Forum - View topicThe SPJA Needs to Change Its Youth Protection Policy
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samuelp
Industry Insider
Posts: 2246 Location: San Antonio, USA |
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I'm really shocked they actually attempted to apply this policy to INVITED GUESTS. Wouldn't the very fact that they were... you know... invited, imply that Anime Expo wants them there and that they have properly weighed the background of the people they invite? Vendors apply themselves to attend and anyone who ponies up the cash can get the booth space, but guests? And god forbid a background check of a guest turns up something... THEN what? Anime Expo contacts the agency that arranged the guest, and goes like "oh yeah, about that guest we invited from your agency, we found out an ex-wife of his has a restraining order from 5 years ago so we've decided to uninvite him from attending. Can we have our $5000 back please? THNX." Yeah right! Are the people who tried to implement this policy THAT divorced from the reality of what it takes to actually cultivate relations with the industry? |
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Ami Love
Posts: 2 |
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Since someone wanted to know how background check can be flawed, here's an example. In west Virginia, if anybody files a mental hygiene warrant on you, you're automatically committed and evaluated after a short hearing. And it is put on your permanent record so you no longer pass a background check and can't buy a gun even if the professionals say there is nothing wrong with you. My cousin's soon to be ex husband had his sister file one on my cousin. He abused her in unspeakable ways and then to show he still had control over her, he had her being evaluated for a week. The only thing wrong with her is she is traumatized and suffering ptsd because of him. Now she has a mark on her record that says someone say her as a threat to others.
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CorneredAngel
 Posts: 854 Location: New York, NY |
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At least for speakers/panelists, we're yet to see a contract of any kind. And I have gotten several e-mails promising that one will be coming soon. |
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DJStarstryker
 Posts: 140 |
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It would be bad for vendors, but (not all but) many will still come because they rely on the income.
The biggest problem for background checks IMO is when it comes to everyone else. Even if AX decides to pay the background check fees for panelists, volunteers, staff, pro cosplayers, and guests, there will be ones who are insulted by the idea of even having to do this and giving up some of their privacy. Panelists, volunteers, staff, pro cosplayers, and guests are in a sense doing more for the AX than even the vendors are - they are providing a service to the convention. They are providing entertainment or (in staff/volunteer's case) helping the con itself run. |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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I was mainly wondering about vendor contracts, since those (presumably) have already been signed and paid. ie. unless this was spec'd out over a YEAR ago and put into the contracts given to vendors, it seems like they couldn't REALLY (legally) enact this until next year without risking breach of contract issues. |
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Project.2501
Posts: 5 |
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As a vendor going on 6 years now here's my take on it.
With my 3 booths, and more than 10 employees Anime Expo will now cost me an extra $500-$750. Some of you might be thinking that we're there to make money but take into account how many sales that just cost my company, and how I will either have to a) raise prices or b) cut back in order to compensate for the loss. We did try to cut back and cancel when the announcement and contract addendum was sent to us via email but were told we were past the refund deadline and if we canceled our booth we would lose all of the money we spent on it. So they essentially strong-armed us into agreeing to the new terms, or forfeiting the thousands of dollars we have paid for our booth space. It's beyond disrespectful, it's downright insulting. The other vendors and artists I have spoken to are also insulted that we're being perceived as the criminals here, while any child molester can still purchase a weekend badge without issue. I'm all for safety at conventions, but this is not protection for attendees, this is protection for the SPJA. Honestly, Their decision to spring this so close to the event, and when they still have not hired a CEO reeks of someone behind the scenes pulling the strings. That is what has me worried about Anime Expo, and probably is what will keep me from bringing my business back in 2017. Last edited by Project.2501 on Mon May 16, 2016 2:50 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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fryguy81
 Posts: 29 |
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Security theater is the truest description of this kind of thing.
It's the appearance of doing something without actually doing anything. The people that would be required to submit themselves to a background screening aren't the ones that would be doing this anyway. It's in the attendees. Total strangers that simply walk in, a face in the crowd. Expecting any organization or facility to provide perfect security in any measure is recipe for disaster. Yes, there should be security there but to burden anyone with this kind of financial responsibility and bureaucratic hassle for no reason other than to give the illusion of safety is unreasonable. Cons are too big to police at this level and you're effectively penalizing the people who are their to make a living, selling their latest wares, promoting their upcoming stuff, or just interacting with their fans. All the while, they are not the problem. It's up to the individual to provide their safety. It's the price of freedom: constant vigilance. Yes it would be nice to go to any public event and be free of worry, but that just won't happen. Go in groups. Never go along anywhere. Always have your children with you and never let them wander off. Because all the security checks and personnel are not going to keep you safe. To believe it will, is to invite danger. As for cost, vendors go to cons where they can maximize their profits. If they break even, they don't come back (let alone, wind up in a hole). Any added cost will cut into those profits and what you may see is a massive reduction in vendors at a con. And vendors are a huge part of where a con makes it's money back. If the vendors go, how many attendees will stop going. Not everyone comes for the stars. All of these have to be considered. Everyone wants to be safe, but this entire action is the wrong way to go about it. |
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Utsuro no Hako
Posts: 1052 |
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But AX isn't in Japan. If a guest tries to buy something at the con with a hundred dollar bill, is the vendor supposed to not check it?
Not relevant here since the AX policy is specifically looking for convictions for violent or sex-related crimes, particularly against children. Committal, grand theft or embezzlement won't get you kicked out. |
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meruru
Posts: 475 |
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The one time I went to AX, it seemed way too big and the organizers not foresightful enough to manage something that big. Seems like nothing had changed.
It seems dumb because if you make attending as a guest too annoying, people just won't show up. Especially international guests. What do they care about an American convention? It doesn't make them money, they just do it for the fans and to have a good time themselves. You know what doesn't seem like a good time? Paying people to snoop into your personal background. |
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VanGosroth
 Posts: 299 |
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Guess those people will just have to sign up as guests or just hang around the common areas outside the exhibition that don't require badges to get in. This really isn't going to accomplish anything other than allowing the company who runs the con to throw up their hands and free themselves of responsibility AFTER a crime has been committed. "We ran a background check and it came back fine! We did everything we could have done! Totally not our fault. please don't be mad @ us on #twtr". |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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I realize for the VAST majority of you guys its not worth the time, effort and expense to do so, but I really wonder if any vendor is going to fight that. I mean, I ASSUME SPJA has made every effort to cover their @$$ on that, but I don't get how it can be legal to dump a sudden change of terms with no possibility to have both parties walk away "harmlessly". |
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Project.2501
Posts: 5 |
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I do not have the contract in front of me but I'm more than willing to bet there is a section stating they are allowed to make changes without consequence. Legally I'm sure they're covered, morally it's a real shit thing to do to vendors. "Accept these changes, sign this addendum and pay more, or you lose all of your money". It's also worth pointing out that we do not actually have to turn in any kind of background check pass. We simply have to sign an agreement saying we gave our employees a background check. With no verification on the side of the SPJA it does nothing to protect the attendees as they would have the masses believe. Last edited by Project.2501 on Mon May 16, 2016 11:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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I forgot to note, a lot of stink is being made about the background check, but the bigger issue (at least, re: Guests) in my opinion is the "SPJA’s online youth protection training" that everyone noted has to complete. I hate doing those mandatory training things for my JOB, I can't imagine guests being pleased to undergo that sort of thing just to attend an event for fans.
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Have there been any mass shootings at Anime Boston? America has a mass shooting/domestic terrorism problem. I don't think it's at all unreasonable to ask people to have their bags searched or go through metal detectors at a major event. I don't know what brought on AX's sudden interest in background checks. Why wasn't it brought up months ago, when vendors were first putting down payments on their space? It's not fair to spring it up on business owners last minute. OTOH, why aren't workers asked to cover their own checks? There are lots of jobs in which that is standard practice. |
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AbZeroNow
Posts: 519 |
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PAX East had the same experience. The MCCC was mandated by the Boston Police and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to do the metal detectors this year because of the near-mass shooting because of two not-so-nice-people from Iowa at the Pokemon Championships. The bag searches was because two dipshit terrorists blew up the Boston Marathon and really my friends feel safer because of the bag searches. Anime Expo as far as can be told did not have any high-profile incidents like Boston had. |
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