Square Enix Does not care about Stalking/Harassment In Game

[SenorPatty]

Just wondering what multiplayer games provide the quoted things above simply by blacklisting as I haven't encountered them in the multiplayer games I've played over the last two decades.

Sorry, I don't mean literally invisible but more like blending in with the crowd "invisible". Back in I think 05-08, when it seemed like every other month, some Korean f2p would come out, I remember there was like at least 2 I played where the blacklist made use of "grey robe" tech, which was that thing visually killed any outfit and replaced it with feneric outfit on your screen (but you could also set it to display in server too). Anywho, I remembered that if you blacklisted someone, the next time you restarted your game and loaded back in, you would look like a "grey robe" player to that person and they'd have to be super close to that person to see your nameplate (but usually, some took the extra step to name change) thus blending you in with the crowd. So I just personally called it invisible mode.

[NekoMataMata]

The GM hands may be tied if you are unwilling to follow the advice given first (lock the FC house so that non-FC members can't get in, put the offending person on personal blacklist).

Hopefully you've provided them with the name, location and times of offenses. 'Predatory behavior' is a useless quantifier if there aren't solid reasons (chat records, mostly) to back them up. Complaints from multiple sources (including name, locations, times and offensive behavior) are more compelling, so if you have witnesses, have them put in similar reports.

Be cautious, because multiple people reporting a player can be interpreted as harassment if the reports don't pan out.

Sorry to hear of your problems. Hope it can be resolved.

This is also their fault though.

Why can't we outright prevent one individual from entering a house? Why does an entire FC have to close its doors to outsiders because one person decided to be a creep?

Because Square refuses to give us the tools to deal with stalking/harassment properly.

[Flaws]

I think all MMOs should give you the option to completely remove a player from your game if you wish to and it should be for their whole account, not just that one character. Putting someone on your blacklist should give you the options to make them disappear for you, make yourself disappear for them, exclude each other from any and all matchmaking/party finder listings and make it so they cannot find you using the Player Search function. These options would also include being unable to enter your regular and FC houses (assuming you are the FC leader and owner of said house of course).

It would help with more than just stalking but also with many other situations. For example if you've had a falling out with a friend or a partner of some sort. Some people struggle with moving on if they have to keep seeing that person in-game constantly and they often change servers or quit the game altogether because of that one situation. It would tremendously help many people feel much safer with continuing to play the game after any such incident. Maybe the only single exception should be PvP so that players who are really good don't just get blacklisted by everyone and never get to actually play PvP.

The reason for this is that even if you block chat communication, they can still see you, harass you in-game with their character, use emotes, follow you around and so on. Or if you are a more sensitive person and you need to just not see that player anymore, you can completely remove them from your game and yourself from theirs. I cannot currently think of any real downsides to this in regards to game functionality but I'm sure any that come up can be remedied fairly easily by adjusting some of it.

On a related note, if you remove someone from your friends list, it should remove you from theirs as well. This will prevent a whole lot of stalking that goes on in this game and it seems like this is one of the very few games that are still so behind in its friends list system design.

[MilkieTea]

Okay that sucks(police are awful) but other MMOs have plenty of privacy settings to help with this. It doesn't guarantee that someone can't stalk or harass you, but it makes it very difficult for them to do so. That's literally the least Square could do. The bar is set incredibly low here.

I think the problem (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that there are differing mindsets when it comes to Easterners vs Westerners in regards to stalking/harassment and ending relationships.
Not that that's an excuse, mind you! Just a possible explanation.

[NekoMataMata]

I think the problem (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that there are differing mindsets when it comes to Easterners vs Westerners in regards to stalking/harassment and ending relationships.
Not that that's an excuse, mind you! Just a possible explanation.

I've actually heard that to. A lot of people have said that the Japanese are very lax when it comes to a lot of things and that worse case scenario they will simply ask you not to do something, rather than take action? That's the best way to describe what I've heard.

It's interesting but definitely not productive or helpful.

[Batbrat]

Just like real life, they cant do anything until it escalates. Just following someone in itself isnt illegal. In the case of xiv, they need the person to say or do something bad. Try your best to ignore them. Dont say anything that makes it like a.. 'you both mutually said bad things' kind of situation. If you can think of something that isnt verbal that would anger them enough to slip up and do something reportable then that would be your way out.

[AithneDorcha]

At the end of the day, this person has broken the ToS numerous times and reported over 8 times still continue to harass and stalk our members. We have submitted evidence and other than Removing our FC from interacting with the rest of the community that is the best Square Enix can come up with? Also, the worst thing someone can do is try to clout chase and say well your situation wasn't as bad as mine so it doesn't count. I don't find that to be a "legitimate" argument in any context. Game disruption due to someone acting a fool shouldn't occur and when it does there should be consequences leading up to banning especially when they rack up 8 reports with evidence.

[DixieBellOCE]

After reporting the same player for the 8th time for entering our FC house after asking them to leave and that they are not welcome because of predatory behavior and receiving the obligatory message:

"Hello, Aithne Dorcha, and thank you for your GM call. We have received your report regarding grief tactics and we apologize for any disruption that this has caused. Thank you for providing enough information for us to begin an investigation in accordance with our policies. Although we cannot share the outcome with you for privacy reasons, rest assured that we take disruptive behavior very seriously and we will ensure the appropriate action is taken."

It is all but apparent Square Enix does not take Stalking/Harassment "very seriously" at all. If anything they blatantly ignore it because at the end of the day who would want to burn a cash source? My question is at what point should they be held liable for not enforcing the ToS that they in turn hold us, players, to. We enter into a contract with Square to play this game and in turn, they are supposed to provide some form of a safe experience. As an FC leader, I shouldn't have to lock my FC house down because of one person making it impossible for other members of the community to visit us if they are looking for an FC, coming by for crafting, or simply just visiting some of our members who they are their friends.

The GM's give the same response time, after time after time. Lock the house, blacklist the person... That tells me that they don't want to deal with the problem. When a player has been reported numerous times over a span of months for predatory behavior then the GMs should now be complicit in said behavior. Throwing your hands up and saying NOPE NOT MY PROBLEM is a great way to make a problem erupt and ruin a community, great job.

The support team are as good as their jobs as the 'SPECIAL TASK FORCE' are are banning actual botters.

Pathetic.

[Divinemights]

I had a guy did same thing to me once
Basically, if you are not following GM's instruction to lock your house for public access
Anyone is free to go in; however, if the guy choose to stay there after you locked the house.
GM then has authority to remove him from the house interior and give him a proper warning.

If you choose not to follow GM's instruction, don't expect GM to do anything you think that is proper, because it is not according to their code book

[hagare]

I had a guy did same thing to me once
Basically, if you are not following GM's instruction to lock your house for public access
Anyone is free to go in; however, if the guy choose to stay there after you locked the house.
GM then has authority to remove him from the house interior and give him a proper warning.

If you choose not to follow GM's instruction, don't expect GM to do anything you think that is proper, because it is not according to their code book

so lock the house with him inside?
Interesting