Dillemma, and legit question of ethics.

[Dragon_Sanders]

I'll ask them immediately for sure. If the answer is "yes" I'll show my disagreement and tell them I don't want to lose a friend in occasion they're banned by GM one day.
Probably at last they won't listen and I say nothing more.

[Paladinleeds]

Let's take the question one step even further.

What if it was your significant other doing the botting? Would you report them?

I'd report them and dump them, most likely. Seriously! That's how much of a rules freak I can be at times!

[Kosmos992k]

The answer for me is simple and complex.

All my friends and FC mates know how I feel regarding botting and RMT. My FC has a very basic policy. Botting and use of RMT is cheating, cheating will get you both kicked and reported. Of course, you have to talk to them first, and give them a chance to do the right thing. There are consequences either way, but at least if they decide to do the right thing, it's possible to salvage something.

However, if someone I know is botting or taking part in RMT, and I know it to be certain, then they have not only broken the rules of my FC, they have also betrayed my friendship and that of their FC mates too. As FC master I have a responsibility to my FC and my members. So, no matter whether it is a friend or an acquaintance, the rules are the same, and the necessary action is the same, but it is very difficult to handle regardless.

Despite all of that, despite the difficulties, there is only one course of action available. Kick from the FC and report them to SE. Fortunately this hasn't happened in my FC yet. Although we have had to kick members for other matters, but never botting or RMT.

In truth, a barrel of apples will spoil if one apple is rotten. The rotten apple must be removed for the good of the rest.

On a personal level, it would be impossible for my friendship to continue as before if someone did that. In a previous game, my guild had similar anti-cheating rules, and several people I called friend cheated, and modded their save files, and lied about it. ultimately they were caught out, and exposed, and I had no choice but to remove them from the guild.

Kicking people from a guild or Free Company is the most difficult thing that I have ever had to do as a guild leader/FC Master. It's not something to take lightly, nor is it something that should paralyze you.

One thing that all FC members and especially officers and company masters should take note of. If a member of your company is botting and/or using RMT and you do nothing to stop them and remove them, you may be seen as guilty by association. That is one of the risks you take if you avoid action.

[Mirateski]

Friends don't let friends bot.

[Riardon]

You're not taking the law into your own hands. You're requesting the GMs to look into the matter. They're not going to take your word on it and ban them on the spot. If anything happens it'll probably be upwards of a month later. I would confront said person, tell them to stop. If they persist, report them and what happens beyond that up to the GMs and on said person for breaking the terms. Everyone knows botting is against the terms they agreed to and there's no excuse for it.

Remember we are talking about suspicions here and only suspicions. No I would never ever turn my own friend just because he bots. Others can freely report him I would not provide any cover but I would never ever report my own friend. You can't report people over suspicions and only. I suspect that every stranger I meet is a killer do I report every people over suspicions? No I would never unless I have solid proof. Best I could do is only advise him to stop doing it but here we are talking about suspicions. As he may never admitted he is doing so I can't start start conversations.

[Aerowaffle]

I'm with many other players on this board.

If I were to find out my friend was cheating in some way, I would tell them my opinion about the matter (and the risk to their account), then leave it alone. Most of my friendships have lasted too long to be ruined over something like disagreeing about the ethics of cheating in online video games. I wouldn't assist in any way, but at the same time I wouldn't go out of my way to report them.

That being said, I would have the biggest, "I told you so" face prepared for them should they ever get caught.

[Kosmos992k]

I'm with many other players on this board.

If I were to find out my friend was cheating in some way, I would tell them my opinion about the matter (and the risk to their account), then leave it alone. Most of my friendships have lasted too long to be ruined over something like disagreeing about the ethics of cheating in online video games. I wouldn't assist in any way, but at the same time I wouldn't go out of my way to report them.

That being said, I would have the biggest, "I told you so" face prepared for them should they ever get caught.

In my experience, ethics are ethics, no matter the setting.

[Dustytome]

Remember we are talking about suspicions here and only suspicions. No I would never ever turn my own friend just because he bots. Others can freely report him I would not provide any cover but I would never ever report my own friend. You can't report people over suspicions and only. I suspect that every stranger I meet is a killer do I report every people over suspicions? No I would never unless I have solid proof. Best I could do is only advise him to stop doing it but here we are talking about suspicions. As he may never admitted he is doing so I can't start start conversations.

You can't really provide proof to GMs, so no matter what all anyone can provide them with is their suspicions and the reason behind those suspicions (non-response, movement patterns, etc). The GMs won't do anything about it unless when they get around to the report they witness it for themselves.

[Kosmos992k]

You can't really provide proof to GMs, so no matter what all anyone can provide them with is their suspicions and the reason behind those suspicions (non-response, movement patterns, etc). The GMs won't do anything about it unless when they get around to the report they witness it for themselves.

Not quite, GMs have access to the server logs of all activities and text chat. Sure, witnessing activity is pretty well open and shut, but that is not the only source of evidence open to GMs, and in this case it wouldn't just be GMs it would be the special task force that SE has to combat RMT types of activity, and they have more tools at their disposal.

[Atoli]

Those who lay down with dogs, wake up with fleas. You are really no better than a botter yourself if you knowingly let somebody bot, regardless of who they are.

Even in real life, the law strictly distinguishes cognizance from being the one who actually commited the crime. So no, just because you stay loyal to your friends/family/lover does not make you "the same" as them.
It's okay to have differing opinions on this matter, but putting others down for their different moral priorities is a cheap blow.

Since this is just a game and there are no real life implications, it is up to you to decide the identity you want for yourself in a virtual world.

I'd take being a trustworthy friend over being a tattletale, that sells out their friends to blindly follow the rules, any day

(See, I can do that too :x)