 post
Even a test post of the developer holding a coffee cup elicited public harassment:
*dark-willow-vengeful-witch reblogged this from riya2002 and added: Why don’t you test the palms of our hands, you fucking parasite. Dung beetles do more good for this world than you ever...
*savvysass reblogged this from riya2002 and added: Test test idk what ur doing but dont come back on this site. Get out.
*maindeckdeathtoymonsters reblogged this from riya2002 and added: Piss off you fucking asshole
A person with a similar sounding gmail account received a barrage of emails
Because the developer claimed that they posted the app through a friend, Sergey Pekar, there was initially some confusion over their gender with artemisastarte writing: "I don't want it available through an app making money for anyone. Particularly not a male" and "I will be removing all my work from AO3 if this man is allowed to continue. How do we stop him?" replies to ivyblossom's 
Away from the developer's blog, authors announced they were locking their fanfics to prevent readers from accessing fic through the apps (even though several apps allowed logged in readers to view locked fic) and offered up invites to readers who wanted to read locked fic. A few authors deleted their fanfic from AO3 and others stated they would not longer write any more fic because of the app.A writer left this comment on an earlier 2018 blog post: diztastik said: Thanks to you I’m never writing another fic again. You stole my work without my permission and I’ll never let that happen again. Enjoy whatever content you got from me that I can’t take because you’ll get nothing else from me. in a reply to By Feb xx, all 4 apps had been removed from the Google Play and Apple iOS stores and fans declared victory. Several posted memes celebrating the removal of the apps: one meme known as "Shut The Fuck Up Liberal" showed crabs shooting each other with lasersThis image originated from far right and far left communities who used it to simulate their destruction of liberals. and another that declared that "The evil has been defeated."
Or, as another fan summed up their feelings:
==Other Unrelated Apps==
At the time of the Feb 2020 debate there was at least 3 other AO3 app developers - Archive Track Reader, FluffAO3,  and Woodsign.  By Feb 18 2020, all 3 apps were removed from the Google Play Store and/or Apple iOS Store, presumably because they were the subject of similar DMCA notices.
===Archive Track Reader===
Archive Track Readerarchived version on the Play Store and developed by Alexis Ryan allowed users to track what they had read on AO3, synced their reading locations across multiple devices and also organized stories in order of completion by pairing in a tab system. It was offered for free, without ads and the source code was also freely offered on GitHub. An added advantage was that even readers without an AO3 account could bookmark their favorite stories. Several users begged fans to not report the free app, but their argument fell on deaf ears after the app was included on the list that fans were asked to target with DMCA and app store complaints. Some have argued that Archive Track Reader was removed from the Google Play store around Feb 6, well before the flurry of mid-February DMCA and app store complaints. However while Feb 6 was the last date the app page was crawled Google, fans were still recommending the app through mid-February in response to the criticism of the other paid apps. As of Feb 15, 2020 the app no longer appeared in the Google Play store.See and 
To many fans the fact that a not-for profit, fan created app had been caught in the DMCA frenzy was irrelevant and if any blame should be assigned, it should be to those apps that did charge fees or that had allowed ads:
===FluffAO3===
FluffAO3  by S. Tan was launched in October 2019 and offered both an ad free and a premium version.  Fluff Premium was a monthly subscription  for $1.99 /month and enabled  "unique themes and other app-friendly features." and  One app tracking site estimates that it had over 20k downloads.
Features listed
 
===Woodsign===
This was a collection of apps by a company called Woodsign j.d.o.o. and were available through the Apple app store. 
*Harry Potter Fan Fiction
*P.J. Fan Fiction
*K-POP Fan Fiction
*Bulletproof Boys Scout / ARMY
*1D Fan Fiction
*MCU Fan Fiction
*Fantastic Beasts Fan Fiction
*Sherlock Homes Fan Fiction
*Slashfic
*TWD Fan Fiction
*Real Person Fiction.
The app developers claimed their apps selected "the most popular fics from fandoms". They then prompted users to pay a fee to view more content. OTW Legal concluded that these apps were copying and rehosting fanfiction vs. Fanfiction Reader Archive Library which offered a window into the AO3 website.
==Codex Reader==
Codex Reader was an Android app launched around 2015 that allowed fans to read fanfiction from FF.Net, AO3 and FictionPress. It was removed from the Google Play store in 2018. There was only an ad supported version.
==Reactions==
[need more reactions, especially ones that discuss the accuracy of the complaints raised above] 
Many fan reactions were muddied by the fact that people were often simultaneously talking about different apps which differed from one another in both function as well as pricing. Few fans understood the breadth of the discussion or the number of apps involved, so where possible we will indicate which app they may have been discussing.
Arguments against third-party apps
*The app was illegal
**Many pointed out that no criminal laws were broken .
*The app copied and reposted fanfic
**OTW Legal stated that the Woodsign apps may have copied and rehosted/rehosted fanfic. Others pointed out that AO3Fluff, Archive Track Reader and Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library did not. In comments to their Feb 18 post, OTW Legal clarified that linking, framing and embedding content (which is what the latter 3 app allegedly did) was not copyright infringement, but as always, the final determination would depend on the specific of each app.
[Regarding Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library]:
*The app 'stole' kudos, comments and hits because the app use would not show up in AO3 stats
**Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library allows users to leave comments and kudos, although the app was buggy. AO3Fluff claimed to do the same. It is unclear if Woodsign transferred over the kudos and comments
[Regarding Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library]:
[Regarding Archive Track Reader]
*The app violated AO3's TOS and fan creators IP rights by allowing fans to download fic to their phones
**AO3 allows fans to download fic to their phones, tablets, laptops, desktops in a wide variety of formats and the 3 apps Archive Track Reader, Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library, and AO3Fluff all linked to the AO3 download option
[Regarding Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library]:
*The OTW was at fault for not suing third party app makers and protecting their IP
**The OTW explained that because they did not own the copyrights to the fanfiction they host, legal action like a DMCA could only be done by the authors. This led several fans to lash out at the OTW
[Regarding all apps, even the non-profit/free ones]
==Reactions to the Reactions==
A few fans attempted to clarify the difference between a parser interface vs hosting, app functionality, and the process of developing apps but were often faced  with hostility.;   
Several fans called on fandom to report and purge any and all apps or services that would allow readers to interface with or view AO3 through any tool other than a commercial web browser like Chrome or Firefox.
 
Others were worried about the conflation of a small developer with large commercial exploitation:
Some called for more thoughtful engagement with developers, focusing on the ones that were renosting and charging fees and not reporting apps that were offering what was essentially a custom window to AO3:
Others took a wider view of the controversy, comparing to an epidemiological 'moral panic' that periodically sweeps through fandom communities:
==Collateral Damage  and Unintended Consequences==
Many fans pointed out that the vehemence and indiscriminate targeting of all third-party apps could and would have a chilling impact on both developers and fellow fans.
Disabled fans were concerned that the negative reaction to any third-party apps would limit their access:
Many were dismayed when their accessibility needs were not only dismissed by fellow community members but also the factual functionality of accessibility apps was ignored
==Sample App Reviews==
===Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library (posted on the Apple iOS store, now offline)===
Posted after the Feb 2020 controversy
Posted in 2017
 
===FluffAO3 (posted on the Apple iOS store, now offline)===
A few of the more recent reviews were archived on appgroves. 
===Archive Track Reader (posted in the Google Play Store, now offline)===
Posted in the Microsoft Store
==Flashpoint Origin==
Fans had been using all 4 apps since they were launched, tweeting and blogging about the pluses and minuses of the apps. Many thought these were official apps, even though AO3Fluff, Archive Track Reader and Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library all contained statements that they were 'unofficial".
On Feb 14, JGGKSTAE asked: "am i the only one who uses [AO3Fluff] app for ao3 fics ??" in response to a fan stating that they "never downloaded fics from ao3 and always read from website."
kzabrekker announced the same day that "this is just my unprofessional opinion but i think society is collapsing bc we don’t have an official ao3 app yet" When someone suggested Archive Track Reader, they were told that there was no official AO3 app. Another fan suggested Fanfic Reader Pocket Library.
Also on Feb 14, 1lostone reported on Tumblr that they had found an app called Woodsign that demanded payment to unlock stories on AO3. The blog post was linked in fail-fandomanon on the following day, February 15, and other nonnies suggested that the app be reported to Google and Apple.
On the morning of February 15, 2020, lexical_dreamer posted about Fanfic Pocket Archive Library on their Twitter. They included screenshots of the app:
Also on February 15, 2020 winchestersingerautorepairs raised the alarm on their Tumblr:
==Additional Reading==
==References==
Category:Archive_of_Our_Own
Category:2020 Events