Infringement of TOS

I'm...distraught, so it's possible this may make no sense at all. Forgive me.

I cannot give all of the details here, but I need help in clearing something up in regards to some things I'm experiencing in SL that are really, really bothering me.

I created an alt account several-several months ago. Very few know of it. I had my reasons, most of which are valid.

A few months ago, something happened with someone I know who is obviously an alt and who was more or less new to this roleplay sim, (At least in this life.) where I was well known at one point. I was not there at the time, but we're both being targeted now by the people who were involved. They are now intent on finding out our 'true' identities, and I'm finding my own friends being drilled as far as to what the story is. If I'm this other person or not.

I'm rambling. Sorry. But I really would appreciate some sort of help, if someone has been through something like this before. I cannot find anything useful to use as far as documentation for this situation. I'd like to report at least one person, because he is really taking this too far, and I'm just...tired of it. I know my friend will just brush it off, but I'm not going to sit back, anymore.

Please help if you can. I don't care if you want to do it in-world, here...I want this to stop. I've done nothing wrong, so, if you know something, please let me know.

TY =/

Edit: I prefer to do this via messages, not posts, as I've seen at least 1 of them amongst the forums. And, I will be brutally honest with you when it comes down to it, if you'll only do the same for me.

Just don't tell them anything and AR them for harassment. (^_^)

Click, Help >> Report Abuse. =^-^=

If they get in the way of good RP, Mute. (^_^)y

True. But apparently should they see my friend roleplaying with anyone, he's planning on IM'ing the person to let them know that I'm a female in RL. LOL

As Immy said, you can AR them for Harrasment and you can also AR them for Disclosure. Anyone who does tell your RL identity without your consent can be AR'd for it. Get any documentation you can, IM and Chat Logs and include them in the report. Also if they are bothering you in your RP sim, Mute , Eject and ban are your friends.

Thank you very much for that. That was indeed very helpful. But, could I use IM & Chat Logs from others? Like, from my friends? I thought that in itself was a TOS violation.

And no, it's not my sim. I am an admin for the sim, as are those that were involved. Basically, my friend was in the middle of roleplaying when these other admins rolled in and started...messing around, interrupting the scene, OOC...spank HUD's getting caught in lag...and my friend of course got p*ssed off. Ever since all of this, there has been quite a bit of negativity in the air there for us.

I get the impression this is someone trying to connect an alt account with another account......not any SL account with a real life identity. If that's the case, it's going to be hard to get LL's attention on it. AR when you find something specific enough to AR them for (ARing for minor annoyances will probably get ignored or, as I've been told, could even get a scolding to you for wasting abuse report personel's time). Ask all your friends to keep their mouths shut on anything pertaining to either of your accounts. Mute (eject, if you have that power) and ask your friends to do the same. It's maddening and frustrating I know but, over time, it can be "fixed".....your reaction to this person's attempts to find "the other you" is most likely what this other person is enjoying. Don't give him/her the satisfaction. Do as your other friend has done.........blow it off (at least as far as that other person is concerned).

If it's someone trying to find your real life identity.........AR, file a support ticket, change your password, call the police, FBI, or any other official organization to investigate.

Best bet would be for the friend to send in the AR with their chat logs. Upon rereading the OP, I agree with Peggy that this may not be a case for a disclosure AR, so LL may be less willing to take swift action. I would still AR for harrassment. The rest of her advice is sound as well.

I've just re-read the disclosure AR. This person told the girlfriend of mine that he was questioning about me that he was planning on, should this friend of mine ever be seen RPing at the RP sim in question, that he would IM the other person/persons involved directly and tell them that I'm a female in real life. This person thinks that I've made a male alt in order to prey on other females, when I myself am a female in RL, because he is obstinant that people should only have an alt according to their RL sex.

So, it's still not disclosure?

I think so. I'd go for it. If your friend can corroborate with a chat log, that would really help. In any event, it sounds like this guy needs to be ARd for simply being a big bag of douche.

Indeed. Now I just have to figure out how to get all of this into one report. LOL. Thanks so much for re-assessing all of this for me. All of you.

If this person is trying to connect your alt (the female one) to a RL gender then that IS ARable.............that is attempting to find out real life information pretaining to a real life identity. That is not only a ToS violation, it's against real life law. LL HAS to investigate.......include the chat logs.

Oh, I love you. =]

Thanks so much. Really.

if they are running around teling people you are a female in rl then yes that is flat out breaking the TOS..unless you have it in the RL section of your profile it is nobody's business and is ARable..

this section of the disclosure rule would pertain to that..

Sharing personal information about a fellow Resident --INCLUDING GENDERr, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference, and real-world location beyond what is provided by the Resident in the First Life page of their Resident profile is a violation of that Resident's privacy.

Nobody knows that I'm just a kitten walking on the keyboard in RL. (^_^)y

I had that happen when someone threatened to tie my alt with main, and in addition, threatened to destroy me, which meant my business, that was just getting off the ground. I usually don't take things in SL too seriously - but that experience was nerve-wracking.

I let all my friends know what was happening, if anyone were to ask questions, and I put the alt away for a while, and let it blow over.

In hindsight - that was ridiculous on my part - the threats were just to get a rise out of me, and mess with my head....and that is what the person wanted, and took joy in. They will be getting off knowing that you are so upset about it - so do not display your displeasure in public....keep it to yourself. I hope you are using an entirely different alt to post this thread.

You should never give any information to any friends, that you do not want blasted around SL. Odds are, at some point, one of them will get pissed at you about something, and use it to push your buttons. Yes - there will be one or two people that you can totally trust - but don't assume that just because you've been friends with someone for a few weeks, that you can trust them through thick and thin.

Relax a bit, and ask yourself - "what is the worst that can happen if they do get my information?".....and it's probably not so bad.....and odds are, it's not going to happen anyway. They are threatening you just to get a rise out of you....and they are enjoying it.....don't let them see you sweat it....and go back to enjoying your SL.

Crap like this is why I am glad I don't have an alt. Everything I do in SL is done by Me. You want to mess with Me, bring it on, Bitch.

Some of my friends have seen my RL picture. Some probably haven't seen my avatar (IM/Forum contact only). It's all about being reasonable and earning trust. (^_^)y

I've been terribly careful, but apparently not enough. And, I think this is more of a case of being ignorant. Regardless of who the alt belongs to, he was in the wrong and he just doesn't want to accept it. After I do my part, and hopefully get a little more support from my friends that are involved in getting him taken care of, I'll definately try to put this behind me.

Thanks all of you for your help. I feel much, much better. Take care all. <3

Stories like this are why it is necessary for LL to do away with throwaway, unverified alts. Especially as the Facebookers start showing up, mpre and more people will be giving out all sorts of RL info without any regard for the consequences. The possibility for real trdgedy is there. Every Main's identity should be known to LL and LL only as a default, and all alts should be linked to that main.

This person would have messed with me whether I had an alt or not, and in fact, in this case, it was a godsend to have that alt. I actually prefer meeting people using an alt now, before I get to know them, because some people turn out to be psychopaths....and I don't want that affecting me while I run the business....I can simply put the alt away for a few months, while it blows over. Can't do that with Mickey - have to be able to concentrate on business every day, without all the BS coming in. It can be very distracting.

Kaelen - I tend to preach to people to NOT let nonsense like this get to you....that you have total control over these situations, by using a few tools....but once in a while, someone creeps in, and does a real number on you. "Distraught" is a very good word. But in actuality.....there really is very little that they can do to cause real harm to you. Most of it will be in your head.

I can definitely a person with a business needing the alt.

No...

I sent an AR to the Lindens a few weeks ago in which I included a chat log from members of my group suggesting to me to send that AR, and how to structure it.

The responding Linden turned down my AR and told me I was in violation of the TOS for including the chat log telling me to make an AR...

If they want to turn you down, including helpful info supporting your cause just gives them a reason to turn you down.

(O.o)...

Well... There's no need to ever include a chat log in an AR. Just one line giving the time. The servers maintain all the rest of the information and they can extract it at any time if it's needed. (^_^)

Thing is... AR are only to report abuses of the TOS/CS. Surely, genuine harassment and intolerance fits the bill. But, LL will NOT get involved in a resident dispute. So, if there's any part of your AR that sounds like "he said - she said", it WILL be destined for the round file. (^_^)

Believe me... If I listed out all the AR threats I get on a weekly basis... You'd be blown away. I'm just happy there really are real people responding to these things. (^_^)y

My chat log was pretty much like this:

Me: Hey folks X is happening to me.
Them: Oh really, I just got a case of X resolved through the Lindens. Who's behind it?
Me: Y, heard of Y before?
Them: Oh yeah, A bunch of Y's property was removed at my request the other day by the lindens.
Me: Well my situation is, in detail, X, violating Z from the TOS/Knowledge base.
Them: Yeah, Z is what I got resolved, to the letter. Y does Z a lot.
Them2: Just make a ticket and an AR over it, we deal with Y and people like Y doing an X, in the nature of Z, all the time, and the Lindens resolve it. Make sure to link to Z on the website.


Specifically, it was a land griefing issue. I put in that, and a link to the policy in the knowledge base that was in violation.

Not a dispute between two people.

But the key is that I was told I was in violation of the ToS for including the real chat log that was summarized/dramatized above...

- And that chat log was merely an advice log, so they could know that the same issue, over the same part of the ToS, involving the same parties, had been dealt with before.

Worse was that the Linden who resolved it before was the same Linden who turned me down and gave me that warning.

So including a chat log will, even when the record shows your right, be enough to get you over to wrong...

If someone is harassing you, attempting disclosure on you, etc... those are not 'disputes and arguments' but ToS violations. And Disclosure is also a legal tort violation in US law (and Linden Labs is in California, which is still a part of the USA - so Cali law applies, to include Common Law where you will find that tort).

But don't put a chat log of their actions into the ticket/AR - just tell them when it happened. Put a chat log in, and they might favor your abuser over you...

I appreciate everything you've said. Everyone here. But I have to finish with this post. Everything has gone wrong. I can no longer allow myself to linger on it. So again, thanks for everyone's support. Bye.