Stalking and Harassment, GM/Square Enix Refusal to act

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Originally Posted by LittleImp

They're just being a weird contrarian and apparently can't even accomplish very basic research on google.

I would strongly advise OP to just ignore them.

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You say that but I have yet to find one case where someone has been convicted for targeting and harassing an online character and only targeting the character. The example that was given was a case regarding bungie devs that got Doxed.

That does not appear to be the case here. You guys made the claim people get punished for this but have yet to show evidence of one case of a person being punished solely for harassing a character of a game.

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Originally Posted by strawberrycake

Yah you're being a contrarian like they said up top, goodbye.

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How is this being a contrarain?

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Originally Posted by Boblawblah

You can't honestly believe the stalker is targeting the character and not the person controlling the character. Do you honestly believe the stalker would simply stop if the character was deleted and Op made a new one?

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Of course the one doing the harassing is aiming their attacks at the OP and their friends. Issue is if the attacks are aimed at the characters what exactly do yall expect the authorities to do?

As someone else suggested maybe they can report this to the hosting sites like discord and f-list and file a claim under impersonating or hosting lewd images if that is a violation of ToS.

Fact that its still going after 3yrs speaks of the harassers mental state. This does not sound like someone just having fun, but taking actual pleasure in tormenting their targets.

The GMs are the most incompetent fools I have had the displeasure of dealing with. They do F all against the actual problematic players in-game. Lost all respect for them when they refuse to elaborate how we get penalties as if they are baiting us to get banned. I’ve joined the club of ‘Never talking to randoms in instances.’

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Originally Posted by Edelgarde

The GMs are the most incompetent fools I have had the displeasure of dealing with. They do F all against the actual problematic players in-game. Lost all respect for them when they refuse to elaborate how we get penalties as if they are baiting us to get banned. I’ve joined the club of ‘Never talking to randoms in instances.’

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Chattings with other people is part of what defines Humans. Is sad sad world where peoples no longer chattings with each other. As long as peoples is polite and nots trying to hurt others, chattings is good. As for thems whats try stalking others, Mao sad that such people are around to cause such hurtings. Is ok if try chattings with someone buts common sense should tell person wantings to chat that if other person wants be left alone, thems should be left alone.

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Originally Posted by Eraden

Chattings with other people is part of what defines Humans. Is sad sad world where peoples no longer chattings with each other. As long as peoples is polite and nots trying to hurt others, chattings is good. As for thems whats try stalking others, Mao sad that such people are around to cause such hurtings. Is ok if try chattings with someone buts common sense should tell person wantings to chat that if other person wants be left alone, thems should be left alone.

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The problem is that the GMs have a very abitrary idea of what offensive and so do the players of this game. It doesn't help that the ToS is vague. People still don't believe me when i say I got a warning from a GM for politely telling a player not to start combos with an AoE in Chimera, but I did, I was polite and tried to help the guy. Few days later and bam, GM was giving a stern talking to for nothing. I rarely talked in game before and after that if I wasn't with friends doing random nonsense.

This games community is filled with a lot of fragile people and I don't mean that in a malicious way. But after 10 years and me being as polite, nice and understanding as possible and people still find ways to be offended and angry and mad.

The other problem is with the ToS being as Vague as it is, and with SE as a company letting each region handle these types of cases based on their laws, it makes it hard to deal with a stalker company side.

My experience with Squeenix customer support taught me they don't respect English/NA players, only care about JP players, and don't want your money or to do anything to help you. And it's up to you to sort it out. They can be downright hostile if not dismissive.

Few things SE can do to help aid people like the OP. Account wide blacklist, full privacy option for character profiles. Disabling pms for free trial accounts.

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Originally Posted by strawberrycake

The problem is that the GMs have a very abitrary idea of what offensive and so do the players of this game. It doesn't help that the ToS is vague. People still don't believe me when i say I got a warning from a GM for politely telling a player not to start combos with an AoE in Chimera, but I did, I was polite and tried to help the guy. Few days later and bam, GM was giving a stern talking to for nothing. I rarely talked in game before and after that if I wasn't with friends doing random nonsense.

This games community is filled with a lot of fragile people and I don't mean that in a malicious way. But after 10 years and me being as polite, nice and understanding as possible and people still find ways to be offended and angry and mad.

The other problem is with the ToS being as Vague as it is, and with SE as a company letting each region handle these types of cases based on their laws, it makes it hard to deal with a stalker company side.

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This is the reason why NA's PF culture is the way it is now. 2-3 wipes and disband. Fun? No. Efficient? No. But with the ToS the way it is, it's a much safer way to play the game.

In a way the TOS is a case study of a law/policy that was created with good intention but with so little effort putting in implementing it, it becomes something similar to a "corrupt-a-wish" kind of game.

Given the depth of what's happening here, I'd recommend speaking to a lawyer about your options. This has gone beyond simple harassment and into things that can ruin OP's reputation in their online spaces. It might be a civil violation similar to if you had edited someone's head onto a porn photo without their consent and distributed that.

Bottom line: I don't know the law, and neither does OP. Chances are no one in this thread does. Lawyers do, and many of them give initial consultations for free.

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Originally Posted by PredatoryCatgirl

Given the depth of what's happening here, I'd recommend speaking to a lawyer about your options. This has gone beyond simple harassment and into things that can ruin OP's reputation in their online spaces. It might be a civil violation similar to if you had edited someone's head onto a porn photo without their consent and distributed that.

Bottom line: I don't know the law, and neither does OP. Chances are no one in this thread does. Lawyers do, and many of them give initial consultations for free.

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They'll get a good chuckle when you tell them it's all in a video game and those images are based on their in game character.

Since SE is so lacking on such things. The OP could and not saying they should, do the old eye for and eye routine..

I seem to recall a mod which would "void" players of your choosing, effectively removing their character model from the game so you wouldn't even be able to see them.
Maybe that's still a thing you could look into, or maybe it's hearsay.

As much as this pretty clearly sucks, I'll still stand by my advice of simply stonewalling this stalker and completely ignoring them no matter what. Don't even let them know you've /blisted alt number whatever. Same goes for your friends, make sure they know not to say a word, just walk right through them if need be, no /slaps, no responses, no comments. Nothing.

Each and every time you respond keeps their interest going. If they get absolutely no bites, they will lose interest, granted given how far things have been allowed to go and with this sort of time frame it's not going to be easy.

*edit* if there is a visual /blist mod or something like that, that's perfect too, even simply clicking them will give them the confirmation dopamine hit they are chasing. Preventing that = good times for you, not so much for them.

GL =(

I have a feeling that even using a plugin to hide the stalker, a certain friend will feel the need to relay everything to the OP, wouldn't that be a surprise, I think not actually, as I'd bet money it's a close friend in the first place.

It is just my opinion anyway.

My question still stands unanswered, what started this.

Personally, I would ditch the account completely and start fresh, for my own sanity, as, in your case too, your own wellbeing and sanity is of a higher priority than entertaining online friends.

Another Balmung episode.


Sadly SE won't do anything besides a slap in their wrist, I mean hacking and modding got out of control, but they don't do anything because means less subscriptions per month. If that person keeps coming with alts that's a jackpot for SE.

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Originally Posted by Nicola_Kunu

I seem to recall a mod which would "void" players of your choosing, effectively removing their character model from the game so you wouldn't even be able to see them.
Maybe that's still a thing you could look into, or maybe it's hearsay.

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You could also just uh... rotate your camera in the other direction. They have no way of knowing if they are on your screen or not (unless you're making that a public announcement)

XIV really needs to fix their blacklisting system and allow people to private to lodestone.

I can hear certain people right now being weird about people having privacy with that second option, but if SE allowed you to have your lodestone profile private you can change your character and keep all the progress you've made on it without the stalker knowing. This game has a problem with stalkers and part of their aim is to get you weathered down so much that you either make a completely new character or leave entirely.

The blacklisting system needs to be account wide and make it a two-way thing where the blacklisted can't see what you put in /say for instance and it would be better if you couldn't see them at all. Whatsmore, preventing them from being matched in your roulettes wouldn't be a bad thing either.

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Originally Posted by Ashemmi

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This has resulted in several PAYING players not wanting to play. Harassment and stalking is emotionally disturbing for all involved. I'm glad you're protecting those FREE, clearly used for only smut level 2 accounts.

Shame, SE, shame.

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I also had to deal with stalkers for a while back in Heavensward all the way through Stormblood. I decided then to just give up my medium house and switch Servers wich helped partially.

But then Server visiting came... As of now they either gave up or they play something else since i had my peace for a few years now but reporting never seemed to help me get away from them.

That said, Blacklisting needs a much firmer ruleset, also: removing someone from your Friend list should also remove YOU from THEIRS. As of now you still have to play content with them, be it pvp or pve they still get in your groups.

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Originally Posted by Ashemmi

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ff team has a lot of work (needed) to do on the social tabs and overall systems. if they improved blacklist functionality im sure a lot of this stalking could be circumvented

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Originally Posted by AnnRam

Another Balmung episode.


Sadly SE won't do anything besides a slap in their wrist, I mean hacking and modding got out of control, but they don't do anything because means less subscriptions per month. If that person keeps coming with alts that's a jackpot for SE.

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How, exactly? Free trial accounts, if anything they cost SE $. Storage for them, the manpower to even click a button on report. The free accounts aren't subs. The ones that never past level 1 or 2 aren't even hopeful subs.
Nobody would do this on their main account, not like this. Nobody would risk actual skin in the game (money, time). SE should honestly pull the trigger fast on accounts that have been around but never level, especially when the entire account hasn't done so.

Free accounts can't shout, yell or tell.
Free accounts can't trade or access the marketboard.
Free accounts can't hire retainers.
Free accounts can't send letters.
Free accounts can't join an FC.


All these things are forbidden because of the potential for abuse. Hmmmmm. Crazy thought there, absolutely wild.
Reports come in on one of these accounts, termination of them /should/ be pretty darned quick.

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Originally Posted by Kitty_Cat

I have a feeling that even using a plugin to hide the stalker, a certain friend will feel the need to relay everything to the OP, wouldn't that be a surprise, I think not actually, as I'd bet money it's a close friend in the first place.

It is just my opinion anyway.

My question still stands unanswered, what started this.

Personally, I would ditch the account completely and start fresh, for my own sanity, as, in your case too, your own wellbeing and sanity is of a higher priority than entertaining online friends.

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I used to run an RP venue, a Tavern. Legitimate at that. We didn't have courtesans and didn't do sex trade. It quite literally was a place for those wanting to gather to meet others.
My best guess, they approached my girl and she turned them down. Otherwise... I've a very long history of trying to help people.

As to starting fresh. No, no way. I'd be giving up a number of friends, houses, and years of leveling work. I /truly/ worry more for my friends.

This will most likely be a ever ongoing issue. GM's can sometimes be useless. Even with proof they may not do anything cause of either hands tied or might be a friend of theirs.

Need to find that magical GM who will do something. On your end all you amd your friends can do is just ignore the person. Unfortunate as that choice is. Would rather fire people like this out of a Canon into omegas larboard/starboard.

A possible fix would be for them to pull the trigger and have trial only data center. That was if the stalker and other such things do stuff on their paid. Then they screwed

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Originally Posted by Bobby66

Their irl information got released the target was a real person. The target here appears to be the character. Unless they have target them as a person beyond the scope of their characters.

Yes one could argue a person is behind the character, but I don't think legally a character is offered the same protections and rights as the person in control of said character.

Has the OP be doxdd irlm

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It's not the character being harassed. It's the individual that uses the character as their in-game avatar for social interaction that is being harassed.

We're long past the point where people should be dismissing things as "it's just a game" when there are real people involved.

One small slip by the wrong person who has real life information about the individual and the aggressor could have what they need to track down the OP in real life to do far worse. There is a vast amount of information you can get about individuals online starting with very basic information. For all we know the aggressor has somehow obtained a little information about the OP and is trying to find them in real life. Or maybe they are already in contact without the OP knowing. It's not unknown for criminals to play concerned friend while being the one causing the problems in the first place.

We are not law enforcement or the justice system to be making the determination of whether or not this situation is worth investigating. It needs to be left to those that do have such jobs to make that decision. These types of situations are getting more and more common and leading to more and more tragic endings in some cases so law enforcement in some areas are taking these things far more seriously.

This needs to go to law enforcement. Let them decide.

SE could make some changes to the systems that are directly related to player interaction but that's not going to stop this type of thing from happening. Those determined to harass a specific individual will always find a way to track that person down regardless of blacklists/whitelists/character databases, etc. That's not to say those things shouldn't be done, they would still be QoL changes for players.

But none of what I see getting suggested for SE to do would make things any different for the OP at this point. The person involved knows too much about the OP in platforms outside of the game (such as Discord) as well as in and too many people trying to be friendly/helpful are too likely to answer a request for information from a random stranger about a "mutual friend".

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Originally Posted by Ashemmi

All these things are forbidden because of the potential for abuse. Hmmmmm. Crazy thought there, absolutely wild.
Reports come in on one of these accounts, termination of them /should/ be pretty darned quick.

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Reality check.

Those things aren't forbidden because they can be abused. They're forbidden to encourage those players to purchase the game and subscribe. And it evidently works very well.

The GMs still have to investigate complaints made by subscribed players against trial accounts. They're not going to randomly terminate a trial account just because someone complains. That's counterproductive to why the trial exists if that means they start banning players who have done nothing wrong just because a subscribed player wants to make trouble.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

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Of course they are within their right to go to law enforcement, and see what can be done. I just personally do not understand what exactly they expect to be happen. So many issues with stalking irl end up horribly because our legal system at least in the US is reactive not proactive. So many people seek out orders of protection, and while many are granted a temporary order of protection, the permeant ones are often turned down because "the allegations are not proven true" because unless they physically done something that has harmed the person filing the petition it is extremely hard to prove the person they wish to file the order of protection against will do something.

Everything you stated is possible, that is the issue at hand here it is possible, possible alone does not make a creditable threat sadly. Until the aggressor crosses that line and does something that that impacts in the OP irl, I am sure the station will take the report but it will just sit in a box and nothing will do be.

Should we be long past that point? Sure, are we? I do not think so, I have been looking and have yet to find a single case where someone was being stalked solely in a game, or things like discord without making any form of contact IRL be charged with any crime what so ever. If you know of one I would love to read about it.

I doubt this is also just some one off thing that happens, I am sure it happens all the time, just our laws have not caught up and until they do the OP has very view protections.

The OP really only has two options ignore the person, or delete all social media, quit the game, and put this chapter of their life behind them.

Curious if this ever got resolved for you or if it's still ongoing.

I want to add onto this thread as I've reported a 2 individuals in an alliance sized duty who has viciously harassed me and other players in the duty. I'm very sure the gms did absolutely nothing about it (maybe cause this person is a high ranked player?pfff) , not really surprised given how many have this problem. Disappointed they don't take this serious and just allow this stalking and harassment to continue.

I do not appreciate the amount of inaction from the GMS. They are just encouraging this behavior to continue.

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Originally Posted by Laun_dingo

I want to add onto this thread as I've reported a 2 individuals in an alliance sized duty who has viciously harassed me and other players in the duty. I'm very sure the gms did absolutely nothing about it (maybe cause this person is a high ranked player?pfff) , not really surprised given how many have this problem. Disappointed they don't take this serious and just allow this stalking and harassment to continue.

I do not appreciate the amount of inaction from the GMS. They are just encouraging this behavior to continue.

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That is exactly it. Them not taking action on something's while being extremely heavy handed on very minor and petty offenses is ridiculous. Then not telling us when someone who has made a more severe violation has been properly dealt with. Or when someone has made heinous violations and you provide them with all of the proof, and they do nothing, that means they're literally protecting/encouraging/enabling abusers and criminals. I say this with a wide variety of scenarios in mind from free company usurpers and bug exploiters to people harassing , and many more

I've found that getting harasses in ffxiv banned is extremely difficult and takes multiple people reporting. Holding my own issues with a kick happy crafting mentor in nn. Its best to take matters into ur own hands. Talk it out with them and if it does nothing. Ignore then entirely. They really hate it since all they want is your attention. If you just ignore them eventually they'll get tired. Try not to blist them. But pretend in ur head yu have. Then just mass report everything. Eventually. Something will get done

The game has literally ZERO privacy as is, there's literally a site to see linkshells/cwls you're in and who else is in them, along with one's you have been in and aren't in anymore, blacklisting and unfriending do nothing either, it's the only MMO i've seen that's THIS bad with it

I was """bothered""" by player in HW/SB when I was still playing in NA dc. I wasn't the only victim they had.

I feel oddly lucky by the fact that the problem player was japanese.

When they did their stupidest stunt+threatened me, I filed report like I had done many times before. But this time it was alarming situation enough that the NA mods got JP mod to handle the situation.
They ended up earning themselves non-permanent ban, and then later legit permaban after running back to JP datacenter and being general pain there.
I don't now if JP mods have different attitude about these things, but it sure as heck feels like it.

Yeah the blacklisting function is pretty awful as it stands and I wish they'd improve it but I don't see that happening anytime soon, if ever.
Not that it would even fix the problem being talked about here since it seems like the people supposed to be handling situations like this have really dropped the ball.
I sincerely hope that things have since improved from the initial post.