Was I in the wrong?

[Aylis]

A few years ago, when I was first trying out the game, I zoned into Ul'Dah and went AFK a few moments whilst doing so. When I came back a lala was emote spamming that godsawful laugh at me. I moved away into the street to figure out what to do next in the game or where to go (I was new, didn't know what I was doing and so on), and the lala followed me, still emote laugh spamming me, and continued to do so, even when I moved further on up the street for a second time. I was flustered, didn't know what to do, but my husband advised reporting them, and for me to zone to X aetheryte, so that's what I did. A little less than an hour later, I had a GM contact me in game to check up and see if I was okay. They were very kind and understanding, and though I don't recall exactly what was said, I do remember being told that sort of behaviour was not condoned. I imagine, though I don't think they told me, the GM then went to find the offending popoto, and hopefully put it out of its misery for a short spell. Though I actually just unsubbed not long afterwards as it didn't give me the best impression of the game, amongst other things and despite the kindly intervention of the GM - though I admit that unsub was mostly because I hadn't finished up with GW2 at the time and FFXIV and I were not at a place where we could yet meet in the middle.

So... no, just because an emote is in-game, doesn't mean it's okay to use it to abuse someone else, or that a report for emote harassment will be ignored.

It's true. A few years ago I remember a very ummm...colorful person emote spamming my friends and I when we were just sitting and talking to ourselves in party chat in Limsa. We all reported them and later on in the night a GM contacted all of us to further investigate. I can't say for sure what happened but I know from doing a lot of things in Limsa (GC and all) that said person was an active harasser in Limsa. After that night for the life of me I can't remember ever seeing them again there.