Quip
Executive Janitor
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2015
- Posts
- 903
Harassment
Abuse of a Chatter (or a group) is defined as direct personal attacks (including derogatory accusations made without evidence), threats, and extreme insults. Abuse in and of itself can become a violation of the rules when it crosses into threats, suggestions of death or harm, doxing, or similar levels of escalation.
If another chatter is violating other rules such as discrimination, sharing of personal information, racism, or threats, please seek out a Mod. Do not stop at go. Do not collect your $200. And please do not allow that person to play the victim by letting your temper get the best of you.
However, harassment tends to be seen as a more grey area. It is sometimes difficult to see it for what it is. People can simply not get along. People can hate others. There maybe personality clashes.
When does that become harassment?
Harassment is aggressive abuse over time (following a person from room to room to continue an argument, or repeated conflicts over days, weeks, or months), even after attempts to tell the person to stop and ignore options are no longer possible.
It is not a one time dealing with someone trying to instigate drama or someone you just don't get along with. Those are instances where we encourage chatters to remove themselves from the situation, leave the room, use the ignore button, or just pull up their pants and remind themselves that they do not need to respond. It is not the job of the Chat Moderators to squash personal conflicts. We ask that everyone remember that this site does not allow anyone under 18 years of age. So, we are all adults and should be able to remain civil and/or ignore people we just don't get along with.
With that said, harassment CAN take many forms which can include all or none of the other rules. This can include continued private messages of an aggressive or threatening nature after being asked to leave someone alone, continued attacks of a chatter in a room in ways that insult and/or attempt to intimidate that chatter knowing that their ignore feature does not work, or even an entire room ganging up on one person to chase them from the room.
The key here is the combination of asking them to stop, AND the continued aggressive abuse over time.
What can Chat Moderators do to help?
As mentioned before, it is not the job responsibility for a Chat Mod to play referee to people who just don't get along. A Chat Mod cannot act on a situation of "this person really pisses me off" or "he is annoying, can't you make them stop being stupid?". Sorry, but no.
If a chatter has not violated any chat rules, a Chat Mod will not interfere in the matter.
It is only if and when someone does violate a rule that a Chat Mod can get involved.
Chat Mods work off evidence. We have to see clear proof that this person has violated chat rules, in this case, building a case for harassment.
If you, as a chatter, find yourself in a situation where you feel you are being harassed by another chatter, take screenshots and seek a Mod. Please do not be offended or put off if they ask you to start with the beginning steps. Remember, this is a process because it must be documented over time.
Please follow these steps when reporting harassment:
- Tell the other person that you find their messages offensive and that you do not want to receive any more messages from them, and take screenshots.
- Attempt to use the Ignore Button to remove them from being able to send more messages.
- If you still continue to receive harassing messages, please continue to take screenshots and then seek out a Chat Moderator..
- The Chat Moderator will investigate the issue and all evidence provided.
- If the harassment continues please let a Moderator know.
Room Harassment
As a reminder, the Chat Rules do not allow for discrimination. Everyone is allowed to be in any room. Rooms, including chatter created rooms labeled as private, cannot demand that other people leave the room as long as the other person is being respectful of the theme or play. Likewise, no room can demand an exclusive clientele. That, however, does not mean that a room must tolerate aggression, insults, or disruptive behavior.
If an entire room is trying to harass a chatter into leaving, this can go directly to any Mod at the time of the incident. Please assist the Chat Mods with room text as they can only scroll back so far. Likewise, if a chatter is attacking a room theme, or causing room disruption with any other rule violations, please find a Mod and be prepared to provide evidence.
Evidence and Screenshots
Please have evidence of harassment available upon request. Screenshots are used almost exclusively in this regard so as to avoid comlicating the issue further.
Abuse of a Chatter (or a group) is defined as direct personal attacks (including derogatory accusations made without evidence), threats, and extreme insults. Abuse in and of itself can become a violation of the rules when it crosses into threats, suggestions of death or harm, doxing, or similar levels of escalation.
If another chatter is violating other rules such as discrimination, sharing of personal information, racism, or threats, please seek out a Mod. Do not stop at go. Do not collect your $200. And please do not allow that person to play the victim by letting your temper get the best of you.
However, harassment tends to be seen as a more grey area. It is sometimes difficult to see it for what it is. People can simply not get along. People can hate others. There maybe personality clashes.
When does that become harassment?
Harassment is aggressive abuse over time (following a person from room to room to continue an argument, or repeated conflicts over days, weeks, or months), even after attempts to tell the person to stop and ignore options are no longer possible.
It is not a one time dealing with someone trying to instigate drama or someone you just don't get along with. Those are instances where we encourage chatters to remove themselves from the situation, leave the room, use the ignore button, or just pull up their pants and remind themselves that they do not need to respond. It is not the job of the Chat Moderators to squash personal conflicts. We ask that everyone remember that this site does not allow anyone under 18 years of age. So, we are all adults and should be able to remain civil and/or ignore people we just don't get along with.
With that said, harassment CAN take many forms which can include all or none of the other rules. This can include continued private messages of an aggressive or threatening nature after being asked to leave someone alone, continued attacks of a chatter in a room in ways that insult and/or attempt to intimidate that chatter knowing that their ignore feature does not work, or even an entire room ganging up on one person to chase them from the room.
The key here is the combination of asking them to stop, AND the continued aggressive abuse over time.
What can Chat Moderators do to help?
As mentioned before, it is not the job responsibility for a Chat Mod to play referee to people who just don't get along. A Chat Mod cannot act on a situation of "this person really pisses me off" or "he is annoying, can't you make them stop being stupid?". Sorry, but no.
If a chatter has not violated any chat rules, a Chat Mod will not interfere in the matter.
It is only if and when someone does violate a rule that a Chat Mod can get involved.
Chat Mods work off evidence. We have to see clear proof that this person has violated chat rules, in this case, building a case for harassment.
If you, as a chatter, find yourself in a situation where you feel you are being harassed by another chatter, take screenshots and seek a Mod. Please do not be offended or put off if they ask you to start with the beginning steps. Remember, this is a process because it must be documented over time.
Please follow these steps when reporting harassment:
- Tell the other person that you find their messages offensive and that you do not want to receive any more messages from them, and take screenshots.
- Attempt to use the Ignore Button to remove them from being able to send more messages.
- If you still continue to receive harassing messages, please continue to take screenshots and then seek out a Chat Moderator..
- The Chat Moderator will investigate the issue and all evidence provided.
- If the harassment continues please let a Moderator know.
Room Harassment
As a reminder, the Chat Rules do not allow for discrimination. Everyone is allowed to be in any room. Rooms, including chatter created rooms labeled as private, cannot demand that other people leave the room as long as the other person is being respectful of the theme or play. Likewise, no room can demand an exclusive clientele. That, however, does not mean that a room must tolerate aggression, insults, or disruptive behavior.
If an entire room is trying to harass a chatter into leaving, this can go directly to any Mod at the time of the incident. Please assist the Chat Mods with room text as they can only scroll back so far. Likewise, if a chatter is attacking a room theme, or causing room disruption with any other rule violations, please find a Mod and be prepared to provide evidence.
Evidence and Screenshots
Please have evidence of harassment available upon request. Screenshots are used almost exclusively in this regard so as to avoid comlicating the issue further.
