Cyberbullying - In Regards to EVE Online

[Tonkyhonk]

simply put, dont expect game companies to babysit you or your friends/children.

[Patchouli_Knowledge]

Scenario in a nutshell:
Victim needs to use his common sense.
Perpetrator "forgot" there is a EULA.

Anything else I missed?

[Robben_DuMarsch]

They set up the strong possibility for potential consequences for the perpetrator, and for other individuals acting in a similar manner. Seems reasonable, if not truly concluded.

[Denkar]

With that being said however it doesn't mean myself or anyone else should approve of this behaviour.

Why? Person A was stupid and naïve. Person A got scammed and made fun of. What is this, if not social Darwinism?

[Cajoes]

We've never strived towards any form of Darwinism before. Struggling to see why we should start now.

[Denkar]

Because it's not something you strive for. It's something that happens whether you agree with it or not.

[Patchouli_Knowledge]

I would disagree with that. Though we strive to excel, we do not lose touch of traits that connects us in a positive way. Otherwise, your kins are nothing more than a means to an end.

[Kaios]

Why? Person A was stupid and naïve. Person A got scammed and made fun of. What is this, if not social Darwinism?

Not sure why you're even using the term "social darwinism." As far as I know it was never really adopted in to general use. How many modern Social Darwinists do you know let alone one who would claim that as their sole title? It's an outdated term in my opinion.

In any case, the scamming part aside, there is nothing even remotely "Darwinian" regarding the behaviour of either parties. A guy got made fun of for being gullible but that doesn't change the fact the behaviour of the ones doing the taunting was abhorrent in nature. The ability to act like a jackass doesn't exactly give you any sort of advantage when it comes down to "natural selection."

[MagicManICT]

The ability to act like a jackass doesn't exactly give you any sort of advantage when it comes down to "natural selection."

Usually, it makes you an outcast to those that are diametrically opposed to it, and thus decreasing your odds of interbreeding those traits with others of a differing social standards. However, we also know that "opposites attract" and that so really "nice" (socially polite? a proper term eludes me at the moment) and "jackass" often end up mating. You thus end up with the social Darwinism simply by the fact that psychology has so well documented and someone in the Bible clearly stated some thousand years ago (and probably was stated well before that by some Greek philosopher): The actions (sins) of the father will be taught to (shall be visited upon) the next several generations (sons to the seventh generation). (Sorry for the paraphrase all you Biblical scholars on this forum.)

Is there an advantage? You become "more attractive" to those with the same lack of empathy, thus attempting to create a sub-species. Really, that's what this comes down to. A lack of empathy. (No, not in all cases... just look how popular prank shows are, but they stop at some point before someone is emotionally traumatized.) Is that a real advantage? No idea. I'm just spewing thoughts out like mental vomit.

As a note: people HAVE successfully sued radio DJs in the US for emotional distress and harassment over this kind of stuff on call-in talk radio shows, so I don't think CCP would be particularly immune if they failed to prevent it going on in game, and a random person carrying this outside of the game to avoid those corporate penalties (loss of account, etc) could be just as liable. After all, these people are documenting their own actions and could answer for these actions if it is illegal, criminally or civilly, in their jurisdiction.

Also, about the above comment (forget who said it, sorry), there is a third possibility other than the person waking up and ending the abuse and moving on with their life OR scuttling on under whatever rock they can find... Do we all forget about the person that breaks and goes on violent rampages? The guy you're taunting could be the one guy that snaps and comes kills you and your whole neighborhood... or maybe he just kills your and your neighbors' kids at their school one day.

[Robben_DuMarsch]

CCP likely would only be liable under US law under two circumstances:

1. The perpetrator was their employee.

2. They take general responsibility to provide an environment free of harassment of this nature, and fail to reasonably provide a harassment free environment for the damaged party after foreseeing the harm.

Very unlikely.