Impersonation and Griefing

[TaylorMcKenna]

I have had the unfortunate experience of a known griefer of gay regions make an impersonated name, not once...but twice of me.

Once on one their alts...and now a named account name that is very similar to my account name, with the exception of 1 letter (a) added at the end. You can see the new name by viewing my profile inworld or at my.secondlife, along with the person behind it.

I know this is against LL Terms of Service. Why aren't they doing anything about it? This person who did this was Abuse Reported atleast 20 times yesterday for the named impersonation. I have submitted Abuse Reports for the Display Name impersonation also. That was over a month ago!

I have found out that I have been banned from regions because he uses an object called "pineapple" that crashes the graphics card, specifically the OpenGL framework. People were told his "display name" and now that an account name has been made that is very similar, I expect to be banned from even more regions.

I have changed my entire profile around so when people do look at it, they know it is not me. I am so fed up with this that I am about ready to say the F*** with SL and leave, while deleting my account.

[So Whimsy]

File abuse reports.

Send the region owners a notecard explaining the situation. If they keep you banned, then you do not want to be on those regions anyway.

Also, naming and shaming is against the community guidelines. Your profile is grounds for Abuse Reports and you yourself might find yourself banned from Second Life for it.

It's better to state that you only own this account, and that any other avatars claiming to be you are in fact, frauds.

[Drake1 Nightfire]

---

TaylorMcKenna wrote:

I have had the unfortunate experience of a known griefer of gay regions make an impersonated name, not once...but 

twice

of me.

 

Once on one their alts...and now a named account name that is very similar to my account name, with the exception of 1 letter (a) added at the end. You can see the new name by viewing my profile inworld or at my.secondlife, along with the person behind it.

I know this is against LL Terms of Service. Why aren't they doing anything about it? This person who did this was Abuse Reported atleast 20 times yesterday for the named impersonation. I have submitted Abuse Reports for the Display Name impersonation also. That was over a month ago!

I have found out that I have been banned from regions because he uses an object called "pineapple" that crashes the graphics card, specifically the OpenGL framework. People were told his "display name" and now that an account name has been made that is very similar, I expect to be banned from even more regions.

I have changed my entire profile around so when people do look at it, they know it is not me. I am so fed up with this that I am about ready to say the F*** with SL and leave, while deleting my account.

---

Why are they banning you and not him? Banning by display name is idiotic as anyone can have the same display name and you actually can't bann that way. You can only bann someone with thier user name or UUID.

[TaylorMcKenna]

They were told "taylormckenna" because some people choose to only see display names? That is my guess.

Now the impersonated account that was created yesterday is my username...with (a) added at the end...

So Taylormckenna......yea, you get the idea.

 

[Marigold Devin]

I've just looked via my.secondlife.com, first for your profile, created 27th August 2012, and for your impersonator who has indeed just added an extra "a" to the end of the name, an account created only yesterday. 

You need to open up their profile inworld and submit an abuse report ensuring you check the box to include a screenshot so Linden Lab can see clearly someone is impersonating you in order to bring your name into disrepute. They are doing via an account name, and not a Display Name, which is incredibly horrible, and I feel for you.

Try to keep your abuse report succinct and factual, so that Linden Lab can see it objectively.

Your impersonator does have a rather offensive profile, which Linden Lab should take into consideration.  They can also check details on file, and I would hope, be able to block that person (although this is not guaranteed - nothing is guaranteed).

Meanwhile, you must make no contact with your impersonator. None at all. But you should, as others have suggested already, send a notecard to sim owners where you have been unfairly banned - again try not to be too emotional, be factual, give my.secondlife.com links of your avatar's profile and that of your impersonator, and emphasise the offensive profile is not yours.

I wish you lots of luck.

[Syo Emerald]

While you wait for your new reports to work, creating an alt could be a relaxing thing to do. At least I assume that its stressful, if you have to deal with the trouble his actions create every time you log into SL.

 

[Perrie Juran]

---

Syn Anatine wrote:

 

Also, naming and shaming is against the community guidelines. Your profile is grounds for Abuse Reports and you yourself might find yourself banned from Second Life for it.

 

---

Chapter and verse please?

This thread might get deleted under the grounds that it is an "interpersonal dispute," but no where is there a prohibition against naming and shaming.

Also, I did look at all the profiles and there wasn't anything in any of them that was AR'able other than the fact that obviously somebody is impersonating somebody but that I would leave to LL to sort out.

 

edit to add link

[Drake1 Nightfire]

---

TaylorMcKenna wrote:

They were told "taylormckenna" because some people choose to only see display names? That is my guess.

Now the impersonated account that was created yesterday is my username...with (a) added at the end...

So Taylormckenna......yea, you get the idea.

 

---

If I had to try and sort out the three avs using that name I  would need some serious coffee and the patience of the gods. All three are claiming the original name Taylormckenna, either as a user name or display name. The one with the extra a seems to be defending you against some one else that claims to be a griefer.

Anyone have Alexanders sword?

[TaylorMcKenna]

I have changed my profileto take out the naming and shaming.

The account with the extra "a" at the end was created by a known griefer among gay regions. This is the same person who  used an alt of his and took "taylormckenna" as a display name.

I also have notecards from the Green Lanterns, who have been working with region owners, peoeple who have places that have been griefed.

Since I cannot name names here, message me inworld and I will give the name of the griefer along with notecards from the Green Lanterns. I also have  a notecard with over 20 names that this griefer uses.

[TaylorMcKenna]

There is no interpersonal dispute.

This has gone beyond a personal feud to griefing.

 

[Perrie Juran]

---

TaylorMcKenna wrote:

There is no interpersonal dispute.

 

This has gone beyond a personal feud to griefing.

 

---

I was referring here specifically to the issue of "naming and shaming" as being grounds for an abuse report.

The griefing and impersonation are a completely separate issue.

@Drake  "If I had to try and sort out the three avs using that name I  would need some serious coffee and the patience of the gods."   I totally agree which is why I said I'd leave that to Linden Lab to sort out.  I'm not sure if that might be an even scarier option! 

 

[So Whimsy]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

Syn Anatine wrote:

 

Also, naming and shaming is against the community guidelines. Your profile is grounds for Abuse Reports and you yourself might find yourself banned from Second Life for it.

 

---

Chapter and verse please?

This thread

might

get deleted under the grounds that it is an 

"interpersonal dispute,"

but no where is there a prohibition against naming and shaming.

Also, I did look at all the profiles and there wasn't anything in any of them that was AR'able other than the fact that obviously somebody is impersonating somebody but that I would leave to LL to sort out.

 

edit to add link

---

1. Harassment

   Given the myriad capabilities of Second Life, harassment can take many forms. Communicating or behaving in a manner which is offensively coarse, intimidating or threatening, constitutes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, or is otherwise likely to cause annoyance or alarm is Harassment.

   http://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php

    

   This might go hand in hand with disclosure:

   1.  

      Disclosure

      Residents are entitled to a reasonable level of privacy with regard to their Second Life experience. Sharing personal information about your fellow Residents without their consent -- including gender, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference, alternate account names, and real-world location beyond what is provided by them in their Resident profile -- is not allowed. Remotely monitoring conversations in Second Life, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without the participants' consent are all prohibited.

       

       

      And from the actual TOS:

      6.1 You will not post or transmit prohibited Content, including any Content that is illegal, harassing or violates any person's rights.

      (iv)  Post, display, or transmit Content that is harmful, threatening or harassing, defamatory, libelous, false, inaccurate, misleading, or invades another person's privacy;

      http://lindenlab.com/tos#tos6

       

      Is that enough for you Mr. Perrie? And sorry for the odd post formatting, the forums seem to have a mind of their own when copy/pasting.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Syn Anatine wrote:

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

Syn Anatine wrote:

 

Also, naming and shaming is against the community guidelines. Your profile is grounds for Abuse Reports and you yourself might find yourself banned from Second Life for it.

 

---

Chapter and verse please?

This thread

might

get deleted under the grounds that it is an 

"interpersonal dispute,"

but no where is there a prohibition against naming and shaming.

Also, I did look at all the profiles and there wasn't anything in any of them that was AR'able other than the fact that obviously somebody is impersonating somebody but that I would leave to LL to sort out.

 

edit to add link

---

1. Harassment
   Given the myriad capabilities of Second Life,
   harassment can take many forms
   . Communicating or behaving in a manner which is offensively coarse, intimidating or threatening, constitutes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors,
   or is otherwise likely to cause annoyance or alarm
   is Harassment.
   http://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php
    
   This might go hand in hand with disclosure:

   1.  
      Disclosure
      Residents are entitled to a reasonable level of privacy with regard to their Second Life experience.
      Sharing personal information about your fellow Residents without their consent
      -- including gender, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference,
      alternate account names
      , and real-world location beyond what is provided by them in their Resident profile -- is not allowed. Remotely monitoring conversations in Second Life, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without the participants' consent are all prohibited.
       
       
      And from the actual TOS:
      6.1 You will not post or transmit prohibited Content, including any Content that is illegal, harassing or violates any person's rights.
      (iv)  Post, display, or transmit Content that is harmful, threatening or harassing,
      defamatory
      , libelous, false, inaccurate, misleading, or invades another person's privacy;
      http://lindenlab.com/tos#tos6
       
      Is that enough for you Mr. Perrie? And sorry for the odd post formatting, the forums seem to have a mind of their own when copy/pasting.

---

Yes I know sometimes formatting gets messed up on this Forum. Kind of crazy.

I do see that the OP said they updated their profile so I might not have seen everything that you did so I can't address the 'disclosure' issues.  In it's current state I didn't see a disclosure of "alts," just statements that these accounts were impersonations.

However, I can address the "defaming."

  "Defamation—also called calumny, vilification, or traducement—is the communication of a false statement....."   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation

I am assuming, at least here, that the OP is making truthful statements.

[So Whimsy]

Whether the statement is truthful or not is not something we can be 100% sure about and it's not something LL will care for. They will see the profile, and the accusatations on it, whether they are truthful or not, they are defamatory and that is all LL will care about.

Defaming someone is against the TOS whether rightfully so or not, it's explicitely stated that it's not allowed.

I'm not trying to say that what the impersonator is doing is okay, far from it, all I'm saying is, that while the OP has every right to be upset about it all, he shouldn't open himself to being AR'ed. Hence my suggestion that he explicitely states that this is his only account, anyone else claiming to be him whether by stating so on their profile, chat or display name is a fake. That is a lot less harmful for himself than outright naming anyone.

[TaylorMcKenna]

And when the impersonator copies what I state in my profile now....it pretty much makes what I say useless, which is this:

 

There is only one TaylorMcKenna account that I own, and this is the one.

Any other names/avatars/accounts that are claiming to be me are frauds.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Syn Anatine wrote:

Whether the statement is truthful or not is not something we can be 100% sure about and it's not something LL will care for. They will see the profile, and the accusatations on it, whether they are truthful or not, they are defamatory and that is all LL will care about.

Defaming someone is against the TOS whether rightfully so or not, it's explicitely stated that it's not allowed.

I'm not trying to say that what the impersonator is doing is okay, far from it, all I'm saying is, that while the OP has every right to be upset about it all, he shouldn't open himself to being AR'ed. Hence my suggestion that he explicitely states that this is his only account, anyone else claiming to be him whether by stating so on their profile, chat or display name is a fake. That is a lot less harmful for himself than outright naming anyone.

---

I absolutely agree Defamation is against the TOS, though I am unsure how it could ever be right to spread false information about someone.

But I'd be curious how this thread is not OK, while this thread is OK, which includes links to a Marketplace store.  I'd agree whole heartedly that it is a "negative commentary" about a Merchant but is the content of that Thread defamatory?  I see no falsehoods in it.  

"Name and Shame" is a term someone made up at some point in time and which I think we use to liberally.  I used to use it also.  But I don't anymore because it is not in the TOS or CS and is not prohibited in the way that some people think.

I will agree though that I would not want to see this Forum turn into a chopping block for everyone to air all their personal grievances.  Hence the rule concerning "negative commentary."

When all is said and done I leave it up to the Mods to decide.  But you probably would not want to hear my commentary about them. 

[TundraFire Nightfire]

I seem to remember back when the forums were hosted on the old SL website that someone had a similar problem with a griefer. LL back then had a policy that you could have a onetime name change but you had to have a really good excuse why you needed it changed. They almost never did it.

I don't know if the poster wants to change their name but it's worth a try to ask. Maybe that policy has changed now that there are display names though.

I dislike display names. They can get very confusing, especially when you need to ban or mute someone.

There was a griefer who was constantly at Lake Zermatt last summer who would get banned, get another acount with almost the same name (using the one letter change like the poster's griefer) and then be back again.

[TaylorMcKenna]

I won't do it, just like I will not create an alt account.

I have way too much invested into my account in clothes, hair, and stuff. Plus my partner. I am not starting new just because of someone who is selfish.

I am hoping that LL will finally do something about this though. Reporting a display name alt for the past 3 weeks, and now this new alt account that is very similar, plus with the abuse reports from griefing....LL has to be aware of the going ons.

Only time will tell.

 

eta: fixed spelling errors

 

[So Whimsy]

I'm really sorry to hear you're going through all that, and please do continue to file abuse reports, once for each incident.
Have you sent a notecard to those sim owners? Any reasonable person would unban you.
I wish you well with the situation in the future and that LL acts accordingly.

Though if all else fails, an alt account may be worth it. Not to become your new main, but to simply get some peace of mind for once while still being able to enjoy SL.

[TaylorMcKenna]

Just as I thought would happen.....the nearly identical name to mine is now mimicing my 2nd life tab word for word.

There will be no enjoying SL until the freak who is imperonsating me is banned permanently. That is the sad truth.

First my rl ex-boyfriend was stalking me....he still does on occassion with a new name, which I block immediately....to now dealing with not one, but two imposters of my name running around.

I am ready to break and I really do not care if it happens.

[Marigold Devin]

---

TaylorMcKenna wrote:

Just as I thought would happen.....the nearly identical name to mine is now mimicing my 2nd life tab word for word.

There will be no enjoying SL until the freak who is imperonsating me is banned permanently. That is the sad truth.

First my rl ex-boyfriend was stalking me....he still does on occassion with a new name, which I block immediately....to now dealing with not one, but two imposters of my name running around.

 

I am ready to break and I really do not care if it happens.

---

Bearing in mind that your imposter can easily be reading these forum posts, we all may be "feeding" them. 

Is it possible this freak IS your RL ex-boyfriend?  (If this escalates and you feel threatened at all in real life, then you can go to your local police/law enforcement to put in a report.)

Maybe Linden Lab are viewing this issue as a simple dispute between residents, BUT there is certainly a category inworld in the "help" "report abuse" feature, and it is not allowed for another resident to spoil the enjoyment of another resident, either by harassment, defamation, or otherwise.

*****

However, let's have a brand new fresh look at the situation.

*****

Your imposter has created several alts, pretending to be you.  They have gone to places where you go to and caused your real avatar to be banned from these places.

You need to find new places to go (and there are certainly plenty of places in Second Life to choose from) - but do not leave a 'paper trail' then your imposter will not be able to find you.  If you join groups, ensure you do not have them displayed on your profile.  If you want to remember a favourite place, have it as a landmark within your inventory, but do not add it to your profile picks.  This does not mean that your profile has to be a blank bot-like soulless one; you can still list your interests, and in fact, if you make it just a friendly profile, without mention of someone impersonating you, I am sure all will start to turn around for you.

Begin a new start in Second Life.  If you put your impersonator into the land of the non-existent, do not acknowledge them, believe the saying that "impersonation is the highest form of flattery".  For the places that have banned you, because of an impersonator, believe they are places not worth visiting and move on.

Quite soon, I am sure, all this will be behind you.

[TaylorMcKenna]

I know for a fact that the guy impersonating me is not my rl ex boyfriend.

This has gone way beyond a personal dispute.

It all started last summer at a place called Wildboys, a hangout area. This griefer started attacking and I was the one who mentioned to the owner about banning him. I was also the one who posted a link to change debug settings to stop the openGL crashing of graphics cards. I am the one who found out about his alt accounts and had those banned as well.

So maybe he is taking it personally, LL may take it personally....but it is not personal. It is defamation of my character, it is harrassment, it is everything but personal.

[Marigold Devin]

---

TaylorMcKenna wrote:

I know for a fact that the guy impersonating me is not my rl ex boyfriend.

This has gone way beyond a personal dispute.

It all started last summer at a place called Wildboys, a hangout area. This griefer started attacking and I was the one who mentioned to the owner about banning him. I was also the one who posted a link to change debug settings to stop the openGL crashing of graphics cards. I am the one who found out about his alt accounts and had those banned as well.

So maybe he is taking it personally, LL may take it personally....but it is not personal. It is defamation of my character, it is harrassment, it is everything but personal.

---

We're residents, just like you, and all we can do is offer advice based on our own experiences/personalities.

We could all write an abuse report to Linden Lab on your behalf, but that would be classed as hearsay, and would not help you win your case.

I don't know what to offer you except for the advice in my previous post. I don't need an explanation from you as to why this all began - its only adding joy to your impersonator anyway.

[Madelaine McMasters]

Mari, for as hard as it may be to do as you've recommended, I'm in agreement. To riff on Newton - For every reaction, there is another and greater provocation. So long as we react to griefers, they're in control. Yes, it can be costly to go quiet, but what's the alternative?

I do think that cleaning up one's profile to remove breadcrumbs is good advice. It may also be necessary to remove a few "friends" if there's reason to believe they're helping the griefer. While there may be no way to stop the imposter from peeving sim owners, being banned requires an error on the sim owner's part. That'll happen, but there's the risk of being AR'ed along the way. Linden's don't operate on hearsay and it's not possible to right-click and AR an avatar and have the wrong person reported. So any griefer risks getting banned from SL in pursuit of their goal.

And I do think it's possible this thread is fueling the imposter. I recommend we all walk away from it.

[Marigold Devin]

---

Madelaine McMasters wrote:

Mari, for as hard as it may be to do as you've recommended, I'm in agreement. To riff on Newton - For every reaction, there is another and greater provocation. So long as we react to griefers, they're in control. Yes, it can be costly to go quiet, but what's the alternative?

I do think that cleaning up one's profile to remove breadcrumbs is good advice. It may also be necessary to remove a few "friends" if there's reason to believe they're helping the griefer. While there may be no way to stop the imposter from peeving sim owners, being banned requires an error on the sim owner's part. That'll happen, but there's the risk of being AR'ed along the way. Linden's don't operate on hearsay and it's not possible to right-click and AR an avatar and have the wrong person reported. So any griefer risks getting banned from SL in pursuit of their goal.

And I do think it's possible this thread is fueling the imposter. I recommend we all walk away from it.

---

Yup, walking away, to the oven, chicken has dinged for attention.

(Chicken Ding v Griefer - Ding will win every time)