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So Before I Get Banned [Again] What Counts As Offensive?
lapprenticel
Member Posts: 254 Arc User
I've read through the ToS (arcgames.com/en/about/terms) with the principal parts being:
15.2h. impede or disrupt the Service or the normal flow of game play or dialogue in the Game or in Interactive Areas (defined below) in the Service or use vulgar language, abusiveness, use of excessive shouting (ALL CAPS), “spamming” or any other disruptive or detrimental methods in an attempt to disturb other users or our employees;
15.2i. engage in, encourage, or promote any illegal activity, or any activity that violates these Terms or the Rules of Conduct;
16.4a. User Content that is unlawful, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, indecent, lewd, suggestive, harassing, threatening, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, inflammatory, fraudulent or otherwise objectionable;
Not being given to deliberately seeking to offend strangers, and having been accused of an overly gentle and innocent nature - yes you'll just have to take my word for it, I'd've assumed that there would be zero chance of me running afoul of the rules. It seems I was mistaken. I frequently see folk using disgusting language including indecent and lewd content, have seen folk confess to being engaged in crimes whilst playing STO, have seen discussions that could quite easily run afoul of hate speech laws, and yet don't see the moderators taking action. After joining a recent conversation and making a few points grounded in facts\logic, albeit not referenced, the moderators decided to ban me for a short period. Needless to say this has really gotten my back up, and I'm still in discussions with Support about it, though I don't expect a particularly satisfactory resolution.
What I'm now wondering is what is deemed offensive? It appears as if the things I consider manifestly offensive and against the ToS are either not, or are ignored, whilst things I consider inoffensive, even right, are giving offense and 'saying them' puts me at risk of getting permabanned. Are there sacred cows in this game? What about groups? Is something which offends a Buddhist or a Shintoist more likely to earn you a ban than something which offends a Jew or a Christian? Is the ban bar for offending Trump fans lower or higher than that for Hillary fans? Is there a clear moderating bias in favour of a liberal viewpoint, or the reverse? Are you allowed to dispute gender fluid claims or homosexual PoV? Is it permitted to say Star Wars is better than Star Trek?
Okay I understand why the last may merit a ban, but seriously what counts as offensive? I'm now reconsidering my involvement with STO as I'd hate to spend all the effort needed to max R&D, get the better ships, buy shiny gear etc and then get banned. At the very least I'm wondering whether it's possible to completely disable zone chat and play STO single player rather than as an MMO.
Hope some folk can advise me and I don't get banned for posting this thread
15.2h. impede or disrupt the Service or the normal flow of game play or dialogue in the Game or in Interactive Areas (defined below) in the Service or use vulgar language, abusiveness, use of excessive shouting (ALL CAPS), “spamming” or any other disruptive or detrimental methods in an attempt to disturb other users or our employees;
15.2i. engage in, encourage, or promote any illegal activity, or any activity that violates these Terms or the Rules of Conduct;
16.4a. User Content that is unlawful, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, indecent, lewd, suggestive, harassing, threatening, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, inflammatory, fraudulent or otherwise objectionable;
Not being given to deliberately seeking to offend strangers, and having been accused of an overly gentle and innocent nature - yes you'll just have to take my word for it, I'd've assumed that there would be zero chance of me running afoul of the rules. It seems I was mistaken. I frequently see folk using disgusting language including indecent and lewd content, have seen folk confess to being engaged in crimes whilst playing STO, have seen discussions that could quite easily run afoul of hate speech laws, and yet don't see the moderators taking action. After joining a recent conversation and making a few points grounded in facts\logic, albeit not referenced, the moderators decided to ban me for a short period. Needless to say this has really gotten my back up, and I'm still in discussions with Support about it, though I don't expect a particularly satisfactory resolution.
What I'm now wondering is what is deemed offensive? It appears as if the things I consider manifestly offensive and against the ToS are either not, or are ignored, whilst things I consider inoffensive, even right, are giving offense and 'saying them' puts me at risk of getting permabanned. Are there sacred cows in this game? What about groups? Is something which offends a Buddhist or a Shintoist more likely to earn you a ban than something which offends a Jew or a Christian? Is the ban bar for offending Trump fans lower or higher than that for Hillary fans? Is there a clear moderating bias in favour of a liberal viewpoint, or the reverse? Are you allowed to dispute gender fluid claims or homosexual PoV? Is it permitted to say Star Wars is better than Star Trek?
Okay I understand why the last may merit a ban, but seriously what counts as offensive? I'm now reconsidering my involvement with STO as I'd hate to spend all the effort needed to max R&D, get the better ships, buy shiny gear etc and then get banned. At the very least I'm wondering whether it's possible to completely disable zone chat and play STO single player rather than as an MMO.Hope some folk can advise me and I don't get banned for posting this thread
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Comments
If you are asking what will and will not get you banned as an alternate way of saying, "Waaah! Not Fair!", then that makes you look very very foolish.
Fleet leader Nova Elite
Fleet Leader House of Nova elite
@ren_larreck
No one gets banned for offensive chat in game.. ever. It literally never happens.
If you were banned then you did something to make them think you were a gold spammer or you had a suspicious Zen purchase. You can say absolutely anything in this game, Zone chat is nothing but racist, misogynistic hate speech 24/7.
If you actually got banned for offensive content, you must have whispered it directly to a Cryptic staff member because there is just absolutely no way it was for something said in chat. If it really was then someone at Cryptic has a personal grudge against you because this game has no code of conduct at all.
You can say absolutely anything in STO no matter how hateful or offensive it may be.
Indeed, it's really just best to continue this with the mod in question.
One thing I can say, though: Don't look at the chat window, and say to yourself "What they are saying is much worse than what I am (about to) say." That feels like setting yourself up for a fall. And if you're thinking "I'd like to know whether the next thing I'm going to say might get me banned," then you're probably better off not saying it at all.
Yeah. There are some documented cases of ppl getting insta-banned over having used the (partial) name of a known gold farmer. That wasn't good, but, iirc, Trendy took care of it. And I think they eased up a bit on the auto-ban filter ever since.
discussing the moderation is a no-no. Likewise, nobody on these forums can truly help you or address the issue in the meaningful way. Additionally, if you are going around your ban - that is certainly not helping your cause. Take this up privately with the community management. With this, I am closing this topic.
/Closed
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