Option to privatize or opt-out of lodestone displaying character. Show your support!

[Senn]

You allow people to privatize their lodestone..this gonna be used by stalkers, trolls, groomers, pedos, ragers, ppl who burn bridges, scammers, fc scammers etc

No, because it doesn't matter to a GM if your lodestone is private or not. If you violate the ToS and are reported for it, action will be taken on your account by a GM.
I'm not sure why the GM didn't help that one reddit poster's friend, but I think more often than not, GM's will step in if the ToS is violated.

[PyurBlue]

There's a bit of a issue...well planet ending one really. You allow people to privatize their lodestone..this gonna be used by stalkers, trolls, groomers, pedos, ragers, ppl who burn bridges, scammers, fc scammers etc

If people invent locks to lock their doors at night it enables criminals to do the same, but having locks is still better than the alternative. Something being imperfect is not a reason to discard it.

[MsMisato]

Just wanted to bump this thread as I think it's a topic worth discussing, and the change this thread is requesting is worth supporting. Please remember to leave a 'like' on the OP of this thread to show your support.

Here's a recent article I found in regards to stalking/harassment on ffxiv. Not only is it hard to get away from stalkers in real life, you can't even get away from them in game - a place where you're supposed to have fun and chill.
Tokyo Resident Arrested for Stalking, Including in Final Fantasy 14
Reddit post on this topic


Post from the reddit thread: "Friend of mine had a stalker in game. Reported to gm they told them they cannot reprimand the user Peraon stalked them endlessly, following them between tp zones and even server moving. Would harass in shout and whisper chat. Friend took a year quit cos of the harassment. Came back swapped server again and name changed out of fear. The stalker found them within a day and resumed the harassment. Gm once again said nothing to be done about it. Friend has permantly quit due tonthe game enabling abusive stalkers. :,("

but honestly after reading, there is more to what was going then just lodestone. Sounds like they exchange personal information hence the mention of getting parents involved on what was said and that. but this is actually what should happen if stalking/harrassment bleeds over to real life. You need to get local law enforcement involved. GMs don't rely on them, they're not verse on laws and such but I agree they need to enforce the ToS more stringent and not give so many strikes before a ban. Harrasement and stuff in game should be an auto perma ban.

[Senn]

If people invent locks to lock their doors at night it enables criminals to do the same, but having locks is still better than the alternative. Something being imperfect is not a reason to discard it.

And let's not forget the fact that a lot of these stalkers are making new characters, new accounts, or trial accounts to continue stalking. These stalkers are already "hiding" their lodestones.
So yeah... allowing people to privatize their lodestone, or having lodestones be private by default is the best way to go about this. At least then people who are being stalked and harassed have a way out without losing years of progress on their account.

but honestly after reading, there is more to what was going then just lodestone. Sounds like they exchange personal information hence the mention of getting parents involved on what was said and that. but this is actually what should happen if stalking/harrassment bleeds over to real life. You need to get local law enforcement involved. GMs don't rely on them, they're not verse on laws and such but I agree they need to enforce the ToS more stringent and not give so many strikes before a ban. Harrasement and stuff in game should be an auto perma ban.

GMs can't get involved in matters like these outside of the game obviously, but at least make it so that's not possible in the game. The current lodestone system is no good because it can enable stalking/harassing behavior.

[Stormpeaks]

There's a bit of a issue...well planet ending one really. You allow people to privatize their lodestone..this gonna be used by stalkers, trolls, groomers, pedos, ragers, ppl who burn bridges, scammers, fc scammers etc

The idea would work if the bad element wasn't in the game. It's fine as it is. If you end up making people mad then expect to be looked up...if you change your character name then expect it to be found. If you like a certain person on Ada then don't expect to hide.

Just don't give people a reason to even wanna look you up and you golden

You allow people to privatize their lodestone..this gonna be used by stalkers, trolls, groomers, pedos, ragers, ppl who burn bridges, scammers, fc scammers etc

Yeah so just like now, except that as of right now, only the victim of harassement gets stalked and harassed, while the stalker/harasser has no repercussions since they'll just keep making new chars to avoid blacklist.

Just don't give people a reason to even wanna look you up and you golden

Nice victim blaming there, good job chief, you're also the type to tell women "Well dont wear a skirt if you dont want to get harassed on the street" arent you ?

[Jatoi]

I support this completely. I don't wholly get the detractors, I understand how the thirst for vigilante justice is irresistible in this community but personally? I firmly believe getting rid of the tools for terrible people to victimize others is a good thing.

People who wish to stalk have all the tools to do it without even trying whereas the person on the receiving end has to watch their surroundings in-game, even if the person is blacklisted. You can and should report them but hear me out: It's easy to make free trial accounts after being banned. There are players notorious for that.

Not to mention the blacklist system is broken, I played this game for TEN years and I didn't know how broken it was until recently. Doesn't matter if you remove someone and blacklist them, you're still on their friendslist and they can easily find out where you are. They can't teleport to your estate but if they already know where it's at then it wouldn't matter if they can't teleport anyway. A friend and I found this out by testing this with each other and we were appalled. Even if the blacklist system had been fixed, if the person who is obsessed already has your lodestone address then nothing will impede them from knowing what name you have and what server you changed to. What then? Delete your character, something that obviously means more to you than it does to them?

[Boblawblah]

I don't believe for a second that GMs can't do anything, they simply choose not to. They could look up chat history, and see what is really going on, especially if the stalker is being reported. Also, if it gives people more privacy, I'm always for that. It's ludicrous to say that privacy helps the aggressor when they're able to make as many alt accounts as necessary while the victim risks their main account that they want to use.

That said, there's a trend, especially with online stalking for victims to almost want some connection with the stalker, if only to track them and feel like they know what they're up to or something. Please, cut off ALL contact with someone stalking you. Any communication, even a "I've reported you" is a win for the stalker. They love to think that you're still thinking about them, focusing on them. The worst you can do to them is never acknowledge them. If you're part of a FC that allows the stalker to participate, then they're enabling the stalker and you need to find a new FC.

[Eastwall]

It doesn't make sense that others can just look me up. I want to be able to do more than just toggle my achievement to private in lodestone.

[Jojoya]

GMs can't get involved in matters like these outside of the game obviously, but at least make it so that's not possible in the game. The current lodestone system is no good because it can enable stalking/harassing behavior.

The Lodestone is only an issue if the player transfers their character to another world and/or name changes.

Other tools already available in game are far easier to use to harass/stalk a player that is online when you know their character name.

[Senn]

The Lodestone is only an issue if the player transfers their character to another world and/or name changes.

Yeah. That's the problem.