In Search Of Linden Statements on Outing Alts

I am searching for Linden statements on outing alts, such as whether it is an actionable violation of policy.

I had another thread going, but people have chosen to make it a battle about unrelated private matters so I have started a new thread.

Thanks to Nolan Nash and MrsJakal Suavage for coming up with the Pathfinder Linden quote in the other thread.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to look through the big three, the CS, FG, and TOS and who searched the forums.

The Pathfinder Linden view on discussing alts is:




Pathfinder does not mention the specific part of "the Guidelines" it violates, and I can't find anything in the Forum Guidelines that seems to connect to Pathfinder's statement.

Possibly he was referring to the Disclosure section of the Community Standards, which reads as follows:


Can anyone else find any other examples of comments by any of the Linden staff on the question of making allegations about Person A being the alt of Person B?

Possibly there is something in the secondlife.com/help wiki that has been overlooked.

Thanks for you on topic responses.

It's traditionally been LLabs' position to not allow any sorts of conjecture of RL or SL identities to be thrown into the public ring. It's just how it is... they're extremely private people themselves (any idea what most of the lindens look like? Yeah, I don't either ), so their views on life, the universe and everything no dobut taint their policy decisions.

In general, don't do it.

LF

No offence Sherri but cant we give this a rest? Practically every thread today has had some kind of "alt" connection to it and I dont think there is a single opinion that hasn't been expressed on this topic.

Barring a Linden decending from heaven with a direct answer to your question, what's the point? And if that's what you really want then why dont you just ask a Linden?

Or am I wrong and the rest of you are all champing at the bit to re-re-re-express your opinions on the outing of alts?

Sheesh!

Geez, Dianne. Sherianne tried to get her first thread back on track after it had been derailed by others carrying on with the earlier one. She gave up and left that thread for them to play in and started this one. She deserves to be commended for her patience not chastised for it.

Sorry, my mistake.

I have asked for quotes from the Linden staff on the subject. I have not stated an opion on the subject in this thread. I don't want to hear anyone's opinion, or to express my own.

I am asking for help researching the question. The search tools for the forums are so primitive, someone else might find somthing using a keyword I don't think of. People other than me might remember posts that I don't remember or never had any awareness of.

I have asked the Lindens in the Hotline to Linden forum, and used the response I received about Pathfinder's statement to augment my post in that forum.

I am sorry that reading this thread is causing you distress.

Lordfly, can you provide any quotes from Linden staff members?

Thanks.

No, but two years of observation has to count for something.

LF

From the by-standers point of view:


I don't think alts are an issue as long as you aren't breaking any of the rules. Accusing people of having alt characters or owning alt characters can be seen as harassment and a privacy issue especially if this kind of information is not in their public profile for viewing.


I dont even think owning alts is wrong. Some people who gain reputation (infamous or famous) want some peace and quiet time in SL, some just want to role-play/Avatar LARP, some do it because they like the name or whatever. I don't think it's a big issue if at all.


They become an issue if they are used to harass players in the forums or abuse the First Land privelages (or just do anything that is abusive or harassing to other players). And yet even then it's not considering Linden will just ban/punish/warn the alt account involved.


In my experience in working with a gaming company, we don't punish people who make alt accounts, it's the accounts itself that we deal with.


added:

Oh, I looked and just as expected there is nothing in regards to owning alt characters being illegal in the SL or Forums. Also, actual quotes from Lindens/Game Admins regarding regulations/Guidelines that is not backed up by any formal documentation (TOS/Guidelines etc), I don't think will be considered official and in fact can get them in trouble depending on their company policies on that.


The way I see it, as long as the account has not done anything to break those guidelines, irregardless if they are alts or not, I don't think Lindens will have an issue with them.

I'd think this would fall under the section of the Community Standards on Disclosure:



-Ghoti

So... whose alt are you?

Oh Eggy you've asked that question every one of the nine-hundred times this thread has cycled through the forum and the answer is always the same.