Reporting Internet Crimes

[jackybaby]

Some of you know, and some may be a bit surprised to find that I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer. Well, I am. Because of this and in light of recent posts regarding possible internet wrong-doing, I feel an obligation to post this link:

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/reporting.htm

You can also report internet crimes to your local Law Enforcement Agency, or just ask them for guidance.

(Edited to remove the last line which could have caused confusion with the intent of the original post.)

[driller]

Fortunately for people who do operate servers/forums Congress wisely passed this act:

Communications Decency Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. § 230 et seq.) (“CDAâ€

[Jazelle]

Having lived through the major BBS raids of the early 90's where the feds would knock down BBSes for any reason they thought was right. I agree with Driller that act is nice to have around now a day.

[ST_DM_Myle]

This is not too you Jacky. So if I say 'you' I am referrencing the server population or those people who have addressed a specific issue to me. Since this was brought up, however, and since I have gotten several PM's over the last 6 or so months, here goes:

The servers rules are inclusive enough and the effort by the server staff to moderate, based on those rules, is consistant enough that SHOULD the Fed's take notice of BSK, there is no grounds for action against Driller or BSK.

There is a 'grey area' between breaking our rules and engaging in criminal activity. If that 'grey area' is noticed by the DM staff, it will be addressed.

Actual criminal behavior should be reported yes, but so far I have not heard or seen anything on BSK which would fall under actual criminal activity.

Niether Driller or the rest of the DM staff would tolerate criminal activity.

As I have a feeling I know what prompted this, lets just go ahead and air out the two issues I have been PM'd about.

The first likely issue:
Children who play all night. If a child breaks curfew to play on the computer, that is an issue to be addressed at home. Sending me PM's asking me to boot your child or design a script to boot minors after 10pm is not going to correct behavior problems in your house.
I suggest taking the computer, phone, TV, radio, microwave, videosystems, cellphones, mini-frig and all the other things kids do not need in their rooms OUT, but thats just me.

The second hot topic:
To be honest, the largest 'grey area' I have had reported to me involves half of a couple complaining to me that the other half of thier couple is engaging in cybering in game. Sometimes the person complaining indicates that minors are involved.

I have had 2 or 3 'spouses' complain about this and each time I tell them a variation of the same thing...

The legal standard for consent in the United States is 16. Most of the NWN online playerbase are males from thier teens to thier 40's. I would be willing to bet most of the "young girls" who are prone to 'experimentation over the Tell channel' are hairy knuckled guys from backwater burbs looking for a thrill.

Those players who have a problem with thier loved ones engaging in this type of behavior need to monitor and police thier own home environment if it really a problem. I strongly suggest secular or spiritual counciling for any couples fighting over this issues as it is likely eviedence of other underlieing problems.



In a mostly anonymous online game, made up mostly of teens and adults, adult content is nearly impossible for a volunteer staff to monitor and police out of existance. The responsible course of action, such as the stance taken on BSK, is to tell people to keep it limited to legally consenting participants and keep it out of sight from the rest of the server.


BSK's standards are pretty clear. If anyone has questions or needs clarifications, I will happily recieve them and if unable to directly answer myself, converse with Driller and the other DM's and get back with a reply.


We want BSK to be as friendly and as fun as it possibly be while keeping to a responsible standard as described in the Rules.

We will not attempt to police every interaction between players or segregate the players based on a households failure to enforce their own rules or values inside thier own homes.

We will enforce our rules to the best of our ability.
We will not enforce players individualize family curfews or chat content expectations.

We may play gods online, but we are not really Gods.... you all know that, right?

Myle

[T'banyin]

The legal standard for consent in the United States is 16.

Myle

By no means is this directed to say anything against you Myle, but this one issue needs clarification because I think Joe Smo the local server perv ( on any server ) would try and use a quotation like that in thier benifit.
I'd just like to mention, that as far as I know, 18 has been the age of concent, any person younger than 18 in a situation of sex in any form is still a minor, and any person engaging them in said acts are up the creek without a paddle.

16 'might' be the law in some European countries, however, 18 is the age of concent in the US, and 'we' folk living in the States are bound by those laws.

[driller]

It depends on the State you live in.

But, if someone is acting inappropriately and you know of it, take a screen and send it to: driller@thewastelands.org

Thanks to Congress and the courts, the liability rests squarely on the head of the perpetrator.

We will do our best to keep this place clean.

-driller

[Caesius]

Age of Consent varies with geographic location. The AoC in the more western states tend to be 18. Many eastern states tend to have legislated an AoC of 16. Other states have it at 17.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... onsent.png

http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm

[Pretty Fly White Guy]

In England it's 16, but the law aren't so hot about underage sex. they can only press charges if the person under 16 wants to.

They're also relaxed on taxes...

... but at least we're not Denmark, eh?

[ValentianNizzle]

It used to be 15 in Denmark. Just bumped it up to 16 last year.

[Pretty Fly White Guy]

I meant the taxes, or lack of them, not the age of consent.

[ST_DM_Myle]

The legal standard for consent in the United States is 16.

Myle

By no means is this directed to say anything against you Myle, but this one issue needs clarification because I think Joe Smo the local server perv ( on any server ) would try and use a quotation like that in thier benifit.
I'd just like to mention, that as far as I know, 18 has been the age of concent, any person younger than 18 in a situation of sex in any form is still a minor, and any person engaging them in said acts are up the creek without a paddle.

16 'might' be the law in some European countries, however, 18 is the age of concent in the US, and 'we' folk living in the States are bound by those laws.

I was going by the averages:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent

The server policy requires all participants be of legal age. Be that age 16 or 18 or whatever, wherever they are, the policy applies equally.

Myle

[ValentianNizzle]

I meant the taxes, or lack of them, not the age of consent.

Strange thing to bring up taxes in the midst of Age of Consent discussion. Oh well, back to the topic.

Good to see that the DMs remain ever vigilant.

[Jazelle]

The Age of Consent is by where the server is located not where the player is calling from. BUT that does not mean the local laws can be ignored by the player over their own computer.

So while BSK can't be nailed for following the laws of the state the server is located in the player still can get nailed for having "no no's" on their side of the coin.

Over all the act protects the server owner from having people break in and just wholesale take their systems. So far I have yet to see any illegal activities posted anyway. While one might say something could be going on you still need proof. Heresay does not work.