HUD fosters HATE AND HARASSMENT

It's come to light recently that there is a site available for Second Life users that fosters hate, harassment, hostility, and a level of snark as yet unseen, even by the good folks at [info]sf_drama . The site owner created this hate factory in the name of "fun".

The way this site works is a person can obtain a free HUD inworld and "vote" for their favorite "Douches". Once the person gets a vote, they are placed on the site, and this is where the real fun begins. People are allowed to post anonymously, and to say pretty much anything they want, true or not. Meanwhile, you are allowed to vote for anyone you like once per hour as long as you wear the HUD. You also get three "freebie" votes per day, in addition.

Although the site owner instituted a rule restricting use of real names, phone numbers, and email if you post to the site, some users still spew outright lies about their contemporaries. The banter back and forth is reminiscent of he said, she said, only much more hostile.

The level of vitriol I see posted there for different people makes me a little sad. Do you not have anything better to do with your time than to vomit forth hate speech, and harass others? While I do realize this is a futile thing to say: ACT YOUR AGE. You aren't twelve. You are no longer in Junior High. Yes, I have looked at the site a few times, just to gather information about it , but I have never, and will never post there.

Why? Because THERE IS NO PURPOSE TO ADDING TO DRAMA, real or perceived.

I have sent in an abuse report to the site owner's ISP, and to Linden Lab. In reality, Linden Lab will not do anything because they probably can't, but it's possible to get the site yanked from the web with enough abuse reports to the ISP.

The site owner mistakenly believes his harassment site will make him money, through ad revenue. If I were a business owner, there is no way I would pay to advertise on a hate and harassment site.

For the record, I will not post the name of the site here because it doesn't deserve the traffic. As an aside, yes I am on the site, and yes there are some things said about me that are untrue. I've been watching this unfold for a couple of weeks, at first amused because someone was obsessed enough to believe I'd stoop to their level and add them to the site, and to post. They are under the misapprehension that I am posting. No, I am simply watching. Learning.

I've learned that as stupid as some people are, nobody deserves to be harassed.

There are a couple of inworld groups that are dedicated to getting people together for griefing and other bullying activities. Doesn't sound like fun to me.

I believe I found the site in question. It rates a solid "meh." Childish stuff, but the sort of thing you shouldn't bother to rise to the bait of.

Freakin' brilliant idea though

Link please.

If I wanted to promote this product, I think I'd probably create an alt and post an outraged condemnation of it in this forum, dropping a couple of keywords that'd send people scurrying to a famous search engine where, miraculously, it appears at the top of the list.

The video is rather clever too.

Bingo!

Yes, Frylock is an alt, and no, he does not own the site in question.

I have sent a number of abuse reports against the person who does own the site. I cannot and will not post his name here, but the initials are SS. Forum rules state I am not allowed to name names.

His wife, or whatever she is, owns a store that was advertising on that site, but is no longer.

Several people have been hurt by this site.

Take this as you will, but the original poster was not intending for the site to receive any kudos or recognition. He, as well as I, and several others, would like the site shut down.

Here's a link to one of the blogs against the site and the HUD.

http://fcfgsl.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/what-makes-a-douche/#more-130

That site seems to have that not-so-fresh feeling, no new entries since the middle of August?

Damn, I'm not on the list.

I refuse to increase the traffic to the site in question by checking it out, but I very much liked the comments by Cyclic in the blog exposing the bullying there.

Having been accused of promoting censorship myself on a number of (for me) memorable occasions on this forum, I'm honestly not sure of the appropriate response to this. Ideally, a sort of boycott that will let the site whither away would be best, but we know that there will likely always be jerks who will want to use this sort of "tool."

I agree that anonymous bullying, libel, and smear attacks do NOT constitute "free speech": but does it follow that the appropriate response to this is to seek a ban? I am honestly undecided.

And, referencing another thread here on this forum, does a call to AR the HUD count as a call for vigilante action?

Ephraim: You need to be more patient. I'm still composing my outrageous and deeply injurious posting on you for the site.

Make it reeeeeal personal. You can even name the horse in question.

kk, but I should probably omit the name of the stable boy, right? ToS and all that . . .

He was more of an unstable boy.

That would be my blog - and new doesn't necessarily mean bad. I actually blog for multiple blogs - so it's not like I'm some alt with a revenge issue. The blog is actually updated a lot more frequently than most blogs that have been around for years too - so that's not something to be used against us. I might also add that Atomic Valley have also done an article on this matter.

I've spoken to the owner of the HUD, and his attitude is all about money - he created the site to have ad space, and to get ad money from unsuspecting SLer's wishing to get hits. Sure, the site gets traffic, but it's not really the right kind of traffic - he's going to be left sorely unfulfilled, as his site is likely to get shut down, or he will run out of money.



Thank you for the support - I honestly don't think his idiocy warrants a ban - he himself is just condoning the behaviour - it's the anonymous users out to deliberately hurt others that are probably worthy of one. Saiman's just a money grubbing fool.

Oh, I meant the silly list place. It looks like SL ran out of douches or something.

Oh, I shouldn't worry about THAT ever happening . . .

I see now that they are sorted by votes, so it's more of a quality than quantity problem. The newer douches simply aren't trying hard enough.

LOL !!

You know, I've often thought of starting a thread here discussing the declining quality of douches . . .

I recognize no names so far. Anyone who got the HUD taking requests? :angel:

If you go back far enough, Governor Linden is on there.. LOLz.