According to today's
rumor, pro-associated fanfiction site
FanLib may be under new management very soon. The unconfirmed story indicates that industry giant Disney is in the process of buying the fanfiction archive, possibly with an eye towards retooling it for Disney properties such as "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Gargoyles," and even the Narnia movies. FanLib has not yet returned calls regarding the rumor.
FanLib was started by Craig Singer and Chris and David Williams as a commercial venture to merge "marketing, entertainment, and online media." Linking entertainment giants (Showtime was an early partner, and major Hollywood players serve as advisors) with fans, FanLib has put the illusion of an imprimatur on fanworks. Their close association with The Powers That Be has worried some fans, especially those raised in the Don't Ask, Don't Tell environment of fanfiction. (Don't Ask the people who make the shows for permission, because they'll say no and Don't Tell them, because they'll be obligated to shut everyone down.) It is not to be confused with
MyFandoms or the giant
Fanfiction.Net.
What do
you think Disney would do with a fanfiction archive?