Expose Me

Given the choice, would you opt into allowing Linden Lab to reveal your identity when your abuse report resulted in their temporary suspension from the forums and grid?

Why or why not?

I was hoping this was going to be a poll asking if we would like to see you with your pants down.

That's on next week's agenda Starax. You'll have to settle for antici

pation 'til then.

I would consider this a fair trade for being able to actually know that some action was taken on an AR instead of it wafting away into the great beyond....

Actually, I only answered this to get a seat next to Starax for when you drop trou. Will it be open bar?

What would be the point?

don't they do that already?

**edit
Bah, NOW i understand. Major no, for the reason of retaliation.

And BTW, that topic makes me feel cheated. Still.

I'd say no.

Think like a criminal.

In the real world witnesses and plaintiffs are reluctant to come forward because of the threat of retribution by the defendant.

The situation is worse in SL. The guilty party is not in jail. That is, he can get to you (grief, flame, and whatever else) using alts.

I vote for anonymity of the report sender on the grounds that bans require objective evidence anyway.

If we need to know that our report was acted upon, it's safer for LL to send us an email privately telling us so.

edit: misread...

I think that they should be transparent, yes.

I would opt in. If this is going to be a free world, then we should have the right to -- if not face -- then know our accusor.

You didn't pose the question very clearly. Are you suggesting that the griefer's identity be revealed, or the person reporting?

If you mean the person filing the AR, no way in hell. Never.

If you mean the griefer, it's still a no. For most griefers, a chief motivation is publicity and attention. Even negative. Getting their name on the polic blotter would be like a merit badge for evil boy scouts.

There's also the possibility - even remote - that there were circumstances around a situation that the rest of us don't understand. As you all know, *good* drama involves more than 2 people. LL tries to get the whole story, but in many cases they're relying on the word of citizens.

I think this is a bad idea.

Personaly, I was suspended, in my mind wrongfully, from another games forum because a mod (who was the ultimate drama queen) and I didnt see eye to eye and I called her out on her BS and actions in an personal message to her and the other mods.

There are many reasons that people can be suspended or banned from a forum. Most are minor and aren't a big deal, I've seen some very good posters have a really bad day, go off on someone and then get suspended. I've also seen some who are forum abuseres get suspended and wear it as a badge of honor.
Why draw attention to either?

I have experienced serious griefing, ive been in sims that were firebombed, brought down, etc. I did not like having to reboot my computer after these attacks and i was annoyed in the disruption it cuased.

Ive been attacked with push weapons, And forced to reboot.

Ive been Ejected so hard i had to reboot or TP's home and likewise.

Ive also experienced people being peeping toms, intruders, general nosy folks, etc.

I have seen plenty of attention hog exhibitionist griefers also -

The naked guys riding flying cows with masturbation animations. The guys with 10 foot penis's trying to get attention. The men who strip and dance in a lesbian club becuase they "know all ladies really want a man"

And probably worse - The people who say and do things just to bother others.

****************************
STILL, compared to the ammount of time ive spent in SL all the things ive seen , id say griefing is VASTLY overblown. Especially on the forums.

LL does a decent job already helping with this - some improved privacy controls would go a long way as i think Travis(? pretty sure - the doggie shelter gentleman =) ) advocates.

the one real griefing issue that is the real issue in my opinion is those people who bring down the GRID.

so i think with improved privacy controls,

the main thing LL should work on preventing is those idiots who want to take the whole Second World down.

Sorry to double post -

But since there is no way to prevent false reports - the whole concept of revealing the reporter or the reporteds RL information is completely inane.

*As far as the reporter -

No one will report anything if their identitity is going to be revealed for a lousy reboot its not worth it for many people.

*As far as the reported -

Think about it if im dumped by a lover and im mad , all i need to do is AR her and BOOM all RL information on her is availble.

As far as if you need "guilt" Its a simple matter to get "bumped" by someone or their objects - just jump in their car.

I don't think anyone's advocating release of RL information!

Yes.

If I file an abuse report I do it for very good reason. I would prefer the person to know it was me that filed it, that way they know not to mess with me again. ( hopefully )

I agree. Also I think a person has a right to know who their accuser was and why they were abuse reported.

Oh - and I am so disappointed in this thread because initially I thought I was going see Khamon expose himself. Trickery. - just to get us to answer your poll.

.

Considering that you apparently have to be pretty damn nasty to earn a permanent vacation from SL (forums or world), all attaching the reporter's name to the report will do, it seems to me, is give harassment targeting information to the assclown in question.

The reason why this is not necessary is that unlike in real life, offences in SL can be documented with objective data which makes it unnecessary to reveal an accuser's identity. With a properly done report the case transforms into one of LL versus the offender since it's a TOS violation.

Why accusers must be revealed in real life is because it's largely one's word against another and evidence is frequently circumstantial and situational.

I also know no MMOG that publishes the names of the accusers. It really isn't necessary and sometimes it's an advantage to the game hosts when the reporter remains anonymous since he may be able to catch other offenders later. I know of someone who submitted over 100 reports, 70 of them resulting in penalties. If people knew who he was they might just take their offences to another part of the server where he isn't around.

Yes.

I'd say depends on reason. Continued stalking: yes. One hash flame/personal attack: no.

A big fat no.

I don't believe the accusers' identity shold be revealed

Nor the person being accused.


This is a complex world, and anyone can file an abuse report against anotehr. And while I do believe the Lindens take every precaution to deal fair justice, there is room for error.

And them not being around him anymore would be bad how? It would destroy his game I suppose. Well not really, he'd just keep abuse reporting the people that were still in his area.

He was the most industrious offence reporter by far. It helped very much that people never found out who he was. By keeping his identity secret, the catch was higher.

Result was less offensive players, and the game environment was the better for it.

need another optinion - what about witness protection program ... ..lol

No I would not suggest anyone opt into that.
For one simple reason.
Abuse Reports can, and are, abused.
Just like any "value" in a platform/game/enviorment. Anything can be hacked.

As for the AR's a simple example might be:
"Someone and their friends can all AR you."
All at once or randomly over a set period of time. For one reason or for different reasons.
Basically framing you.
Anyone with friends in SL can do this if they seriously want to get lindens on someone's ass. But the Lindens also know this so that is why some choose to AR a person randomly over a set amount of time. It masks the whole process and is hard to figure out unless someone looks into a particular group. Which would be a stupid way of doing things. Actually haveing a group setup that says "I abuse the ar's and grieve people". lol

In any case, to AR an avi over time, it would require someone to "hunt" if you will. If nobody has the person on their friends list. And of course hunting a person down works in SL just like in RL. Basic detective work.
It's sad really.
That is of couse abuse in it's own right. And should not be done.