The VMK Staff disappoints me right now.

[ZeekSlider]

I was wating in line to play a game of Checkers to break up the Fireworks binge I'm on when I couldn't help but come across an arguement between two users.

Normally, I would ignore this, but they kept going at it like a bunch of spoiled brats. And I don't call anyone a "spoiled brat," if that tells you how bad I think they were acting.

Over my time waiting in line, one of them said that they would hurt the other one come the next day of school. I jumpped on the Report button knowing full well how cases of cyber bullying can escilate into real life bullying.

What was VMK's responce?

"We'll look into the matter. In the meantime, if someone's conversation is bothering you, please use the ignore button."

I couldn't take a screen shot because I was that shocked at the reply. I would have accepted a "We'll look into it. Thank you for reporting this incident." But no! I got a reply that implies that they would rather have their users actually kill each other over something that happened in VMK than take the appropriate actions to prevent that from happening, whatever actions those may be within their power. I'm not asking VMK to call the user's parents, but something should be done other than telling me in a round-about way to just ignore the problem.

[Allitalianboy]

I think you might have blown this one out of preportion. I personally dont see why you really needed to stick around for the argument let alone report them. Anyone can throw a few threats here and there but it doesn't mean that it will really happen. If i were you i would have just left and not have bothered to listen to what you supposedly say "Spoiled brats". And i really dont think you should go around calling people who get in fights spoiled brats. Just because they are fighting doesn't mean they are that it just means that they were getting on your neerves. If matters would get worse though The staff attention would have been drawn near to it. I just believe who could have handeled this better by just leaving in the first place.

~Allitalianboy

[ZeekSlider]

I don't think I blew this out of proportions. The last thing anyone wants to see is VMK being involved in some kind of cyber bullying suit like with The Star Wars Kid, or actually see two VMK users get hurt like what happened with that other online RPG (I forget if it is WarCraft or EverQuest) where another player actually stabbed someone in real life for pretty much doing the exact same thing.

For it to happen on VMK is a bad sign, and to see threats like that, even if they try to back out of it with the whole "I'm just kidding/It was all a joke" thing that a lot of users try to do the moment they fear they could get banned... well, it doesn't sit well with me.

Disney and VMK should have known this would be one of the scenarios they would have to deal with. Server explosions and a sudden wave of new users as well as people who hack and cheat their way to the top is one thing, which VMK is handing very well. But when you have things that end up being "un-Disney-like" such as Taken, Baby, and even that short time during the Army fiasco, they need to be dealt with appropriately. For the most part, VMK is saying to either play nice within the rules or ignore the problem.

Now they have to deal with the potential of real life cyber bullying.

Yes, I should have minded my own business. I should have left the line and gone into another checker room. But for all I know, those two may really know each other. For all I know, those two may really go to the same school. And for all I know, that empty threat may have very well been a real one.

I have every right to be concern and report the problem, as well as be disappointed with the responce VMK gave me about ignoring the problem. What will it take for this to stop? Someone to actually be killed as a result of VMK?

[pinkCHICLETT]

I am kinda in between both of you on this. Yes it is wrong but the kid should have reported it for himself. All you had to do is trade the kid and tell him to report the other. And VMK staff trying to fix this problem, honestly would have done nothing. I mean people who the other kid does not even know won't stop him from hurting the other kid. This possibly could have made the situation worse. The other kid might now think the kid he was bullying reported him. So therefore he'd be twice as mad. In these situations it is best to just walk away. This was not effecting you so you should have left it alone. I'm sure this kid can work out his own problems. On the otherhand I can totally see why you reported it. And there really was not much for staff to tell you. They told you they would check it out. They really can't be like, "Okay were gonna ban him!" They have lots of work and can not answer personally.

[soccerskinnyme]

Originally Posted by pinkCHICLETT

I am kinda in between both of you on this. Yes it is wrong but the kid should have reported it for himself. All you had to do is trade the kid and tell him to report the other. And VMK staff trying to fix this problem, honestly would have done nothing. I mean people who the other kid does not even know won't stop him from hurting the other kid. This possibly could have made the situation worse. The other kid might now think the kid he was bullying reported him. So therefore he'd be twice as mad. In these situations it is best to just walk away. This was not effecting you so you should have left it alone. I'm sure this kid can work out his own problems. On the otherhand I can totally see why you reported it. And there really was not much for staff to tell you. They told you they would check it out. They really can't be like, "Okay were gonna ban him!" They have lots of work and can not answer personally.

You said it all. Reporting the ' cyber bully ' could make everything worse. Not reporting it could also make it worse, so either way, you did what you thought was right, and what you think is right is right for yourself. Don't stress about it.

[ZeekSlider]

Let me repeat myself.

I don't mind if VMK said "We will look into it" and maybe even a thank you for keeping VMK safe.

What is upsetting me is the fact that VMK said "We will look into it" and then told me to ignore the problem. No thank you for helping keep VMK a fun and safe place or anything like that; just telling me to mind my own business.

[BFJen]

I have to say you did the right thing zeek - and you may get an e-mail at a later time saying that they are looking into it.

As a parent, I don't want to see my kids threatened or bullied anywhere - and that includes online. You never know (nowadays) when threats are real.

[MovieAddict]

As a teacher - Zeek you absolutely did the right thing reporting it. Cyberbullying affects 1:4 kids at the moment and the numbers are just going up. Kids don't know how to protect themselves from that kind of assault, and knowing that what happens online may affect them socially at school makes them dread going and affects their performance - and almost always without letting parents or teachers WHY they suddenly don't like school anymore.

--> I also wouldn't take the VMK message personally, it is probably a form letter they reply to any complaint of a fight or bullying person and hopefully they will review teh situation for its seriousness

---> WHERE IS OUR VMK FOR ADULTS!!??!!?!? ;-)

[ZeekSlider]

Originally Posted by MovieAddict

--> I also wouldn't take the VMK message personally, it is probably a form letter they reply to any complaint of a fight or bullying person and hopefully they will review teh situation for its seriousness

Even if it was a form letter that is used as a quick reply, they should have had one that didn't imply that ignoring the problem was the right thing to do.

Like I said, I would have accepted the auto-replay of "We'll look into it. Thank you for reporting the problem" even thought that is more generic than the "We appreciate your time to submit us your application, but we regret to reply that you have not been accepted" letter I get from grad-schools.

[LittleDragonErin]

Okay, just want to throw my 2 cents in and my experience with the "help" button.

First of all, the message you got is a standard response...common in any
"customer service support" situation. I know...I worked CSS for 5 years. I've gotten that response several times, and yeah it's frustrating because you, unlike 75% of the players out there, already know about the "ignore" button. But as I said...75% of the players surprisingly don't know about this. Therefore, they can't guess you are one of the 25% and must throw that in.

Secondly, the staff members who man the "help" button responses generally rotate. Some of them are more familiar to players than others. So naturally, some of them are in turn familiar with certain players. So every now and then I get a non-standard response and know that it's a staff member who knows me.

The way the help button works is basically like this...(really lame system btw). Every time a new report comes in, it gets put on top of the last one. And basically just stacks like that. So the staff member handling the issues, sometimes can't see them as they come in. So there maybe 5 waiting after finishing dealing with the last one. But they won't see the other four until the top one is cleared. So to gauge how important each issue is, most of the time they'll send a standard response to each as they go through them and then go back and deal with each according to which seems most important. That's why you'll sometimes be in a situation when you report somebody for bad language...they are still there for a few minutes after you get the "we'll look into it" response until they finally get the boot.

So don't blame the staff members. Most of the time, it's the system they have to work with. 6000 players...sometimes they get overwhelmed and they have to send off quick prewritten responses so you know they have at least gotten your report. But for the most part, you can trust when they get to your report they will look into and deal with it as necessary.

Edit: Let me add, this is why the more detail, the better. If you for example say, "there's a couple players here fighting". They will see that and right away tell you to ignore and they'll take care of it. But if you instead say, "There are two players fighting and talking about hurting each other. I am not involved in the fight but am worried they may do something in real or other players who come into the room might be offended. The ignore button won't help in this case, as they are not talking to me but to each other and other players won't know to ignore until it's too late." You will probably get either a more tailored response to your situation or you will get the truncated, "We will look into, thanks for reporting this situation."

[ZeekSlider]

Originally Posted by LittleDragonErin

Let me add, this is why the more detail, the better. If you for example say, "there's a couple players here fighting". They will see that and right away tell you to ignore and they'll take care of it. But if you instead say, "There are two players fighting and talking about hurting each other. I am not involved in the fight but am worried they may do something in real or other players who come into the room might be offended. The ignore button won't help in this case, as they are not talking to me but to each other and other players won't know to ignore until it's too late." You will probably get either a more tailored response to your situation or you will get the truncated, "We will look into, thanks for reporting this situation."

Too bad you can't say that in the help area. It used to be in Beta, you could report a problem as detailed as that without having to worry about Dictionary Dancing.

[SweetestDreams]

I think you did that right thing reporting, like EvilQueen said.
On reflection like you said Zeekslider, even a canned response maybe shouldn't just assume using ignore would be helpful though it certainly can in certain nonlethal situations. It may be difficult for a canned response to be worded to be helpful on a regular basis.
I work with a lot of teens in my practice, and many of them are now being bullied online, and in text messages that can't be blocked. Kids are getting depressed and some suicidal which is not trivial to them though it may sound lame to some people reading this. Error on the side of caution when it seems it might be taken to heart in real time/life, sounds important to me.

Dreams

[pinkCHICLETT]

Originally Posted by ZeekSlider

Let me repeat myself.

I don't mind if VMK said "We will look into it" and maybe even a thank you for keeping VMK safe.

What is upsetting me is the fact that VMK said "We will look into it" and then told me to ignore the problem. No thank you for helping keep VMK a fun and safe place or anything like that; just telling me to mind my own business.

Even though they said, "We will look into it." Does not mean they ignored it. VMK always has auto responses, well, usually. They were not really telling you to mind your own bussiness they were looking out for you so you did not get part in this situation.

[LittleDragonErin]

Originally Posted by pinkCHICLETT

Even though they said, "We will look into it." Does not mean they ignored it. VMK always has auto responses, well, usually. They were not really telling you to mind your own bussiness they were looking out for you so you did not get part in this situation.

Sadly, I have gotten a "mind your own business" message when reporting before...and I was a CL at the time. -_-' Sigh. But don't get me started on that one... :P

[ZeekSlider]

Originally Posted by pinkCHICLETT

Even though they said, "We will look into it." Does not mean they ignored it.

I think you misunderstood that post.

What VMK told me to do after I reported the problem was to ignore the two users who were bullying each other and threatening to hurt each other, implying that I should have ignored the problem to begin with.