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

[SassyAssassin]

I just told my husband to quit his job and work on that achievement score.

Achievement scores...

Wait you married him BEFORE he had a good achievement score? Girl get some standards damn.

Same thing I thought. Actually laughed someone using that as a pickup line.

"Hey baby, my achievement points prove I know how to score."

Unfortunately it only proves he knows how to use his hands and most likely nothing else…

[Senn]

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. :,("

[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.

[Ravenblade1979]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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 ?