Sunday, June 16, 2013

Even in 2004 Mr. Allen Was Still Delusional



A Word on Games, The RICO Act, and Limitations in Liability


As a CEO by title of a 145 person organization, a player should recognize their direct actions speak for the reputation of the group and should be professional in nature. Actions which reach out-of-game with IRL demands may legally suggest 'gang-like' activity despite the 'entertainment' purpose of the group or game. "It's only a game" as an excuse doesn't limit civil and criminal liability nor guarentee anonymity in relation to obsenity and indecency, specifically regarding narcotics.

You are not as anonymous as you may think, regardless of the service providers promises or support of your actions as -acceptable- or in the context of the fantasy. Other players are real people, and they tend to remember you a very long time.

Worse yet, once they figure out who you are they are unlikely to forget and have made no guarentee to protect that information beyond their tolerance to keep -playing with you- at your fantasy. Far be it from 'online stalking' or other paranoia crimes, your actions are still a public resume speaking volumes about your personal ethics and character no matter how much 'fantasy' you may try to use to justify bad behavior. Twenty years from now, it's very likely everyone you annoy will still remember a strong disdain for that poor soul who annoyed them enough to bother running a simple legal inquiry. Like it or not, that is how people relate to overbearing harrassement and immoral behavior.

If you break the law through online communications you, the author, are committing a real crime and subject to full prosecution. Attempts to conceal or protect the provider or promoter of illegal narcotics fall under the RICO Act, enforcable in the United States and the U.K. with extradition. Tort law such as a usage agreement does not protect a firm from prosecution under RICO if they take purposeful defense to protect such behavior.

Digital evidence is fully applicable in court and under current media law 'revision' does not absolve written and published violations in the past. So before raising a mighty fist or winking after your ISP or service provider (CCP) deflect the direct exposure and bad press of having their users linked to illicit behavior, keep in mind the copies and screenshots, chats, and cheeky remarks are logged with childlike ease for later use.



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