Stalking/Harrassment

[Setesh45]

Too basic maybe?

I call it vanilla.

[LittleImp]

How is it insensitive to point out that whenever a topic like this pops up it's always Balmung or the Crystal DC.

Personally haven't seen this happen at all on Aether or Primal because people are too busy progging Savage/Ultimate to have time to harass others.

Crystal DC might need an exclusive moderation team, which is more or less what OP is asking for.

I've experienced raid-related stalking twice on Primal. I think raiding and roleplay both tend to attract people with self-worth issues, so naturally you'll find lots of unstable people in both communities.

I can actually agree that Crystal appears to disproportionately have more stalking cases though. Most of the ones I'm personally familiar with were related to people perceiving the nature of an erotic roleplay relationship differently.

[AiUsagi]

Crystal DC might need an exclusive moderation team, which is more or less what OP is asking for.

What I'm asking for is in game features to protect player privacy so that players can do more on their end to avoid these kinds of situations entirely and not have a need to rely on GMs to intervene. I should have been able to blacklist this other player and that should have been the end of it, but because they have access to my location and the location of my FC via Lodestone and Player Search, I literally have no way to put an end to the harassment BUT to rely on GM involvement, which is utter shxt. Removing a "friend" should happen on both ends, and likewise for deleting a bonding ring. I've name changed several times, but that name stays attached to the same lodestone page. Even WoW has better features to combat harassment.

[Aelin_Ashryver]

Some people's definition of harassment can be pretty loose at times I feel. That said I would like the option to private my lodestone profile, play as "offline" and just in general make it possible for me to be left alone when I want to be. I don't think Yoshi P understands how messy such situations can be that they require those solutions. I had many times where if I wanted peace, my only option was to leave a community I otherwise enjoyed being in and that is not fair. I should not be made to choose between dealing with one unwanted person and my entire community. Nor should anyone else.

[Abelisk]

I've been "playfully" stalked before by an FC member. It was weird at first, then I'd see her everywhere, then she started hugging me and she would keep doing it even after I left the FC. Thankfully changing servers put an end to it. The point is it's insanely easy to find out where someone is, and I really wish there were more tools in place to combat it.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

The point is it's insanely easy to find out where someone is, and I really wish there were more tools in place to combat it.

Similar thing happened to me before, although it never actually bothered me because I too though it was out of playfulness in the end.

They stopped doing it when one day they come over and ask me why I ignored them all those times. Unknown to them, I actually turned off other PC’s names besides those in Friend List, Alliance, and Party. I, too would have never realized they’ve been subtly stalking me if they never told me their side of story.

That day had taught me that SE actually give a damn about stalker’s feelings. /facepalm

[cactusbees]

Do these things even happen outside of Balmung?

Oh, yes. Yes, they do. Sometimes, it leads to needing police involvement.

[Krojack]

Contact your local authorities. I think there's not much else SE can do at this point.

This likely depends where you live. I'm 99% positive if someone like me went to my local authorities with this problem they would laugh at me and tell me to get a life and stop playing video games. That's America for you though.

[Lunalepsy]

I have been harassed in game since December of 2019. Square Enix has seemingly done nothing to help me and I am beside myself. The same player has been creating alts to impersonate my character and attempt to slander my reputation in game.

They currently have created a trial account (thankfully this one is not an impersonation) and they have left it outside of my Free Company with search info that says,

"Ayatzi Metztli = H**"

(I just came back to the game after leaving because of this harassment, hoping that psycho had moved on, but no.)

I fail to understand how this is not being taken seriously and I'd like to know why this player is allowed to continue their behavior unchecked, despite being asked to stop & having been reported. SE updated their policies about ingame harassment/stalking but fail to provide players with any real means to escape these situations, or to actually follow through with repercussions for the abusers. GM responses are always automated and no results are ever seen.

If SE isn't going to actually help players with harassment, then they need to give players more options for privacy ingame and on the lodestone. I made a forum about this harassment 1yr ago in these same forums, and tried to explain the loopholes that stalkers are able to use to harass and follow others ingame. I'm very disappointed that I am still in these forums advocating for change and still requesting support against my own stalker. Do Better Square Enix, the policies are garbage and do not help anyone.

I understand you. One of my stalkers moved to FFXIV, but he won't dare approach me. He knows as soon as I become aware of his presence, I will report him and let the mods deal with him. This person made my life a living nightmare, but I learned many things when I was in that same predicament. I hope this situation also becomes an invaluable experience for you so you can learn and grow from it.

[Vahlnir]

Can't tell if you're trolling or being serious. You can't be that dense.

He's usually a combination of all of these things. Not always, but usually.