Protocol Question on Missing Stories

[emn1936.livejournal.com]

Is there a specific protocol about requesting (or not requesting) copies of stories which have been removed from various locations by authors?  Is it okay to request copies of stories via private messaging from people who may have stored them before they were taken down?  And if so, is this a proper forum in which to do so?

Comments

[beatrice_otter]

It can be controversial, and there have been wank wars over it. Basically, different people have different rules. For some people, once it's on the internet in public it's fair game even if the author wants to take it down. They'll send copies to anyone who asks of any fic they have, regardless of the author's intent. For others, the author's intent (in what should be public or not) should be respected, so they won't send copies of fic if the author took it down on purpose but will if the author just left fandom and eventually the site went down because they weren't paying for hosting any more or some such. And a lot of people are in between. People do sometimes ask for copies of fics in ficfinder coms like this one, and sometimes it's no big deal and sometimes someone makes a stink about it. I don't know if there's anywhere else one could ask.

Personally, I save a copy of every fic I like, so if the author takes it down I still have my own copy.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

AIN'T NO ONE GONNA HOLD ME DOWN.

[(Anonymous)]

Also consider why the author removed them, and what they think about redistribution. Some people find it in poor taste to ask for fics when the author has asked for them not to be distributed. Have you asked the author about the fics? Some just don't want them out there publicly and have no problem with private exchanges.