How to handle in-game stalkers?

[warren-ragnarok]

I've had a stalker coming to my FC yard for over 3 months now and whisper my FC members as they walk by if they haven't got him blacklisted.
He was removed from my FC because of incessant harassment to other players.
He admittedly has severe mental health issues.

I've reported this player at least 20 times and Square Enix refuses to do anything. Other people in my FC have reported him multiple times. He must have at least 50 reports on his account.

I've tried asking him to leave.
I've tried ignoring him.

I'm thoroughly disappointed in Square Enix's customer service as they've done nothing to protect me & my Free Company from stalking and defamation.I considered unsubbing, but in my eyes, that's letting the stalker win.
Does this count as cyber stalking? I have his full name and address and could file against him if I needed to.

Please help. I am extremely frustrated.

edit: blacklist was the first thing I did!

granted mine may make the situation worst, but you could tell him to get laid in real life, if he does that enough, he wouldnt have time to harass you guys

[Ryuko]

Sadly, if he's been doing this for 3+ months, I doubt he's just going to lose interest and stop. I know someone who had a stalker from the beginning of 2.0... While he blacklisted the stalker almost immediately, this person STILL follows him around and shouts about him (the only way he knows this is from other people mentioning it). The defamation doesn't stop, and SE hasn't done anything about it. As others have said, if this stalking is serious (to the point of fearing for your safety -- not just a mere annoyance), I would take the next step and take it to authorities. If it is true that this person is suffering from mental illness, then it seems your FC and house has become almost an obsession to him and it is unlikely he will stop on his own. I really feel for you because I hope people don't leave your FC over this guy (which is probably his aim... to cause your FC to fall). It's too bad the best you can do is 'lock' your FC house... but even so, it's annoying that you can't leave it unlocked. It's nice to invite people over who aren't in the FC sometimes.

[ServerCollaps]

invite the com of your server to your house and just blame and shame him all together

[Marael]

blacklist and ignore is a terrible solution in my eyes. these people need to be told that this behavior is not acceptable and possibly reprimanded

Exactly. I find that when you ignore a stalker, or even when you tell him that it makes you uncomfortable or whatnot, it just emboldens him. I've dealt with a stalker in RL, and ignoring him didn't work at all. Telling him to leave me alone, threatening to call the police, none of that had any effect because he thought I was playing with him. He was absolutely shocked when I actually did have him arrested and got a restraining order. He thought I was playing the game with him up to then. He thought I was just trying to make the game more fun. If a stalker doesn't get harsh punishment from those in authority, he's not going to stop. Ever. That's just how the stalker mentality works. I would state in your next GM call that if SE is not going to do anything about it, you're going to go to the authorities over the matter. There's a page on the FBI.gov website about what constitutes cyber stalking, I'm not in a position where I can look up the exact link for you right now (funny that the work internet filter cuts out the FBI but not the FFXIV forums, eh?), but just using their search function should bring it up. They'll have instructions on what to do if you feel that you're being stalked. Stalking is a crime. Whether it be out in the real world, or online. You should not have to put up with it, and if the authorities within FFXIV will do nothing about it, you should certainly go to a higher authority. That behavior is unacceptable, and you should not have to put up with it for any reason, or under any circumstances. And don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise. You have a right to live your life free of fear, discomfort, or any other emotion this person evokes within you. It's not your fault he's an asshole that doesn't understand boundaries or social civility, it's his, and if he is not punished for it he will never stop. He probably doesn't even understand that he's doing anything wrong, and thinks that you're just playing the game with him. He will never know that his behavior is unacceptable until someone with authority steps in and makes him stop.

[ServerCollaps]

where is your house? I'm interested in taking a look at it, lol

[Naliee]

bump

I wanna know if this has been taken care of either by GM or police.

[Xaphire]

He's being really unclear about what this player has done that would be considered harassment. He sits on your lawn. He talks in /say (and spoils anime secrets). He uses a training dummy outside of your house. If people are bothered by spoilers for an anime that's what the blacklist is for. He /whispers people.

Unless this player is threatening to take action against someone in-game in the real world, none of the actions he has taken are against the ToS as far as I know. All I've seen is some tumblr-whining about someone in a video game. You've already blacklisted him, and I'm sure players in your FC have taken the same action if they find him to be a nuisance. People that are suggesting you contact the police for something like this are going so far overboard they don't even know where their ship is anymore. It's a virtual world. Nothing this guy can do in-game can impact your well being.

You've done all that needs to be done.

[lololink]

He's being really unclear about what this player has done that would be considered harassment. He sits on your lawn. He talks in /say (and spoils anime secrets). He uses a training dummy outside of your house. If people are bothered by spoilers for an anime that's what the blacklist is for. He /whispers people.

Unless this player is threatening to take action against someone in-game in the real world, none of the actions he has taken are against the ToS as far as I know. All I've seen is some tumblr-whining about someone in a video game. You've already blacklisted him, and I'm sure players in your FC have taken the same action if they find him to be a nuisance. People that are suggesting you contact the police for something like this are going so far overboard they don't even know where their ship is anymore. It's a virtual world. Nothing this guy can do in-game can impact your well being.

You've done all that needs to be done.

I wonder, permanently using another FC's dummy, ( OP says that he couldn't even remove the dummy because it was constantly used ) and always standing in the house plot seems a little too much, especially if it lasted 3 months. That makes me want to know where that house is, just to stalk the stalker xD.

[Casper]

Honestly, i don't see the issue. Just give the word to any new recruit to blacklist him. Problem solved. It's a minor annoyance. The training dummy thing is a bit sad, i admit. Then, as others have said, treat it like a pet for your fc. He can't bother you anymore, he can just run around, so just treat it like you would a wandering pet. Either he will get bored, or he won't, doesn't matter.

[RufusShinra78]

I'm a little late to the party but would you mind switching to balmung so I can stalk you? thanks in advance