Regarding the Revision of the Prohibited Activities and Account Penalty Policy

[Maeka]

Even if it was not the intention, a penalty may be imposed if the end result was that another player was hurt or obstructed

Are you kidding me!?

Welp. I will probably never say another word in-game again other than FC chat. It's just too dangerous to talk in-game right now.

[Xtrasweettea]

Are you kidding me!?

Welp. I will probably never say another word in-game again other than FC chat. It's just too dangerous to talk in-game right now.

Your reaction is something that we will see more of. The environment will be more exclusive. I can see the increase usage of communication tools outside of SE's jurisdiction.

[Maeka]

Your reaction is something that we will see more of. The environment will be more exclusive. I can see the increase usage of communication tools outside of SE's jurisdiction.

Yup.

Basically, the best MMO community on the market, and they decided that it was too friendly, open, and public and decided to push everybody to Discord. Bravo. Now we can just have mostly silence in-game.

[Gralna]

Are you kidding me!?

Welp. I will probably never say another word in-game again other than FC chat. It's just too dangerous to talk in-game right now.

It's the same jargon they use whenever you have to do HR training at a new job nowadays, intent doesn't matter only how your actions/words made another feel. Technically you could get fired from a job for saying "hi" to someone if you made them feel bad enough, in practice though I've never seen anyone abuse it to that point. Only time I've seen it enacted is when people are attempting to make joke and someone takes offense to it.

[Xtrasweettea]

It's the same jargon they use whenever you have to do HR training at a new job nowadays, intent doesn't matter only how your actions/words made another feel. Technically you could get fired from a job for saying "hi" to someone if you made them feel bad enough, in practice though I've never seen anyone abuse it to that point. Only time I've seen it enacted is when people are attempting to make joke and someone takes offense to it.

Yeah, but that is the real world where people at least try to pretend to be adults.

This is the internet, where people are perpetually offended. There is no real risk or loss of face (or chance of being sued) for reporting someone for something in video game that "offends" them. There is real risk, loss of face, and a chance of being sued for reporting for "offense" through a HR department.

[Iscah]

Are you kidding me!?

Welp. I will probably never say another word in-game again other than FC chat. It's just too dangerous to talk in-game right now.

Again... it's almost certainly a way to ensure they can punish someone who was deliberately doing something wrong, even though they didn't outright say in the text log that they were doing it deliberately.

That's been an issue in the past, so I think they are now trying to cover themselves against that.



In the end, the "anything could get you banned!!!" panic seems unfounded because Square Enix doesn't want to ban you all. They want you to stay around and pay them money. The rules, vague as they are, have not been designed to catch you out and get you banned for the fun of it.

Yes, they need some more clarity.

No, they are not trying to set a trap for you.

(Unless of course you're actually doing the disruptive things they couldn't punish you for under their previous rules.)