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From the Help Center > Asking:

What topics can I ask about here?

Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange is for questions targeted towards science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. This includes questions about:

  • Plot, character, or setting explanations
  • Historical or societal context of a work
  • Behind-the-scenes and fandom information
  • Story identification
  • Franchise/series reading or viewing order

It says it right there, people. Questions about behind-the-scenes and fandom information are indeed ON TOPIC. However, I have often seen these questions discriminated againt simply because some users don't care for them. For example:

Main example:

Sub examples:

It seems like some users treat fandom info questions as off topic. Why is fandom information treated as if it weren't on topic?

  • 7
    Basically, because people aren't familiar enough with site scope. – Rand al'Thor Apr 29 '16 at 23:06
  • 5
    Because "fandom information" isn't defined anywhere, and means different things to different people. – Anthony Grist Apr 30 '16 at 15:26
  • 7
    @AnthonyGrist Indeed, I wouldn't have recognized any of the OP's examples as "fandom information". I would have have thought "fandom information" was for questions about fan organizations and conventions, fan history, fanzines, fanspeak, and BNFs. The OP's examples look more like "movie trivia" or "celebrity trivia" to me. – user14111 Apr 30 '16 at 19:03
17

Historically, (and incorrectly) because a number of people believe that since the question does not have anything to do with a SF/F element of the work, it is off-topic.

However, every time the topic comes up on meta, fandom and behind-the-scenes information is deemed on-topic.

If you see a question closed for one of these reasons, either vote to re-open or flag it for mod action.

Related:

-2

I suggest we create a tag for fandom information.

There is already a tag for so it makes sense. That way, once there's a tag for , any users who prefer not to see them can simply add to their ignored tags list.

  • I don't think that would be a useful tag... – AncientSwordRage Apr 29 '16 at 22:34
  • 1
    @AncientSwordRage (1) how would it not be useful? I think it'd be very helpful. And (2) if it's not useful, then what do you propose? – RedCaio Apr 29 '16 at 23:24
  • 4
    This seems like a fine idea to me, but the main solution will be to make people aware of what is and is not on topic here. – Molag Bal Apr 29 '16 at 23:53
  • 2
    @anaranjada: Considering it is already in the Asking help article, how else would you make people aware? – Ellesedil Apr 29 '16 at 23:57
  • 1
    @Ellesedil perhaps this meta post will help. Either that, or we’re doomed to endless reopen wars. – Molag Bal Apr 29 '16 at 23:59
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    @Ellesedil In my experience, tags can help convince people it's on topic. Some people might think toy story is off topic, but then they look and see there are tags for toy story 1 and 2! :) – RedCaio Apr 29 '16 at 23:59
  • 2
    the existence of tags means nothing. anyone with enough rep can create any tag. – phantom42 Apr 30 '16 at 2:01
  • What is your definition of "fandom information"? I would have thought "fandom information" is "information about fandom" but I guess you have something very different in mind. – user14111 May 1 '16 at 9:58
  • @RedCaio - I don't think it would be helpful. Plus, the only motivation for creating such a tag seems to be to justify the fact that some people (mentioning no names) feel that it's off-topic and want to segregate it. – Valorum May 1 '16 at 17:08
  • This would fall squarely under the definition of a "meta-tag", wouldn't it? – Martha May 13 '16 at 1:10

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