Go us and our promotion of autism awareness.

Bump to let you guys know this thread is the top google search result for "ddr autistic kid" now.

Everybody, thank Tony for the awesome title of this tournament.  I couldn't come up with "Why No Dragonforce? Sunday Filler Tournament" if I tried, because I'm just not that awesome.

Here are the results of the DDR Tourny. I was going to post the videos that I took of the final round but after glancing at the looong post regarding a certain video, I will just wait for the topic to die down before posting a video.

I'd like to note that, ethical/moral discussion aside, this video falls into a very strange legal gray area.

Even in a public venue, people not defined as public figures (celebrities, politicians, etc) and granted a right to some privacy and ownership of their image and must give permission to have their image intentionally captured via photograph or video recording.  Since we're talking about a child, that means permission from a parent/guardian; since we're talking about someone confirmed to be disabled by a parent/guardian, that means permission from a parent/guardian.

Stores and restaurants which use security cameras will have a sign by the entrance notifying you of such since they would be violating your rights to not do so - that sign acts as implicit permission when you enter the store.

In practice this means that posting a video "of the tournament" where this kid happens to walk into the frame once or twice while doing something is acceptable, since inclusion of the child in the recording was unintentional, but  posting this video, where the primary focus is the child (and, furthermore, where the intent is ridicule thereof).  The right to record in public spaces is, in practice, maintained unless the subject explicitly objects, but a disabled child takes this far into the gray - mental disability and minority age both preclude the legal ability to consent and generally a parent should have been asked first (and a parent would have ultimately objected, since the intent was ridicule).

Unlisted Youtube videos are another legal gray area - you are not openly distributing the video, but you are still distributing it in a limited fashion, since Youtube sets (and can change) the rules that determine how discoverable the video is.

Finally, during Sakuracon, as an attending member, you are bound to Sakuracon's policy while in badge-required areas or around other attendees, staff, or convention guests.  The rules are not necessarily robust and were drafted for a much smaller convention, but they are still, as written, the rules of the convention.




The tournament had a great many people cameras pointing at it, so while pictures/video were not explicitly allowed, it was not explicitly disallowed either and it was shown to be generally acceptable by staff non-enforcement.  The kid, however, was not a participant of the event, and we therefore fall into the "Please be considerate and ask first before taking pictures of guests, other Members, or the general public" clause.  Normally, attendees give their permission by posing for a picture or by responding affirmatively when asked - this child, on the other hand, was unaware he was being recorded in the first place and did neither.

Now, I really doubt Sakuracon would do anything even if this video was publicly posted, since the photography/video policies, as noted above, reflect the much smaller convention of several years ago (their bylaws make it hard to update the official policies quickly, so Sakuracon leans heavily on unofficial policies and does one big update every few years), but as it sits now, it could be argued that you had no right to take this video per convention policies.

It is important to note that, most likely, nothing will happen at all in response to this video's questionable legality, even if it were publicly listed on Youtube, but it's worth noting that recording the kids at the convention may have violated both convention policy and the law.  Definitely, if the parents somehow contact you about taking it down, just do it, because fighting them at that point will cause a judge to rule against you, no questions asked - until then, keeping it unlisted is probably sufficient protection, but it's worth noting that the right to record people in public venues is not actually a given.  Taking ti down is, of course, the only way to be completely sure that you're safe, so weigh the information above to compare the benefits to the risks if you want to leave it up.

well said, laura.  

It's not so much that I'm offended as that I feel personally responsible for any humiliation that could come to this kid or his family from having video taken of him spergin' out at one of my tournaments end up on the internet.

Edit: Also, while it's my personal opinion that any video of this kid has no place on the internet, I never requested it be taken down, just that it not be "meme-ified" (the original post referring to this was deleted by the user) and that people think before they say things like "he's not autistic, he just wants attention."  You have the right to do whatever you want just as much as I have the right to think that what you want to do is dumb.

lulz the check is in the mail.



might this be better?

Caramelldansen - Random Series	Small | Large

Indeed, I am so *terribly* offended. How dare you put something on the internet that I don't like! :V

I'm very offended. Now give me money to make it all better!

...wow, i didn't think a video link could garner that much of a response from everyone who's seen it so far.

i do apologize if anyone was offended by it.

Once again, I think Laura is spot on.  Thanks for removing the link from PNWBemani, but the actual YouTube video is still posted.  I really think that it's inappropriate to post a video of a kid with autism at his expense.  Could you please take it down?

Pretty sure it was the same kid, but yes, he was definitely autistic, as he was verbally unresponsive (he could repeat words or names of songs, but was incapable of engaging in actual conversation,) as well as continually engaging in textbook autistic behaviors like flapping his hands and responding to questions with loud screaming.  Additionally, when I got convention staff involved, they confirmed that he had a disability. 

I have really good friends with various forms of high-functioning autism, as well as having spent the last fairly large length of time studying Psychology, so I'm a little bit sensitive about this particular issue.  I don't mean to ruin anyone's fun or come off as obnoxious or anything about it, as I often have fun laughing at people that I really shouldn't be laughing at. 

That said, Allan, please please please don't verbalize judgments like "just a socially inept attention needing fat kid."  Autistic kids often come off that way, and the tragedy is that they CAN understand us; they just can't communicate well enough to correct us.  It's ok to think whatever you want to think, and I'd never try to stop somebody from having an opinion, but run a quick cost-benefit analysis on saying something like that.  Being right really results in no gains; being wrong makes you look like a huge ass and, more importantly, might really hurt the feelings of somebody whose life has been hard enough.

Congratulations, PNWBemani.  You guys may have managed to find the single thing that I am at all emotionally sensitive about! 

Wait which kid? Because there was a really obnoxious kid by the DDR machine for a long time that I'm sure was not autistic and definitely just a completely socially inept attention-needing fat kid. In which case yes, ridicule is justified! Hm now I want to see that video and see if its who I'm thinking of....

Uploaded some videos of the tourny and Eric being awesome.
Link

Apologies to those that I have no footage of (including a lack of the finals).. Should have found an SD card with more space on it, and I ran out of room fairly early.

Apparently I'm good at placing about the same as I did in both tournaments... Strange. I did horrible this year btw.  

I agree with Laura.  That video really should be taken down.  The kid clearly has some sort of disorder and you appear to be making fun of him.  I would really appreciate it if you would remove this video from the internet and give the kid a little respect.

the wife and i never planned on 'meme'-fying this anyway...

Seriously though, guys, this kid had really obvious autism and even though it was funny as hell, don't make him an internet meme.

my wife attempted to record some of the tournament but a certain spectator was a little too distracting.
[link removed :-)]

had fun playing everyone though...i think my wife recorded part of the adam/gorrun match (i think when they tied again on el ritmo tropical) i'll have to see if i can upload that.

Here is my spreadsheet from the ITG tournament with full breakdowns of all of the matches: Link

DDR results:

1. Jonathan, proving that New Jersey doesn't suck at something!

2. Neko

3. KevinDDR

4. Tony

Tony is good at getting fourth.  Also, he's good at getting 2 greats on The Reflex. 

ITG Tournament results.

1st: Allan

2nd: Keby

3rd: Jonathan. Guy from outside the community. I think he hails from New Jersey he said?

4th: Tony!!!


DDR Extreme Tourny starts later today.

ooooohhhhhweeeee, so their at the door prices are on the "pro-rated membership" prices on the site right? So say if i intend to go saturday, would I be able to roll in on friday and buy a saturday pass?

site says it runs from 3pm to 9pm.

which means once i'm off work, i'm picking up the wife so we can pick up our badges tomorrow.