Report Abuse - similar names

[Andie Rau]

Hallo everybody,

I have a general question about report abuse. I am a member of small community where people know each other very well. One person started to create alts with similar names of well known avatars. Just with small changes so these names are avaliable but it is easy to think you are talking to someone else. He does this with intention... Is there any way to defend? Has it sence to write report abuse about it? I just don´t want to make LL good laugh and waste their time. For my friends this situacion is very displeasing. But I understand if the name is avaliable - it is avaliable. Nothing we can do :o( What do you think?

[Ren Toxx]

The Terms Of Service, point 6.1 (ii), do explicitly state against impersonating another individual; what they don't mention is what the punishment for doing so is (I assume a warning, or a ban) or, more importantly, what exactly do they deem as "impersonating"... since offenders cannot use the exact same username, and can only clone the display name, I imagine what you describe would qualify, indeed. Therefore, it's worth ARing the individual(s) doing it, and then let LL investigate and act accordingly.

[Andie Rau]

Well....group tools wont help me. It has nothing to do with any group. Somebody is pretending beeing you. I tried that report abuse. We´ll see. Keep you fingers crossed. Thank you.

--||-

[Tari Landar]

Personally, if it were me, I'd live and let live. Sure it's annoying, confusing, but....beyond that....? Those folks are no more than any other griefer and I am a firm believer that giving in to grifers, giving them what they want, is a bad decision all around. If your community is closeknit, or one where people know each other well, it will nto be even the least bit difficult to spot the imposter avs. Suggesting to others that they simply mute, ignore, block, whatever necessary, and then move on, is a good idea, imo.  Sure you can AR, though I am not certain anything will be done, and even if something IS done, you certainly won't be told or know about it. I'm just not sure it's worth the hassle of an AR, when you've all the tools you need to fight back(so to speak) against the griefer without giving in to him/her/it/them. Every tool you need to eliminate such people from your community exists within your viewer, and your fingertips. Paying people like that any sort of mind, giving them attention is only going to make things worse.

[Thomas Galbreus]

I once witnessed this kind of issues in a chat environment, so I know that pain. It is not only impertinence but someone's reputation can get ruined if he gets confused with the griefer. So if names are mimiced intentionally it is a profoundly malicious act and of course measures should be taken.