Is this reportable?

[Cranberry]

No one here thinks the reporting user has the power to freeze. But it's common knowledge that sometimes, when a bunch of people report the same user (likely in a case like this, where the poor user's name is plastered on these very busy boards), that user will get frozen even if they're innocent.

The userlookup text said "neomail me if you need anything," which, I agree, could be taken as provocative... but it could also be taken as completely innocent (maybe she meant if you need tips or info about Neopets-related things). In any case, I think people need to stop being so meddlesome when it comes to other people's accounts. Unless the person in question is clearly violating the rules by running a scam, posting pornography or pictures of themselves, etc., leave them alone!

[Q]

No one here thinks the reporting user has the power to freeze. But it's common knowledge that sometimes, when a bunch of people report the same user (likely in a case like this, where the poor user's name is plastered on these very busy boards), that user will get frozen even if they're innocent.

The userlookup text said "neomail me if you need anything," which, I agree, could be taken as provocative... but it could also be taken as completely innocent (maybe she meant if you need tips or info about Neopets-related things). In any case, I think people need to stop being so meddlesome when it comes to other people's accounts. Unless the person in question is clearly violating the rules by running a scam, posting pornography or pictures of themselves, etc., leave them alone!

It doesn't make any sense that a bunch of people reporting a totally innocent user could get that person frozen. It's not meddlesome to just say "hey, this looks odd, can you take a look at it please?".

The text on their lookup was slightly different from that before, anyhow.

[Asparagus Queen]

I think Cranberry's right. Any time a name gets posted, and a lot of people report it, the person just gets frozen. I don't know what the number is, but say more than a dozen people report the person, they just get frozen. It's like TNT says "Gosh, this person's getting reported a lot. Instead of checking it out I'll just freeze them, if that many people are reporting them it must be for a good reason."

All the more reason to follow the link in my signature to help stop these stupid freezings. I hope the person doesn't get frozen.

[Cranberry]

It doesn't make any sense that a bunch of people reporting a totally innocent user could get that person frozen. It's not meddlesome to just say "hey, this looks odd, can you take a look at it please?"

No, it doesn't make sense. But it happens. I've been playing Neopets for just over 5 years, and I've seen it happen quite a few times.

I guess we'll just have to disagree on whether or not it's meddlesome to report someone who's not actually breaking any rules.

[Morningstar]

No one here thinks the reporting user has the power to freeze. But it's common knowledge that sometimes, when a bunch of people report the same user (likely in a case like this, where the poor user's name is plastered on these very busy boards), that user will get frozen even if they're innocent.

The userlookup text said "neomail me if you need anything," which, I agree, could be taken as provocative... but it could also be taken as completely innocent (maybe she meant if you need tips or info about Neopets-related things). In any case, I think people need to stop being so meddlesome when it comes to other people's accounts. Unless the person in question is clearly violating the rules by running a scam, posting pornography or pictures of themselves, etc., leave them alone!

Actually, Cranberry, my daughter is living proof that the reporting user has the power to freeze. Because, as you will probably remember, or at least may remember me talking about it, she got frozen after a girl falsely reported her for scamming. One person reported her. Only one person. And, the monitor did not read my daughter's post on the help chat. Just relied on that person's word and pressed the freeze button. And, I know that was the case because the staff member who unfroze her account pretty much told me so. That there are just too many people playing versus number of monitors employed in order for them to check out everything.

So, please, Q, don't think that by reporting someone to Neopets, that Neopets will then make the correct decision. Because that just isn't the case.

Like Cranberry said, leave them alone. The poor thing wasn't hurting anybody. I would rather TNT spend their time going after the people that really hurt others--those who scam, duplicate items, overinflate, than waste their time on a teenage girl's harmless idea to be "cute."

Last edited by Morningstar on Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

[XenaAndGabrielle]

Her lookup has now been changed to a questionable looking palm tree and something that looks like an alcoholic drink.

How can she do such a thing! I am SHOCKED AND APPALLED!

(Ok ... I am not shocked or appalled in the slightest ... just being sarcastic).

I saw the first lookup ... although it was "interesting" ... it was by no means anything to worry about. There is much worse in a toy store ...

It is too bad that random reports can end up as freezings. It is worse that fan sites like this can end up bring publicity to things such as this ... and get more and more people reporting the user. It would certainly look to TNT that something awful must be there ...

[Morningstar]

It is worse that fan sites like this can end up bring publicity to things such as this ... and get more and more people reporting the user. It would certainly look to TNT that something awful must be there ...

Xena, you hit it right on the head. If any mods are listening out there, perhaps a policy could be put in place where we cannot post a link to a person's username. Sort of like what we do with questionable links to strange sites. That might have the making of a cookie grabber in its midst.

Edit the name out. Or not even allow it in the first place.

[Cranberry]

I think it all depends on context. It would probably be a good idea to just make it so in this type of "is this reportable?" thread, the problem should just be described, but the person not named. Most of the time when I see usernames posted on here, it's for legitimate stuff like clickable avatars and the like.

[Runevalkyrie]

I think it all depends on context. It would probably be a good idea to just make it so in this type of "is this reportable?" thread, the problem should just be described, but the person not named. Most of the time when I see usernames posted on here, it's for legitimate stuff like clickable avatars and the like.

I have to agree fully. It can't be fully enforced from this side but it should be more of a matter of courtesy to those who may or may not be members of this forum since there are legit resons to put up usernames and such.

[Q]

So TNT hires inept people that are very easily swayed by users with claims that can't be verified by looking at someone's account? And they pay these people a salary? Okay....

Anyhow, I never said they 'poor thing' was hurting anybody. Unless someone knows that user personally, how do you know it's even a 13 yr old girl? I just wrote to them to ask them to take a look at it and check it out, I didn't write 'ong lyk ong freez dis person cuz dey're nazty!'. I didn't find it very offensive, but thought it was better to report than not because it was questionable with all the rules TNT has now, and they have an interest in not having perverts using their site to troll for kids.

If reporting something like that is so wrong, then it's an abuse of the forms and TNT would warn/freeze the reporter. That's their call, not ours.

[Q]

I think it all depends on context. It would probably be a good idea to just make it so in this type of "is this reportable?" thread, the problem should just be described, but the person not named. Most of the time when I see usernames posted on here, it's for legitimate stuff like clickable avatars and the like.

I have to agree fully. It can't be fully enforced from this side but it should be more of a matter of courtesy to those who may or may not be members of this forum since there are legit resons to put up usernames and such.

True, and then the one person who wondered could make one report so TNT isn't swamped. And if the stuff in question really is offensive or inappropriate, it won't be passed around and TNT can take care of it quietly.

Over a year ago people kept posting on the Neoboards about a user lookup that had actual porn on it. Took TNT well over an hour or two to catch on, and who knows how many little kids saw it during that time. If someone had just reported it and not spread it around, it would've been a whole lot better.

[Morningstar]

So TNT hires inept people that are very easily swayed by users with claims that can't be verified by looking at someone's account? And they pay these people a salary? Okay....

Anyhow, I never said they 'poor thing' was hurting anybody. Unless someone knows that user personally, how do you know it's even a 13 yr old girl? I just wrote to them to ask them to take a look at it and check it out, I didn't write 'ong lyk ong freez dis person cuz dey're nazty!'. I didn't find it very offensive, but thought it was better to report than not because it was questionable with all the rules TNT has now, and they have an interest in not having perverts using their site to troll for kids.

If reporting something like that is so wrong, then it's an abuse of the forms and TNT would warn/freeze the reporter. That's their call, not ours.

If this were a perfect world and we could count on the Neopets Team to actually do the right thing 100% of the time, then it would be perfectly OK to write TNT asking them to check out something.

But, it isn't a perfect world. And, yes, TNT has hired people who freeze first and don't ever bother to look to see if there is evidence to warrant the freezing. And, I have an email from a staff member confirming that. The staff member who unfroze my daughter's account.

TNT has made many, many, many mistakes with their freezings. Three times in my own household. All were unfrozen, but it required a great deal of work to get them unfrozen. And, I cannot count the number of times that my fellow PPTers have been wrongfully frozen. And, many of them never unfrozen.

That is not to say that all staffers are that way. Some of them are extremely dedicated and hard-working. I think that the problem is more with the way that the system is set up.

So, if you know that the system is messed up and wrongful freezings happen all of the time, wouldn't it make sense to give a user who hasn't violated any rules whatsoever the benefit of the doubt? And, mind you own business. Instead of reporting every little questionable thing you find on the site. Things that are not even against the rules, but just happen to rub you the wrong way.

Q, it is clearly obvious that you have never been frozen, nor experienced it happening to a close friend or family member. Because, frankly, it smurfs. Lots of tears and frustration. Lots of hard work writing and writing and writing letters to TNT. And, hoping and hoping and hoping that someone there will read your letter and see that you did nothing wrong. And, lots of times that just doesn't happen. My family was lucky. I know lots of people who weren't so lucky.