{"id":2079632,"date":"2026-08-05T11:36:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T08:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2079632"},"modified":"2026-08-05T11:36:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T08:36:45","slug":"boy-george-claims-bandcamp-bowed-to-the-pressure-of-antisemites-for-removing-his-pro-israel-song-and-hits-out-at-their-ai-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2079632","title":{"rendered":"Boy George claims Bandcamp \u201cbowed to the pressure of antisemites\u201d for removing his pro-Israel song and hits out at their AI policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026_boygeorge_getty_2000x1270.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><i class=\"tdb-bread-sep td-icon-right\"><\/i><span>Music News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Boy George claims Bandcamp \u201cbowed to the pressure of antisemites\u201d for removing his pro-Israel song and hits out at their AI policy<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>&#8220;Leave the creative process to the artists. Even if you don&#8217;t agree with it&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Damian Jones<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-08-05T12:36:45+01:00\">5th August 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- .\/block --><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure>\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026_boygeorge_getty_2000x1270-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Boy George\" title=\"World Premiere Of \"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Boy George attends the World Premiere of &#8216;David Bowie: You&#8217;re Not Alone&#8217; at Lightroom on April 21, 2026 in London CREDIT: Jed Cullen\/Dave Benett\/Getty Images for Lightroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Boy George has hit out at Bandcamp again, accusing them of \u201cbowing to the pressure of antisemites\u201d over his pro-Israel song \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2018 while also criticising their AI policy.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: <b>Culture Club\u2019s Boy George: the original gender-fluid pop icon versus the modern world<\/b><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes after he called the online music distribution platform a \u201cbunch of c***s\u201d yesterday (August 4) for removing his profile.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe drama continues,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cSadly Bandcamp have removed my profile, so anyone trying to get a copy of \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019 will have to wait until I record it and find a way to put it out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso they\u2019ve taken money, so hopefully Bandcamp will refund that money,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s very disappointing and obviously, if you\u2019ve got the track already, make videos, play it on the internet. Play it everywhere, get it heard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a statement to <em>NME<\/em>, Bandcamp said that the track was not removed due to the political nature, but due to how it was created. Around the time of the release, the singer confirmed that he used AI to help generate the track.<\/p>\n<p>They said: \u201cThe track was removed\u2004\u200bbased\u2004\u200bon violation of our Acceptable\u2004\u200bUse &amp; Moderation Policy, which in specific\u2004\u200bregard\u2004\u200bto this case, prohibits music and\u2004\u200baudio that\u2004\u200bis wholly\u2004\u200bor in substantial part created, composed,\u2004\u200bor\u2004\u200bgenerated\u2004\u200bby\u2004\u200bartificial intelligence. Any track\u2004\u200bthat\u2004\u200bmeets our Acceptable\u2004\u200bUse &amp; Moderation Policy is always\u2004\u200bwelcome\u2004\u200bon\u2004\u200bBandcamp.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">So, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message. <br \/>It has absolutely no way of telling\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Boy George (@BoyGeorge) August 4, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now, George has responded on X, hitting back at their statement. He wrote: \u201cSo, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has absolutely no way of telling whether something is AI but in my case I have been completely upfront and have made it clear, lyrics and melody from myself and AI assisted music. It seems obvious that despite the claims of @bandcamp there is a shitload of AI assisted music all over the website and to deny this is not only misleading but moronic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He went on to say: \u201cIt appears they have bowed to the pressure of antisemites because the system, just like any digital platform cannot tell if something is AI. Or maybe the problem is internal but I don\u2019t buy the no AI policy because @bandcamp has it in droves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLeave the creative process to the artists. Even if you don\u2019t agree with it. Sometimes the message is greater than the rules and we sold a ton. Some people paying a thousand pounds and many dropping 100 pounds. Hopefully that money will be refunded in full to those of you who payed and could not download after they shut a bitch down. I live for this total grass roots moment! Rock and Fucking Reggae roll!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>NME<\/em> has reached out to Bandcamp for comment on George\u2019s latest response.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019, divided opinion when it was released last month, particularly for it\u2019s stance which appears to reject descriptions of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, as well as criticising musicians who have publicly supported Palestine.<\/p>\n<p>George later gave more insight into the track, saying it was inspired by his visit to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London and meetings with people affected by the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Since the song\u2019s release, the Culture Club singer has pulled out of his two-week run at the London Palladium, where he was set to play King Herod in <em>Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em>, and also parted ways with his record label manager after he refused to release the track.<\/p>\n<p>After some backlash to the song, Boy George responded to criticism and said that the song is meant to be \u201cpro-peace\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>George has also voiced support for Jewish communities on several occasions in recent years. In May, he shared a message of solidarity at an anti-Semitism march in London.<\/p>\n<p>His latest song has been condemned by Heaven 17 and The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an \u201covertly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda\u201d. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of <em>Moulin Rouge!<\/em>, also said that he was \u201cembarrassed\u201d to have worked with him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Boy George<\/li>\n<li>Pop<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<div id=\"taboola-below-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-sidebar  tdi_92 td_block_template_2\">\n<p><span 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td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-george@2000x1270-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-george@2000x1270-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Boy George hits out at \u201cbunch of c***s\u201d Bandcamp for removing pro-Israel song<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-image-container\">\n<div class=\"td-module-thumb\"><span class=\"entry-thumb td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ariana-grande@2000x1270-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ariana-grande@2000x1270-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Ariana Grande speaks out on break from public eye: \u201cMultiple things can be true at the same time\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-image-container\">\n<div class=\"td-module-thumb\"><span class=\"entry-thumb td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ravyn-lenae-credit-drew-jarett-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ravyn-lenae-credit-drew-jarett-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Features<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Ravyn Lenae: \u201cI now know what\u2019s possible \u2013 but that just makes me hungrier\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>                    <span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span>                <\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Boy George has hit out at Bandcamp again, accusing them of \u201cbowing to the pressure of antisemites\u201d over his pro-Israel song \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2018 while also criticising their AI policy.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: <b>Culture Club\u2019s Boy George: the original gender-fluid pop icon versus the modern world<\/b><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes after he called the online music distribution platform a \u201cbunch of c***s\u201d yesterday (August 4) for removing his profile.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe drama continues,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cSadly Bandcamp have removed my profile, so anyone trying to get a copy of \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019 will have to wait until I record it and find a way to put it out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso they\u2019ve taken money, so hopefully Bandcamp will refund that money,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s very disappointing and obviously, if you\u2019ve got the track already, make videos, play it on the internet. Play it everywhere, get it heard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a statement to <em>NME<\/em>, Bandcamp said that the track was not removed due to the political nature, but due to how it was created. Around the time of the release, the singer confirmed that he used AI to help generate the track.<\/p>\n<p>They said: \u201cThe track was removed\u2004\u200bbased\u2004\u200bon violation of our Acceptable\u2004\u200bUse &amp; Moderation Policy, which in specific\u2004\u200bregard\u2004\u200bto this case, prohibits music and\u2004\u200baudio that\u2004\u200bis wholly\u2004\u200bor in substantial part created, composed,\u2004\u200bor\u2004\u200bgenerated\u2004\u200bby\u2004\u200bartificial intelligence. Any track\u2004\u200bthat\u2004\u200bmeets our Acceptable\u2004\u200bUse &amp; Moderation Policy is always\u2004\u200bwelcome\u2004\u200bon\u2004\u200bBandcamp.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">So, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message. <br \/>It has absolutely no way of telling\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Boy George (@BoyGeorge) August 4, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now, George has responded on X, hitting back at their statement. He wrote: \u201cSo, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has absolutely no way of telling whether something is AI but in my case I have been completely upfront and have made it clear, lyrics and melody from myself and AI assisted music. It seems obvious that despite the claims of @bandcamp there is a shitload of AI assisted music all over the website and to deny this is not only misleading but moronic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He went on to say: \u201cIt appears they have bowed to the pressure of antisemites because the system, just like any digital platform cannot tell if something is AI. Or maybe the problem is internal but I don\u2019t buy the no AI policy because @bandcamp has it in droves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLeave the creative process to the artists. Even if you don\u2019t agree with it. Sometimes the message is greater than the rules and we sold a ton. Some people paying a thousand pounds and many dropping 100 pounds. Hopefully that money will be refunded in full to those of you who payed and could not download after they shut a bitch down. I live for this total grass roots moment! Rock and Fucking Reggae roll!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>NME<\/em> has reached out to Bandcamp for comment on George\u2019s latest response.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019, divided opinion when it was released last month, particularly for it\u2019s stance which appears to reject descriptions of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, as well as criticising musicians who have publicly supported Palestine.<\/p>\n<p>George later gave more insight into the track, saying it was inspired by his visit to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London and meetings with people affected by the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Since the song\u2019s release, the Culture Club singer has pulled out of his two-week run at the London Palladium, where he was set to play King Herod in <em>Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em>, and also parted ways with his record label manager after he refused to release the track.<\/p>\n<p>After some backlash to the song, Boy George responded to criticism and said that the song is meant to be \u201cpro-peace\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>George has also voiced support for Jewish communities on several occasions in recent years. In May, he shared a message of solidarity at an anti-Semitism march in London.<\/p>\n<p>His latest song has been condemned by Heaven 17 and The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an \u201covertly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda\u201d. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of <em>Moulin Rouge!<\/em>, also said that he was \u201cembarrassed\u201d to have worked with him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/boy-george-claims-bandcamp-bowed-to-the-pressure-of-antisemites-for-removing-his-pro-israel-song-and-hits-out-at-their-ai-policy-3960938&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026_boygeorge_getty_2000x1270.jpg&#8221;] NewsMusic News Boy George claims Bandcamp \u201cbowed to the pressure of antisemites\u201d for removing his pro-Israel song and hits out at their AI policy &#8220;Leave the creative process to the artists. Even if you don&#8217;t agree with it&#8221; By Damian Jones 5th August 2026 Boy George attends the World Premiere of &#8216;David [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2079632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2079632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2079632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2079632\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2079632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2079632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2079632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}