SE's inability to protect players from stalking/harassment

[RajNish]

I do not want this thread to be directed towards MY specific issue.

There seems to be a misunderstanding here. I meant suggestions priority, not a discussion about your stalker.

[Vahlnir]

I do not want this thread to be directed towards MY specific issue. SE has my information regarding my stalker, and they're really the only ones who need it, aside from maybe, the police.
The point of this thread is to raise awareness and bring up ideas that might be helpful. To ask questions regarding the problems with the blacklist system & to get SE's attention to provide better means of handling online stalking and harassment. I just mentioned it, but again, my stalker can see this thread and comment, as easily as anyone else, and Id really like to keep some actions that Ive taken regarding my stalker, private. If I could, I would call this person, and the other person involved, out by their names, but I cannot for obvious reasons regarding ToS.
I do not care to discuss my stalker, I care to discuss how people can prevent stalking and harassment in the first place.

That is all well and good. I'm all for trying to figure out ways to solve this issue. However, your specific issue was brought up, meaning that it was inevitably going to be discussed. If you wanted to avoid that bit of attention you might have been better off avoiding bringing it up at all and focusing solely on your mission for change, at least on the forum side of things.

[AiUsagi]

This thread is still relevant today as much as it was one year ago. SE "updated" their policies, but failed to fill any of the loopholes that actually allow for the harassment to end- that being said, harassment between players is likely to go on without help from GM's for as long as SE enables them via the lodestone and player search. I took a break from the game & came back to the same harassment.
Do Better, Square Enix.

[Shin96]

Can't say much about stalking in general.

What I can say is don't interact with strangers on the internet. FFXIV is not exempt from this rule; FC's can give you a little insight to that perspective. Everyone having played for a while will understand what I mean.

You don't randomly become a target of harassement unless there's a connection or information revelead to the person in question. I rarely hear about these issues by experience alone.

Don't share sensitive information about yourself. Create a few criterias that have to be met in order for someone to know you. Don't lower your expectations to be part of a group or fit into their clique.

As for OP, I sincerely hope they'll look into this issue. All the best to you.

[Maxilor]

This is one of the reasons I refuse to play a female character.

I love this game, but there are some VERY creepy people playing it.

[Rinhi]

I'd advise anyone to read the first 10-12 pages to see how the OP responds to people asking questions and what they (and the people asking questions) consider as stalking before speaking in support of them

however, I do say actual, legitimate harassment can be an issue in this game and SE does not enough to combat this, which sucks a lot

[Nekaru_Infitima]

For all those afraid of stalking in a videogame... You're going to be screwed when DC travel is a thing then. Better learn to deal with it now, and just ignore them.

[Senn]

Yeah stalking does happen in this game, some players just be crazy like that. Especially if you're a girl.
Here are some of my suggestions for SE:

• Ability to make lodestone completely private or choose to have the page removed.
• Option to hide your character on FC roster on the lodestone.
• When you unfriend someone, it takes you off the other player's friendlist too.
• Hide your character roster on the forums. Right now, people can go to your forum profile and see all your characters, which makes it easier for people to stalk you. Or give the ability to publicly delete threads on the forum so you don't get tracked down that way.
• Ability to change forum name. Not only because of a stalking problem, but some people regret their choice in forum name lol
• Divorced players cannot teleport to each other anymore.

idk if I'm missing anything else but I think I covered the most important concerns people have. Bro I don't know what's wrong with the ffxiv community sometimes. I've played a good amount of MMOs, but I've never seen so many complaints about stalkers in them like this. I guess it's because some people see ffxiv as a second life, so things get way more intense. Or maybe in other MMOs, it's just easier to not be stalked? I mean, ffxiv does kind of carelessly provide the tools for stalkers to do their stalking.

Think about it, if a stalker wanted to, they can just look you up on lodestone and keep making free trial accounts. And if they follow you around, they have plausible deniability that they were there by coincidence and minding their own business. It's a one sided battle for these girls. It can happen to guys too, but I think realistically it happens to women more. Sometimes it doesn't end at just stalking online, keep that in mind. Another thing to note is that ffxiv is getting really popular with streamers too, so things can't possibly stay the way they are now. Not only will stalking/harassment be a problem for streamers, but possibly their friends/fc mates too.

And I can understand some people thinking things like "are you sure you're being stalked" or "you're just overblowing the situation" or "you're not telling us the full story. if you're being stalked so much, maybe there's a problem with you instead". But some people are just full on psychos. It really do be like that sometimes.

btw I didn't read the comments in this thread. I just think the way things are set up right now like with the lodestone and whatnot, it makes it easier for people to get stalked/harassed. And it seems to me this is a common complaint and a valid one I think.

[Nekaru_Infitima]

...Oh wow, someone follows you in a game. Unless they're kill stealing you or trying to talk to you. Why do you care? I must be old or something because I don't see how it affects anyone. They're just another face in the crowd, could be anyone, who cares.

And before you say 'well it's different for girls.' I'm a girl.

[Senn]

...

Yeah we get it, you're #notlikeothergirls. Why do you care if people want better privacy settings? Even if it's just mildly uncomfortable, why should people have to put up with it? They're on the game to have fun, not to be annoyed. And maybe it doesn't bother you, but it can bother other people.