Last night in gen chat

[virtualhabitat]

Last night on a particular shard I happened to witness an extremely ugly thing. There was an argument of some kind, over what I have no idea. For over an hour one individual said some of the most vile and disgusting things to another person. They repeatedly encouraged this person to commit suicide because they were convinced this person was so worthless and stupid. Several other joined in on the exchange, gleefully laughing and saying the most hurtful things they could muster.

This was not a joke. Encouraging someone to commit suicide amid a tirade of insult is never a joke and in many jurisdictions is considered criminal.

Telling people to "turn it off if you don't like it" is unacceptable.

Is it going to take someone killing themselves before we, as a community, get this sort of thing under control? Or are we just going to shrug and tell each other the poor dead guy should have just turned it off?

I don't know any of the parties involved in the exchange.

 

[Nexus]

Honestly that type of behavior is all to common these days. I sincerely believe the anti-social minority has done more damage engaging in that type of conduct than all the bugs, dupes, scripters, etc. that have been present in the game for years. Global chat was in many way a boon, but I sometimes wonder if it did more harm than good.

 

[Dot_Warner]

The real problem is the lack of GM intervention when these kinds of things occur and are reported on. The "its not my department" response from Mesanna and Broadsword shows a lack of will to act in UO's best interests.

Players need to be held accountable for their misdeeds, not simply ignored.

 

[Uriah Heep]

The real problem is the lack of GM intervention when these kinds of things occur and are reported on. The "its not my department" response from Mesanna and Broadsword shows a lack of will to act in UO's best interests.

Players need to be held accountable for their misdeeds, not simply ignored.

This, these people, like the scripters, have become so brazen because they know there is no repercussions for doing what they do. And so when a couple get by with it night after night, then more say what the heck and join in. and it just grows from there.

Just my opinion

 

[Amber Witch]

More and more it's becoming acceptable to treat others with a lack of respect, it's becoming the cultural norm. Where it ends? Don't know. But it's not a society I want to engage in.

It's not just Mesanna, the GM's(we have GM's?), it's each and everyone of us. People are being allowed to get away with this kind of thing and it's rare for someone to speak out about this while it's happening. If you don't then it's only going to get worse.

It all starts right here.

*points to self*

 

[Captn Norrington]

Is it going to take someone killing themselves before we, as a community, get this sort of thing under control? Or are we just going to shrug and tell each other the poor dead guy should have just turned it off?

Unfortunately, this has already sort of happened....I'm not sure if anyone remembers still, but about 9 years ago there were two pvp'ers (forgot the shard and names) who got into a really huge multiple week long argument over pvp which led to trash talking and disgusting language like you described. Well, the victim of it became so enraged he drove across the state to his UO bully's house, killed him, then killed himself. The harassment was going on from the same person in WoW as well I think.

Clearly, since it is still happening, nothing was done to correct the issue that caused that unfortunate incident and it still continues every day.

I really hope that one day, the people who engage in those types of discussions realize how much they are harming the game, as well as their fellow players. They always say "it's just a game", but it's not just a game when personal attacks and real life stuff becomes involved. It needs to stop.

 

[old gypsy]

I don't know if there will ever be a solution. Every time you check the news you can see it... on a much expanded global scale.

 

[Uriah Heep]

If we were still a RP game, instead of a gimme gimme game, these people could be shunned, no one interacts, no one helps them, everyone ignores them, never heals em never rezzes them, KoS in Fel, etc etc. Sadly thoe days are gone

 

[Capt. Lucky]

You can chat ban anyone you like. I've used it. The tools are there. Problem solved. Someone isn't going to go off on an one hour rant unless he's getting feedback. Is this a person your really going to miss talking to in the future?

 

[Zosimus]

You can chat ban anyone you like. I've used it. The tools are there. Problem solved. Someone isn't going to go off on an one hour rant unless he's getting feedback. Is this a person your really going to miss talking to in the future?

You know many new gen games has the ban feature but they actually police general chat. You can report and usually the offender is gone within minutes. Yes you can ban in UO gen chat but once you hit the limit wth are you suppose to do when you need to add a new person? Take one of the old ones off to put up with their crap again?

So player A and B is arguing and players M, F, L,O, S, E, R, s decide to join in with A to degrade player B while the rest of the shard players that are on have to see it also. So everybody bans and has to rinse and repeat constantly in every situation similar like this is the easiest answer you can post on here? lol Why not demand to the devs to start policing chat instead of giving the obvious answer that has always been posted on here since general chat was implemented into the game.



@Amber Witch you said it best. Wouldn't change the word.



In truth gen chat is working as intended. I hate to say it that way but its not the feature fault. Its the players who abuse it.


+

 

[Captn Norrington]

You can chat ban anyone you like. I've used it. The tools are there. Problem solved. Someone isn't going to go off on an one hour rant unless he's getting feedback. Is this a person your really going to miss talking to in the future?

There aren't nearly enough slots on the ignore list to cover them all, and I thought that too until recently....I haven't talked to a particular griefer on Atlantic in about six months, but I still see him bashing me pretty much on a weekly basis....and when he rants....it lasts about 2-3 hours. Every single time. Even if no one is talking to him, I even once saw him do it at around 4 Am when nobody was online to answer him even if they wanted to....some people just like to hear themselves talk lol.

 

[Nexus]

You can chat ban anyone you like. I've used it. The tools are there. Problem solved. Someone isn't going to go off on an one hour rant unless he's getting feedback. Is this a person your really going to miss talking to in the future?

That's not exactly the point, when comes the point that we realize that the person on the other side of the keyboard is a human being, and deserves to be treated as such.

 

[Captn Norrington]

If we were still a RP game, instead of a gimme gimme game, these people could be shunned, no one interacts, no one helps them, everyone ignores them, never heals em never rezzes them, KoS in Fel, etc etc. Sadly thoe days are gone

That has been tried multiple times by various communities, every time it ends the same way, everyone acts like they are supporting the protest against a particular person, who is usually a widely known scammer or something like that, and then over time secrets start to slip out and the truth comes out that half the people were lying about not helping the shunned person and were really helping them as much as the person wanted, hoping the rest of the community wouldn't realize it.

Shunning people really isn't the answer anyways, since it just promotes the "if I ignore it the problem will go away" mentality that unfortunately does not work in UO most times.

 

[Flagg]

Best thing about on-line arguments, no matter how vile or ugly, is how they end the very moment you like. It applies to participants, on-lookers and everybody else. " Enough of this ****." is a very powerful and easy move.

 

[Yadd of Legends]

1. The behavior is repulsive
2. GMs should ban for this
But ...
3. Why did the person on the receiving end keep the conversation going? Why didn't that person put the taunters on ignore? Was there some kind masochism going on here? I don't understand it. Life lesson: don't interact with vile characters.

 

[MalagAste]

1. The behavior is repulsive
2. GMs should ban for this
But ...
3. Why did the person on the receiving end keep the conversation going? Why didn't that person put the taunters on ignore? Was there some kind masochism going on here? I don't understand it. Life lesson: don't interact with vile characters.

Sometimes when we are all "hot under the collar" we don't think as clearly as we should. Occasionally this leads to us doing things like trying to argue with someone that isn't worth our time any other day. Sometimes we just can't let something go. Caught up in the heat of the argument I'm sure it all made sense to the victim... however you know what folk say about hindsight. 20/20.

 

[callum_fitzhugh]

Unfortunately, this has already sort of happened....I'm not sure if anyone remembers still, but about 9 years ago there were two pvp'ers (forgot the shard and names) who got into a really huge multiple week long argument over pvp which led to trash talking and disgusting language like you described. Well, the victim of it became so enraged he drove across the state to his UO bully's house, killed him, then killed himself. The harassment was going on from the same person in WoW as well I think.

Clearly, since it is still happening, nothing was done to correct the issue that caused that unfortunate incident and it still continues every day.

I really hope that one day, the people who engage in those types of discussions realize how much they are harming the game, as well as their fellow players. They always say "it's just a game", but it's not just a game when personal attacks and real life stuff becomes involved. It needs to stop.

I do recall something similar on a much smaller scale alleged to have happened in the UK where two real life gangs fought pvped in UO and took the whole thing into real life with real life fighting. I had forgotten about this until just now! Do you have a link to this news story please?

 

[azmodanb]

besides ignore which i don't use... you could also opt out of chat for a few hours.. and check in here and their.

also just making fun of yourself works alot of.the.time.. agreeing.. yeah ima noob .. my.mom is fat.. etc. i love just turning it around on the greifer..

but yes it sure does suck .. i had an old guildmate on baja supposedly kill himself in a anger fed high speed drive after an argument. sucks... but.. it happends.

i would say just to ignore.. turn it around... agree and take the Fun out of it... and most of all grow a thicker skin. just know the guy on the other end is probably pretty pathetic... feel sorry for them.. they probably have some rl issues. heh

 

[Uvtha]

That has been tried multiple times by various communities, every time it ends the same way, everyone acts like they are supporting the protest against a particular person, who is usually a widely known scammer or something like that, and then over time secrets start to slip out and the truth comes out that half the people were lying about not helping the shunned person and were really helping them as much as the person wanted, hoping the rest of the community wouldn't realize it.

Shunning people really isn't the answer anyways, since it just promotes the "if I ignore it the problem will go away" mentality that unfortunately does not work in UO most times.

Shunning never works. Not only can you not get everyone to agree, but no one NEEDS anyone else in game anyway, and if someone was being a noxious **** they are probably loners or belong to a clan of noxious *****, so they wouldn't want your help or friendship anyway and would probably lol the day away and wear your shunning like a badge of honor.

Only works if the target is just lashing out because of their own painful issues, and then it's just hurting someone incapable of handling their own emotions.

Online communities always have attention seeking trolls, pricks, and all manner of messed up people. Can't stop it, either simply ignore them, or try and show some compassion and at least not engage them when they are being abusive. Anything else just fans the fire.

 

[Petra Fyde]

The irony here is I got pms like that all the time on here, and the reason I got them was because I wouldn't allow such attacks against the posters - especially those aimed at the Devs.

 

[Lefty]

There is a fine line between smack talk and cyber bullying. When it focuses on real life, degradation of character and threats and suggestions of taking ones life, one should know which is which. Needless to say there are various laws, numbering around 40 as to which most are state laws against cyber bullying. One such case the victim committed suicide and the attacker got charged with manslaughter.

 

[The Craftsman]

The irony here is I got pms like that all the time on here, and the reason I got them was because I wouldn't allow such attacks against the posters - especially those aimed at the Devs.

Why 'especially'? Did the Devs deserve more protection than any other poster?

 

[Capt. Lucky]

There aren't nearly enough slots on the ignore list to cover them all, and I thought that too until recently....I haven't talked to a particular griefer on Atlantic in about six months, but I still see him bashing me pretty much on a weekly basis....and when he rants....it lasts about 2-3 hours. Every single time. Even if no one is talking to him, I even once saw him do it at around 4 Am when nobody was online to answer him even if they wanted to....some people just like to hear themselves talk lol.

Well to be honest that is me. Your just so darn good looking in the naval uniform and powdered wig it makes me insanely jealous.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Why 'especially'? Did the Devs deserve more protection than any other poster?

I have just stated in another thread that I am confining my posts to facts and keeping my opinions to myself, so you will just have to draw your own conclusions on that.

 

[Bethany_lg]

This always seems like an easy fix to me. Take a day here and there unannounced and have a gm or dev team member just sit and watch gen chat. Anything considered inappropriate gets ya jail time. 2nd or 3rd jail time gets your account banned. Do that a few times and make the consequences visible and known....A lot of this stuff will get cleaned up.

Right now you can say what ever you want because there is no real system to stop it when it happens.

 

[GarthGrey]

Siege has it's own particularly vile chatter, and everyone knows who it is. It's probably the person the OP is talking about. You can put this person on ignore but it doesn't matter. Gen Chat will always have fans of people like this that will keep conversations going for their own amusement and to laugh along with the one doing the insulting . The only way to truly avoid it is to leave chat altogether, which sucks because on a shard as small as Siege, we really need Gen Chat to keep the community going, which it desperately needs.

 

[The Craftsman]

I have just stated in another thread that I am confining my posts to facts and keeping my opinions to myself, so you will just have to draw your own conclusions on that.

As slippery as ever.

 

[kaio]

I think we need UO-CHAT-MODERATORS.
Just like we have the advisors.
I agree with most here, the ignore list, and the no chat at all, is not the solution.
It's like saying, i dont like terroism, then the solution would be, not to read that part of the newspaper..

 

[old gypsy]

As slippery as ever.

That remark was not only unnecessary, it was downright mean-spirited.

 

[Dot_Warner]

If the GMs simply lurked in gen chat on random shards at random times and gave RoC violators public warnings or 3-day vacations, the offensive behaviors would be radically curbed. Its like a child knowing their parents are watching them, they tend to behave better - especially if they think they'll get punished.

Have the Advisors act as monitors if need be, allerting a GMs when things get out of hand. Advisors would, of course, not take an active role in the chat itself.

Just do something to enforce the RoC, besides thumbing your nose at it.

 

[zamot]

Use the ban feature if it offends you. According to the TOS you must try to remove yourself from the situation. To the OP, this is a game in a virtual world if a conversation is too much for you to handle even when it does not include you, I would say leave chat, close the game and see what the real world is like. Now this is just my opinion people need to grow up the world is full of bullies and the internet just makes it easier for them to insult people. But hey guess what, that is all they can do on the computer is call you names. IGNORE them, I have several people in UO on ignore and I may be on ignore from them.

To me a bully is someone that physically pics on someone.

 

[The Craftsman]

To me a bully is someone that physically pics on someone.

In which case you completely fail to understand what bullying is.

 

[zamot]

That would be your opinion. Of which you are entitled. You find me any information "laws" that say if I verabally insult you you can have me arrested and I will classify this as bullying. What people dont seem to understand is that insulting someone or calling them names in a game on the internet is not against the law. Some games may have a TOS that it is against but thats it. So what the OP stated was not bullying or against the law anywhere that I know of in the US. If I threaten you with physical harm then that is a different story. Telling someone to jump off a cliff is not bullying. Telling them I will throw you off the cliff is in a different category. My point is that this is a game, use the ignore feature if you dont like it, that is what it is there for. If you follow the TOS for UO then you can go to the GM's if it persists. If you just dont like the conversation and it is not directed at you, you may be up a creek with out a paddle. Coming into a stratics forum to voice your opinion on what this was about without giving hardly any of the details is not the way to handle this.

 

[Lady CaT]

No amount of moderation or GM intervention of chat channel is going to work. Nor banning. Nor Community shunning.
Anyone who has seen the endless gold selling spamming by (young) players knows that already. And as long as trial accounts exist there is not much to be done.

So if you can't tolerate vile chat then don't listen to it or engage in it. Its entirely in your power to turn it off if it upsets you.

 

[The Craftsman]

That would be your opinion. Of which you are entitled. You find me any information "laws" that say if I verabally insult you you can have me arrested and I will classify this as bullying. What people dont seem to understand is that insulting someone or calling them names in a game on the internet is not against the law. Some games may have a TOS that it is against but thats it. So what the OP stated was not bullying or against the law anywhere that I know of in the US. If I threaten you with physical harm then that is a different story. Telling someone to jump off a cliff is not bullying. Telling them I will throw you off the cliff is in a different category. My point is that this is a game, use the ignore feature if you dont like it, that is what it is there for. If you follow the TOS for UO then you can go to the GM's if it persists. If you just dont like the conversation and it is not directed at you, you may be up a creek with out a paddle. Coming into a stratics forum to voice your opinion on what this was about without giving hardly any of the details is not the way to handle this.

It has nothing to do with opinion. Your definition of what constitutes bullying (ie saying it is physical) is simply incorrect.

Oxford English dictionary definition: Bully; A person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker:

You stand corrected.

 

[Dot_Warner]

This Virginia statute would be applicable, however several states have far more specific, and harsher, statutes. Since UO, meaning EA/Broadsword, is doing business in those states, their laws will apply (insomuch as the "victim" is concerned, i.e wherever they reside) as well. A creative lawyer could theoretically get EA/Broadsword wrapped up in court cases should something escalate to real world criminal acts, especially if EA/Broadsword knew about harassment and didn't act within reason. (Facebook has already been sued at least once for failure to act in a Long Island cyberbullying case)

 

[zamot]

It has nothing to do with opinion. Your definition of what constitutes bullying (ie saying it is physical) is simply incorrect.

Oxford English dictionary definition: Bully; A person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker:

You stand corrected.

Not so much I agree to the definition, Too bad it would not apply in this instance. Nice try though. Now to look at the next posters response He provided a virginia statute. Lets see if that applies to an online game where the purpose is to kill things

 

[zamot]

This Virginia statute would be applicable, however several states have far more specific, and harsher, statutes. Since UO, meaning EA/Broadsword, is doing business in those states, their laws will apply (insomuch as the "victim" is concerned, i.e wherever they reside) as well. A creative lawyer could theoretically get EA/Broadsword wrapped up in court cases should something escalate to real world criminal acts, especially if EA/Broadsword knew about harassment and didn't act within reason. (Facebook has already been sued at least once for failure to act in a Long Island cyberbullying case)

That statute is really vague. Is a game that promotes violence and has a TOS in place for players to follow going to fall under this? I doubt it. Comparing an in game chat room to Facebook is also a stretch.
My intention was not to go down this path but we have already started. The point was what the OP was talking about is not bullying in the context that they posted. Is there more to the story? According to them they didnt know all of the facts and only caught the end. It did not involve them. So their opinion of what happened doesnt really matter in the grand picture. Now that brings us to what we are chatting about now Bullying? I was brought up to treat others as I would have them treat me. With this in mind, have I picked on people in my past? Yes. Did I go along with the crowd on picking on someone? yes. We all have it is human nature. Verbal attacks in a chatroom for an online game that promotes killing other players and stealing things, Do you really think that any conversation in that context would be considered bullying under any know law? There is not a lawyer around that would take a case like this to try and prove it.

 

[Goodmann]

I will use my first amendment right and smack talk someone for getting ganked :darkside:
If your trying to stop "cyber bullying" in a online game , GOOD LUCK but I suggest you just turn off chat :saberduel:

 

[The Craftsman]

Not so much I agree to the definition, Too bad it would not apply in this instance. Nice try though. Now to look at the next posters response He provided a virginia statute. Lets see if that applies to an online game where the purpose is to kill things

It has nothing whatsoever to do with law or statute. Let me try again as you seem to be slow on the uptake.

From a department of education website:

Bullying is repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological aggressive behaviour by a person or group directed towards a less powerful person or group that is intended to cause harm, distress or fear.

That about sums it up. You are dismissed.

 

[zamot]

It has nothing whatsoever to do with law or statute. Let me try again as you seem to be slow on the uptake.

From a department of education website:

Bullying is repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological aggressive behaviour by a person or group directed towards a less powerful person or group that is intended to cause harm, distress or fear.

That about sums it up. You are dismissed.

So far you have posted comments that define bullying from a dictionary. That was a good definition and I agreed with it. It just doesnt apply to the topic of the thread. Now I dont know what dept of education you got this from but it makes no sense and isnt fairly applied. Let me explain:
So who determines who is less powerful? I am a little guy and can verbally insult a larger person and under your definition it is not bullying. The bigger guy finally has enough and returns the favor with his own words. Since I am smaller he is bullying me. Do you not see how your definition is messed up? And we wonder what is wrong with the kids these days.

Now not once have I insulted you, Maybe you should practice what you are trying to shove down others throats.

 

[Amber Witch]

This thread is not about turning off chat. It's about turning off poor behavior. It's about growing up and realizing it's not all about yourself come hell or high water. It's about turning off the thought/behavior patterns that you can say what ever you want when ever you want without regard for those around you. It's about people realizing we are all in this same boat together.

For the sake of those you regard as your equals, those that you value, those that you have respect for and specially those that you don't have respect for I hope maturity and the ability to understand and realize that it's not okay to trounce upon, hurt, brutalize, etc. your fellow humans. Most of us realize that there are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, friends, loved ones, people and treat them as we wish to be treated.

Some people never learn this. Some people refuse. Some people need a lot of attention and get off on being jerks and cruel. Some think they're cool. Some think they're tough. Frankly, most end up getting seriously spanked at some point. Something happens to someone that they care about, it strikes home and now they understand. Then again there are those that are so self centered there is nothing that can be said or done that will make them understand.

But as responsible human beings, civil beings, we have to keep trying.

 

[zamot]

This thread is not about turning off chat. It's about turning off poor behavior. It's about growing up and realizing it's not all about yourself come hell or high water. It's about turning off the thought/behavior patterns that you can say what ever you want when ever you want without regard for those around you. It's about people realizing we are all in this same boat together.

For the sake of those you regard as your equals, those that you value, those that you have respect for and specially those that you don't have respect for I hope maturity and the ability to understand and realize that it's not okay to trounce upon, hurt, brutalize, etc. your fellow humans. Most of us realize that there are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, friends, loved ones, people and treat them as we wish to be treated.

Some people never learn this. Some people refuse. Some people need a lot of attention and get off on being jerks and cruel. Some think they're cool. Some think they're tough. Frankly, most end up getting seriously spanked at some point. Something happens to someone that they care about, it strikes home and now they understand. Then again there are those that are so self centered there is nothing that can be said or done that will make them understand.

But as responsible human beings, civil beings, we have to keep trying.

This thread is about a game chat that occurred and the talk about it being classified as bullying. Your speech was out of place for this thread but well stated if you are running for public office.

 

[Amber Witch]

*yawns*

 

[zamot]

*yawns*

"giggles"

 

[MalagAste]

Well IMO there is something to be said about it. First off it's extremely apparent that there is ZERO accountability in this game regarding breaking of the ToS or anything else.

Secondly it really sucks that EVERYONE in chat has to suffer and tolerate a few rotten apples who can't seem to put on lid on it. So EVERYONE who is in Chat has to put this loser on Ignore? Why should everyone have to leave chat???? WTF is the good of having a chat if you are always have to leave it because of poor support and the lack of any policing of the ToS? THAT is the question that really deserves an answer.

So I am given a chat which is filled with spam about the sale of items ingame for RL $. Against the ToS..... I am also subjected to having to listen to JoeNobody bash and badmouth JoeAnyone... and then listen to how JoeNobody is going to blank blank this and blank blank that to JoeAnybodies Mother/Sister/Brother/Uncle... etc... or how they are going to go to JoeAnyones place and basically leave them in a body bag.

It's bad enough that we have known scammers constantly offering deals that are "too good to be true" in Chat. There are a few that want RL money get you to sell them something for RL money with PayPal and then they go and tell PayPal they didn't get the item they paid for. And of course since it's an ingame item and you seriously can't "prove" you sold it to them they get their money back AND your item.

This game is filled with such a craptastic group of individuals it makes me wonder why any of the rest of us decent folk still play and why we haven't said ..... "Ok you losers want to ruin the game... well go right ahead, here it is we're leaving have fun cheating and scamming one another..."...

Now it's pretty obvious to me that fewer and fewer decent folk are left playing UO. Probably due to the lack of Customer Support, In-Game Service and the rise of Jerkdom. Schools no longer tolerate bullying and most every school in the USA has a policy against it that pretty much is a ZERO tolerance policy.... and it's more often than not STRICTLY enforced. Why? Schools are getting tired of getting sued by parents who are fed up and tired of the mass shootings and other things that have risen as a result of bullying and lack of proper parenting.

But you can't really blame the parents anymore... just to survive they have to work at least one if not two jobs each. The only kids who have parents that actually stay home and watch them are either home schooled kids or ones who's parents haven't worked a day in their lives and are too busy doing drugs and such that they don't pay any attention to their children anyway.

So then we wonder why these anti-social little maggots can't control themselves in a video game. Well because Video games are all they know... they learn their "social" skillz from games... TV and everything else except their parents and church. So it's little wonder why they have no attachment to others and can't deal with reality or feelings. They also learn from gangs... who teach them all sorts of wonderful things about killing and protecting your 'hood'. Its sad.

Most of them don't see that there really IS another human being on the other side of the screen... someone with feelings. I find it equally irritating that folk consider pixels as "nothing". Truth is we have now many of us spent a good 15 to 17 years playing UO with others. Some of them the same folk we've played with, talked to... and cared for for the last 15 to 17 years. That's almost as long as you spend raising a child. Would you not care if your child suddenly was "gone"?

It's something to think about... 15 to 17 years is a long time to spend with a group of folk. It's as much time as you spent "getting to know" your own parents and other family. Consider that.

It's not as easy as just leaving chat.

 

[Smoot]

This Virginia statute would be applicable, however several states have far more specific, and harsher, statutes. Since UO, meaning EA/Broadsword, is doing business in those states, their laws will apply (insomuch as the "victim" is concerned, i.e wherever they reside) as well. A creative lawyer could theoretically get EA/Broadsword wrapped up in court cases should something escalate to real world criminal acts, especially if EA/Broadsword knew about harassment and didn't act within reason. (Facebook has already been sued at least once for failure to act in a Long Island cyberbullying case)

So, just playing devils advocate, wouldnt it be better for EA legally if there are not gms or supervision of chat, because if there were broadsword could be liable under that law. if they do not have it supervised tho, and know nothing of it, you yourself said they cant be held liable.

 

[zamot]

Ignoring one person doesnt mean that you have to leave chat, If it is multiple players causing the issue and you are in the general chat here is what EA says to do

Disruptive Behavior:

Be aware that in addition to the Verbal Harassment policy there is also a seperate Disruptive Behavior policy. Disruptive Behavior applies to the use of Vulgarity, Racism, and Objectionable Content in public chat channels such as the General channel. Unlike Verbal Harassment you do not need to ask players to stop or take any other additional steps prior to reporting this behavior. Unlike the default channels we do not tolerate the use of profanity in public chat channels so for Disruptive Behavior you may simply witness a player using vulgarity a few times in a public channel and skip straight to reporting them. For rather obvious reasons this means you should avoid responding to such players with more vulgarity in those same public chat channels lest you both end up in jail.
Using this would be a suggestion. Keep in mind that just because Joeanyone may be offended it doesnt mean that Joe Everyone will be.

This was found on the uo.com website. They also have a section on Verbal and physical harassment. I bet that n0 one that has commented on anything in this thread has used these options to help solve the issue. I will admit I have never needed to go any further than the ignore feature. And I have played since 1999.

 

[Nexus]

Well to be honest that is me. Your just so darn good looking in the naval uniform and powdered wig it makes me insanely jealous.

Give him a few years as a moderator and he'll look like this, don't worry

 

[Yadd of Legends]

Why 'especially'? Did the Devs deserve more protection than any other poster?

I know exactly what she means. Disagreeing with a game design is one thing. Calling the developers stupid and incompetent is entirely another thing. If you want them to read this forum for feedback on game mechanics, keep the comments on game mechanics.