Recent Developments of TOS Actions Taken

[Alaray]

This really isn't rocket science and the guy can't seem to understand.
Literally, just don't be jerk. That's all he has to do.
He can do what he's been doing as long as he isn't blasting people
out the water like he just did. If he can't understand what he did wrong
then have fun eventually getting permabanned.

It's more of a desire for a defined line. Since, while:

- Maybe he got in SE trouble due to the link he had attached to a lodestone character, placing his content technically within SE's jurisdiction (and they have used this to action people before).

- Maybe he overstepped a limit with how hard he went on the guy, though as he's been doing it for so long at this point, it's sudden for it to be over the line now. Which means, other things that could be seen as fine/innocuous on twitch, could potentially also be actioned on in the future with no hard defined limit as to what constitutes a TOS break on third party platforms, to the point where SE will action it. (Like, if someone's streaming with mods and is reported for using them, would SE choose to come down on that? Or if someone did say an expletive on their stream, or even just called someone "an idiot" in a "that idiot just got me killed on this fight"-level way). And this extends outside of twitch -- if your character can be linked to, for example, your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr account etc... could things you say on these platforms get you actioned? We do know SE actioned people who lewdly modded their characters, but what about people who use Reshade? What about more wholesome/innocent mods? They haven't been actioned so far, to my knowledge, via these other venues, but who's to say it'll remain consistent? And suddenly something people have an understanding is okay, such as streaming the game with the ACT overlay on as another example, is suddenly not okay?

- Maybe it's only being actioned as someone went through the trouble to actually report it. Which means, what else would be a violation if someone decided to report it? Since, the TOS includes things like: not swearing in-game, but that can extend to third party platforms where the game is featured. Do I think they would action someone saying an expletive in a moment of celebration, or a moment of frustration? Probably not. But that's just it: "Probably".

(My guess is: He went too far, had the link of his content on his lodestone character & was reported through an in-game means. That's what makes the most sense, but even then, it's still a guess. I can't say I know exactly what he did to get himself in hot water, because I don't: The GM does).

It's not about did he deserve to be suspended, and more about: well if the evidence in question is a third party platform where the TOS is being applied to, are there limits to what SE would action from that platform? Does a case need to be extreme, or excessive, or reported by a player in-game with the attached clip? Does it need to be a verified source? Does this only cover excessive cases? Does it cover any case?

And it'd also help situations in-game, too. Where people are dealing with stalkers, harassment of a different nature than a "you suck at this game" nature. Since a lot of those interactions aren't often dealt with, and the things that are actioned and not actioned never feels particularly consistent from the GM's. And wanting a clear-cut limit that's defined is... normal. Not in a "how can I twist it in my favor" normal, but in a "okay, so it is absolutely guaranteed that if I don't do x/y/z I won't get in trouble, so I'm going to adjust what I'm doing around that to avoid problems going forward."

The limits should be more defined, especially when there are people who rely on twitch income for their livelihood built off streaming the game. Because anyone who puts forth a reason for the suspension, who is not a GM, is only able to presume and guesstimate (and maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong: either way, there's still a maybe).




It's already accepted that, yes, he got in trouble for being excessive in ripping into a player. But that's not what the overall focus should be on: it's just wanting clear, defined limits involved in handling cases outside of the game, rather than a nebulous "Everything in the TOS may apply at individual GM discretion" since that... covers a lot of things. Like... why, specifically, this case over a case where someone is being actively harassed/stalked etc... in game? Or why is this case allowed to be used as grounds for punishment, but another player who said far more egregious things, is not? What makes this case different from the other two cases.


I'll add that: sometimes having not-super-clearly-defined rules is a positive thing, since it can circumvent rules-lawyering, people getting out of stuff on technicalities etc... but the way things do get enforced often times feel, and seem, very "well... why did this get actioned, but not this other event that occurred in-game?"

Do I, personally, care? I don't personally care on a level wherein I think I'd ever run amok with things, but at the same time I can understand the side of people who stake their livelihood on the game/supplemental income on the game, desiring a more clear process.

(and, again, I'm not defending a stance of "We should all be allowed to beat on each other/mean to each other" but just a general "some lines of absolute Don'ts would be good for out-of-game interactions that involve the game." Like, maybe it is purely in just being a massive dick to someone, that's fine, but it's not a 100% that's absolutely the only thing that could ever get you in trouble)