As dedicated writers deeply invested in the Ao3 platform, we take pride in our work and its contribution to Ao3's vibrant environment. 

Today, we are reaching out to express serious concerns that warrant immediate attention to preserve our community's fairness, integrity, and safety. 

Writers’ Petition:

1. OTW Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest:

• a. Maintain OTW transparency on potential member conflicts of interest.
• b. Ensure no conflict exists between Legal Chair Betsy Rosenblatt's professional and non-profit OTW work as she holds a crucial non-elected position that cannot be voted upon.
• c. Safeguard AO3 writers' interests, especially in light of the ongoing WGA's strike in California.

2. Demand for OTW transparency, clarity and stance on A.I:

• a. We seek transparency and clarity about any data scraping incidents, including specific data usage details.
• b. It is alarming that works are currently being scraped without author consent, causing distress within our community and potentially deterring new writers.
• Writers on Ao3 should have informed consent if their work is being used for AI product development, particularly by for-profit organizations.
• c. With the pending litigation such as Andersen v Stability AI Ltd., our requests for transparency and preemptive action against future legal challenges become even more crucial.
• d. A clear definition of "interim" copying and its relevance to AO3 and our works, especially following Betsy Rosenblatt's interview referencing Sony v. Betamax.
  
  

Further, we require confirmation that AO3 data is not being sold to AI programs. 

These measures are vital to protect our works and understand the implications of such actions.

3. Impact of A.I generated content and other potential A.I spam on fanworks:

• a. We demand explicit, actionable steps to protect writers and their works reflected in the TOS.
• b. AO3 is supported by volunteers and fan donations; these resources should not be used to host or support AI-generated works or AI spam.
• c. AI-generated spam can disrupt our community by flooding fandom with inauthentic content, undermining genuine human creativity and interaction.
• d. Federal rulings have established that AI-created works lack the human authorship necessary for copyright protection.
• e. Hosting AI-generated works on AO3 contradicts the ethos of our community and raises legal and ethical questions about authorship and copyright.

Addressing this issue proactively is crucial to protect the integrity and authenticity of our shared creative space.

Next Steps:

Timeline for responses

• We understand that OTW and Ao3 are volunteer run. We ask that the organization formulates a response to our petition within a week, with a proposal and goals for a longer timeline implementation in the future. 

Open dialogue meeting with Ao3 writers and other fandom stakeholders

• a. We propose that OTW and Ao3 host a forum, virtual meeting, or Q&A session to facilitate further discussions on the issues raised.
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  Addressing these issues will strengthen OTW and AO3's commitment to the fanwork community. We trust you will consider our concerns seriously and provide the necessary responses and amendments.

Our goals are the same goals as OTW and Ao3 — we want to connect with you, and show you the large, diverse community of fandom inhabits a rapidly evolving cyber landscape. Please allow us, the writers of Ao3, to have a voice on how the platform is run.