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SynthV Xia YuYao new VB crowdfunding campaign has begun

Infoholic

CEO of Chorical, LLC.
Mar 26, 2018
248
Those aren't really anything new. It's intentionally vague for Voicemith to have stronger control, and the original version is speaking more about content that is extreme in the obscenity/nature of the work. For example, don't make cupcakke songs with Xia Yu Yao, but a song like Romeo and Cinderella is alright.
 

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
In all fairness, similar restrictions have appeared for previous vocal synths, such as the Cryptonloids. They mainly operate as a failsafe measure, just in case an extremely controversial or inappropriate song gets too viral to the point it begins to damage the image of a company. There's tons of songs out there featuring VBs singing about disturbing, distressing or just plain uncomfortable topics, but for the most part, they remain online unscathed.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
Even so, I’ve never seen those restrictions so publicly and blatantly portrayed for even non-commercial releases. That’s what shocks me the most— the more severe restrictions are usually reserved for commercial releases. I know there’s been restrictions on obscene content with plenty of other synths, but this seems like a bit much, comparatively speaking.

don't make cupcakke songs with Xia Yu Yao
Like, this. I understand that restriction being imposed, but at the same time, I disagree with it unless a vocal is meant to be a direct representation of a real-life vocalist, especially an underage vocalist (Kafu, for example) or had a VA that was prepubescent, making separation of the voice and avatar more sketchy (like Oliver and Yuki). I expect this kind of censorship from Chinese synths, but I guess it caught me off-guard because Yu Yao’s Taiwanese, and their restrictions usually aren’t this strict.

And I now lowkey wanna make her sing Squidward Nose, thank you for putting that in my head. 😆
 

lIlI

Staff member
Moderator
Apr 6, 2018
843
The Lightning Strike
Creative restrictions really suck, when vocal synths did this in the past I wasn't a fan (Eleanor kicked off SynthV with the same restrictions). But reflecting on it more today, with AI becoming almost indistinguishable from the voice provider's real voice, I can sympathise with their right to decide which topics they feel comfortable hearing themselves sing.

I can understand how having someone use your voice in something extremely sexual could feel violating (a bit like having your likeness used in a porn); a level of control over your own identity that would be uncomfortable to give up. I appreciate VPs who are willing to give total creative freedom, but I think giving people the right to set off-limits topics for their AI is fair; though obviously not ideal for producers.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
That’s fair. I still think this in particular is waaaaaaay too strict, particularly for a character vocal. It seems counter-productive to put so much money into creating a vocal detached from its provider and then turn around and ban even non-commercial usages because a song might be too risqué or have too many bad words, when that sort of lyrical and creative freedom is part of what’s celebrated in vocalsynth culture. It makes sense for vocals from Mainland China because their love of censorship is no secret. For a Taiwanese character vocal? I just don’t agree that it’s 100% reasonable.

At the very least, a vocal you can only for lyrically tame songs shouldn’t cost as much as a vocal you can use with greater freedom, I think. It’s just not worth it.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
The way I see it: it's 100% within their right and understandable, the consequence is that she's just less desirable of a product, both are fine assessments.
Okay, you worded it way better. Thank you. 😅 I understand and don’t begrudge companies for putting restrictions this strict in place, but at the same time, consumers still have a right to decide it’s too much to justify.
 

pico

robot enjoyer
Sep 10, 2020
528
Yeah, it's the most restrictive and least artistically inspiring TOS I've ever seen. A VP with considerations this strict probably isn't the best choice for the development of a SynthV voicebank. It's the "psychology" part that is most disappointing-- if you want to "say" anything in your art that grazes negative emotions, depending on interpretation, that's an easy rule to violate. It's not an instrument I can ever see myself using for that reason alone. I was never the demographic though, so I understand why people who were excited about it are upset.

If the phrasing here were a little lighter, I don't think we'd be dealing with anything groundbreaking, but it is what it is.

In the end, this is just another part of the network of conversations revolving around consent in this space. Every single person involved in a project that gives a part of themselves to the public domain like this, especially in the AI space, will have a different emotional relationship with it. So if this is what the people behind the project are comfortable with, there's really no further conversation to be had. If it's a purely business-motivated "character control" decision, my feelings would be different, but we don't really know and the preexisting nature of YuYao as a synth character makes me feel like that's probably not the case.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
I think the 6th rule is the hardest for me to understand. Like I could avoid using this vocal in anything that fits 1-5(don’t know if I would really ever cover anything that actually fits those descriptions), but the last one could actually be pretty subjective.
Yeah, that's what I take issue with the most: how VAGUE everything is. TOS for vocalsynths are usually pretty clear-cut (No racism, no political promotion, nothing promoting insurgence against your local government, etc.). The way all of this is worded leaves me feeling like you could post something you personally think is just fine, but it ends up being struck down on violation of the TOS, all because your subjective interpretation was different from the people in charge's interpretation. That's not just a frustrating but reasonable part of protecting vocal integrity. That's downright unnerving.

Granted, I've never felt strongly about Yu Yao, but I like her tone and her preorder is so cheap I was seriously considering her... but if I have to think and double-think about what I can and can't use her in, and run the risk of being deemed in violation of her TOS anyway, is that a vocal I'd wanna drop any money on? For those who really do love her, does walking on eggshells when using her justify owning her in the first place? It might, and that's a case-by-case thing? But for me, that's just... not worth it at all.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
This might be to comply with Chinese law in general, they heavily regulate media and "banned" vtubers and rap music for similar reasons.
She's Taiwanese, though; this level of strictness isn't usually seen or expected outside of mainland China. I could be wrong, of course! But I know Taiwan has much looser restrictions in general compared to China.
 

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