Would a real name stop posts like this? (explicit)
Below you will find links to some screenshots sent to me by a friend. While the Darkfall community has long been known to be filled with some of the scuzziest nerds in existence, it should be noted that most of the players are actually really nice, and often very helpful.
But, as you can see, it takes but one fellow to shit on the coats.
One screenshot shows how he filled almost every forum with the same link. The next shot shows the message he posted, along with a link that (once clicked) brings the reader to pornography. Bear in mind that they shut the posts down, as is normal for any moderator, even on the infamous WoW forums.
Now, the question is: would having a real name associated with his account stopped his postings? What if he had the real name of his intended “victim?” Also, is it possible that he could have simply become friendly with the “victim”, and learned his real life details that way, without ever needing the real name of the fellow on the forums? Think about how many guildmates you have given your information to, without ever really knowing them.
In the end, these screenshots are mild compared to some of the stuff that has been posted on forums in the past. We all know this. There are two “hacker” groups (essentially a group of smelly dudes) that come to mind in particular, and some of the things that they have posted on forums for children’s games and others would make your head spin.
The guy that did this is just some pissed off 17 year old, I’m sure. The point is that this kind of thing is not the result of real names being published, but the result of no accountability for forum posters. Guys like this will do much, much worse if they want, and groups of guys like this will not wait (and have not waited) for your real name to do any kind of damage. They don’t need your real name to find out your real name.
(This happened today by the way, a few hours ago.)
Remember, this is so so so so so mild compared to what players can do to one another. This ability to cause trouble has existed since the beginning of the internet. If anything, security on the internet is less guaranteed now because so many people are so naive about it. If there was more accountability online, and if trouble makers had their real life identity connected with the trouble they wanted to cause, would it stop the behavior?
Remember, your real information is already out there. Do some research. But, they are the ones that benefit from taking the time to mask most of theirs, and will continue to mask their identities because the “good people” are more scared of their real name on a forum somewhere then driving in their car.
Remember, those screenies show one player harassing another. That’s the least of what everyone knows can happen. Well, it can happen without any access to your real name. When you have a large guild or are part of a community, the sting of harassment has nothing to do with your real name. Having your real name displayed online will not be THE catalyst for poor behavior…poor behavior has been happening since the beginning, as well as finding out your real name.
Beau
My guess is that this player is taking advantage of the free trial system to post this way after being banned.
He would do that if real names were required. He would simply put real name John Smith and post like that.
Possibly it might deter a few people if they had used their real name but it’s more an issue with the free trial system allowing forum rights than proof that anonymity is evil.
I guess like so much evidence in this debate this can be seen either way. I look at what you are showing us and think no way do I want this creep knowing where I live and work and who my family are.
I’m still undecided about wheather RealID was good or bad. I can see both good things and bad things with them. It’s usual for me to be like that. I often think that when subjects end up with two extremely polarized opinion camps, such seems to be the case with RealID, those people have not understood how complex the issue is.
Take the twerp above… I’m pretty sure a RealID would have stopped him. That said: he sure as hell is someone I do not want to know my RealID.
But all in all I’m a bit miffed that Blizzard did not implement this. Mainly because it would be interesting to watch how it all panned out and , most importantly, I do not play any Blizzard game.
But all in all I’m a bit miffed that Blizzard did not implement this. Mainly because it would be interesting to watch how it all panned out and , most importantly, I do not play any Blizzard game.
PS: DDO and (I think) EQ2 allow new players restricted forum access. So you can still have a forum somewhere to post stuff like “how do I open my bags” but you can’t spam every board like this.
That’s not a bad idea. I know in some games trial characters can’t even speak.
Uh.. I’m not certain I understand your point. It seems to be..
“Trolls are bad. Look what they can do even without your real name. They are capable harassing you no matter what!”
But this seems to be missing one other line…
“Imagine how much worse it would be if they DID have easy access to your real name.”
Having real names wouldn’t stop this behavior. But giving THEM your real name (easily) would certainly make the level of harassment MUCH MUCH worse.
And if your point is that people can figure out who you are anyway…
I do agree that we aren’t as anonymous on the internet as many people believe, but it still does take some work to uncover that anonymity. Certainly quite a bit more work than just seeing someones real name attached to a post and then Googling it.
Increasing the risk to privacy and the atrophic effects it can have on a community is a heavy price to pay to muzzle a few irritating dogs.
It stands repeating that Cryptic’s naming system (charactername@username) seems to be the perfect middle ground. It helps bring the full weight of community behavioral expectations to bear upon all the actions of a player both on the forums and in the game. Everything one posts and everything one does in the game, be it on your main or a brand new alt, is publicly connected to the username you have chosen.