Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat

by Grimtongue 2/25/2013, 2:49 pm

Disclaimer: I am only ranting about the Oasis In-Game chat box. This is NOT a rant about Teamspeak or the Oasis forums.

First of all, you should read the rule to refresh your memory. Use your common sense and good judgement to understand that this rule has a purpose:

Section IX. Proper Conduct/Censorship
b. Chat Etiquette

Spoiler:

The key part of Section 9b is this:

Oasis prides itself on the inclusion of everyone and we ask that you try not to make anyone feel uncomfortable or discluded.

Too often, I have seen staff selectively or capriciously enforce this rule. The moment certain players drop an F-bomb or swear too much, staff are lightning fast to punish the offender. Most repeat offenders who swear way too much have gotten temp bans and even perm bans. In contrast, sexually explicit and sexually deviant language is generally ignored by staff. Sexually aggressive and overly graphic language often receive little more than a verbal warning.

Acceptable sexual content:

Swearing and sexual content are allowed on Oasis, but you should keep in mind that it is only allowed at an acceptable level.

Sexual content and sexually explicit language should receive the exact same treatment as swearing. Unacceptable levels should receive the same punishment as swearing.

Unacceptable sexual content:

Socially unacceptable terms such as 'getting raped' are also not allowed on Oasis.

Sexually aggressive language should receive the exact same treatment as aggressive swearing: an immediate kick without a verbal warning, and a temp/perm ban for continuing the offense after the kick.

I want to illustrate this issue with examples that are based on the in-game chat. I forget the exact words I saw in these situations, but I am not exaggerating.

Swearing and Spam:
(Warning: offensive language)

Spoiler:

Sexual aggression:
(Warning: offensive language)

Spoiler:

This is a really massive issue on Oasis at the moment and it's getting worse. The attitudes of staff on this matter are far too lackadaisical.
Myth:
"It's not a big deal. very few people complain. the bad people get banned"
Reality:
Only a few people have been punished. Several players who are guilty of repeated, blatant sexual aggression have only been encouraged by staff's complacence. Only a few people complain about this issue to staff because sexually unacceptable language makes most people extremely uncomfortable. In the past, when I have spoken out in public chat, members of the Oasis community have thanked me, and told me they weren't comfortable with saying anything - even to staff.

When people feel uncomfortable and unsafe due to sexual aggression, they are likely to pretend that "it's not so bad" as a way of comforting themselves. They try to ignore it, and they don't complain. For this reason, Staff should never ask the target of sexual aggression if it bothers them. Whenever staff sees any form of sexual aggression in public chat, it should receive immediate and appropriate action. Anyone who says "rape" in public chat should be treated the same way as that same person saying "Fuck" in public chat.

Maybe it would help staff to just think of it like this:
In public chat, the word "rape" is exactly as unacceptable as the word "fuck"

With regards to private chats between players, the players who are not comfortable with sexual content or aggression are not always going to complain. Whenever staff is uncertain if two people are friendly enough to joke about this sort of thing, staff should probably issue a verbal warning to both parties that socially unacceptable content is not allowed on oasis.

IN CONCLUSION:
Staff needs to consistently enforce the rules, especially under section 9b where it concerns sexually aggressive language and other socially unacceptable language. It is up to staff to punish offenders pro-actively to make the Oasis community a comfortable and safe place for everyone.

by Abbeylw 2/25/2013, 3:24 pm

I promise I will behave more often. Lol.

by BroadStreetBully 2/25/2013, 3:25 pm

I have never seen chat that vulgar, ever, when a staff was on. Sounds like an exaggeration to me.

by **Revilo410** 2/25/2013, 3:50 pm

BroadStreetBully wrote:I have never seen chat that vulgar, ever, when a staff was on. Sounds like an exaggeration to me.

This ^

As far as I know the server is PG13 so lots things will often be excused but I agree that very bad swearing, or in huge amounts should be punishable etc.

by Big_Piglet 2/25/2013, 4:13 pm

revilo410 wrote:
BroadStreetBully wrote:I have never seen chat that vulgar, ever, when a staff was on. Sounds like an exaggeration to me.

This ^

As far as I know the server is PG13 so lots things will often be excused but I agree that very bad swearing, or in huge amounts should be punishable etc.

hy·per·bo·le [hahy-pur-buh-lee]
noun Rhetoric .
1. obvious and intentional exaggeration.
2. an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as “to wait an eternity.”

Of course it's an exaggeration, that's the point.

He has a point. Swearing can be handled, but with rare exception people seem to just ignore *sexual* statements. While it never gets nearly as bad as the "example" Grim gives, I've seen it get bad before.

Things may be excused due to PG13, but I've never seen a PG13 movie where it's just plain vulgar at times; jokes here and there, sure, but never vulgar for the sake of vulgar.

by Kevo235 2/25/2013, 4:23 pm

I actually think he's right. I've seen way too much of it. Frankly, most of the time I let it go because nobody likes a stickler, but I guess since you've brought it to the attention of everyone, we should enforce it more often. I'm not gonna lie, I've been one of those people as well.. hell, probably more than a lot of people. I guess this is a wake-up call for not only staff, but for the players as well.

It is kind of getting out of hand.

by BroadStreetBully 2/25/2013, 4:49 pm

Big_Piglet wrote:Of course it's an exaggeration, that's the point.

Grimtongue wrote:I want to illustrate this issue with examples that are based on the in-game chat. I forget the exact words I saw in these situations, but I am not exaggerating.

by Big_Piglet 2/25/2013, 5:21 pm

BroadStreetBully wrote:
Big_Piglet wrote:Of course it's an exaggeration, that's the point.

Grimtongue wrote:I want to illustrate this issue with examples that are based on the in-game chat. I forget the exact words I saw in these situations, but I am not exaggerating.

Exaggeration is the point of a hyperbole. Even if he did not intend to exaggerate, he was still using one. It may not have been the point in what he was trying to say, but it was the point in the figure of speech he ended up using.

In being unable to remember the exact words, he knows the situation happened, but ended up exaggerating however slightly due to the words he had to use.

by Grimtongue 2/25/2013, 5:26 pm

The example I provided was not an exaggeration, unfortunately.
The incident that the example is based upon was far more graphic, very disgusting, and anatomically impossible - it definitely involved heavy machinery, but I think it was actually a "bulldozer" not a "forklift". That person was obviously attempting X-rated humor, but Oasis is a PG-13 environment.

I am hoping that more people will react the way that Kevo is reacting - by waking up to the reality of this being a problem in the PG-13 environment that Oasis is supposed to be.

by **Revilo410** 2/25/2013, 5:56 pm

Well if things get that bad then action should be taken yes, but as I said, in over a year of me playing I have never seen it go to the extremes you're talking about. Normally it's joking and banter. If it ever does get that bad though, above pg13's absolute max action should be taken.

by Kevo235 2/25/2013, 6:15 pm

Whoever downvoted my post about following the rules really doesn't know what the voting system is for.

by Davidmich 2/25/2013, 6:30 pm

It's getting worse, especially when 30 or more players are on, because it snowballs from one or two players abusing the language rule, to several.
It was bad last night, but threatening to drop 2-day bans seemed to shut them up.
So look out, I will give warnings first, then I'm dropping the hammer!

by Keshaluver 2/25/2013, 6:45 pm

I completely agree. Especially when you're the one being 'harassed'. It's a bit embarrassing. I'm not going to lie. I think it's been happening a lot in TS with other people especially which is bad, and makes you feel awkward and makes you not want to talk because you're afraid. It's kinda getting old. /rant
Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat Tumblr_m9apo0qwis1r67wfu

Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat Tumblr_m9apo0qwis1r67wfu

by Gweedo358 2/25/2013, 7:22 pm

Not on my watch...I have never dropped any "F" bomb in chat nor do I curse in chat. I try to handle all chat problems with kicks and temp bans, but when chat wizzes by at a heck of a pace I am unable to check every convetsation that goes on. I will now handle it even more with the pileing on of curse words after you tell someone to quit, same with caps and spam, I am tired of saying no caps or dont spam and the players keep doing it as a joke. You will find out the hard way I am not kidding around with this.

by Olive474 2/25/2013, 7:57 pm

Keshaluver wrote:I completely agree. Especially when you're the one being 'harassed'. It's a bit embarrassing. I'm not going to lie. I think it's been happening a lot in TS with other people especially which is bad, and makes you feel awkward and makes you not want to talk because you're afraid. It's kinda getting old. /rant

Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat Tumblr_mcvw4lFBOr1qjvgh1

by Paxination 2/25/2013, 9:18 pm

Have to agree with kevo in every bit of the sense. I my self can, and have gotten vulgar in chat. More so in TS, than in txt chat. Just because you dont see it, doesnt mean it doesnt happen. Rev, your not on when most of it happens, which is the last hour or so of our busiest time. Like David said it happens when we have 30 or more players on and it can get bad.

Thank you for bringing this up Grim. Sometimes we are all not aware of our actions until someone points it out to us and how it affects others.

Also like to add that if at ANY time i say anything that bothers you, pm me in game or TS and let me know. I will quickly appologize and refrain from such talk again, or at least in your presence. I will try to keep those types of comments private as such as well.

by Grimtongue 2/26/2013, 12:36 pm

I'm glad to see people reporting offenders in the rule breakers forum. You are standing up for all of the members of the Oasis community who are affected, but who don't say anything out of fear or embarrassment.

by ButersBuild 2/26/2013, 1:56 pm

This is literally ridiculous. PG13 But you allow some swearing. Either allow something or don't allow it. Most of the people coming in swearing all the time are little kids most likely under 13. Probably because they just learned of the words and feel they can use it. But rape is not even close to swearing. Just because the act of rape is vulgar doesn't make the word itself in the category of swearing else we should put murder, suicide, even douche up on the list. They all have vulgar tendencies but yet it's allowed. The way it should be handled is whether they are joking with each other or just acting like assholes. Grim you over exaggerate everything. Every single time someone spawns a wither you go on a tantrum. Don't even try saying that this is not an exaggeration because it is. I don't see why you can't just enforce a rule where it's to the discretion of the two/or more players, the admins can request that they speak in private chat or their own vent/ts/mumble etc. The fact that i can't say most of what i want on the server because people like grim doesn't like that kind of language is outrageous. It shouldn't be frowned upon else just get a censorship mod for the server and get on with playing the game

by **Revilo410** 2/26/2013, 2:00 pm

ButersBuild wrote:This is literally ridiculous. PG13 But you allow some swearing. Either allow something or don't allow it. Most of the people coming in swearing all the time are little kids most likely under 13. Probably because they just learned of the words and feel they can use it. But rape is not even close to swearing. Just because the act of rape is vulgar doesn't make the word itself in the category of swearing else we should put murder, suicide, even douche up on the list. They all have vulgar tendencies but yet it's allowed. The way it should be handled is whether they are joking with each other or just acting like assholes. Grim you over exaggerate everything. Every single time someone spawns a wither you go on a tantrum. Don't even try saying that this is not an exaggeration because it is. I don't see why you can't just enforce a rule where it's to the discretion of the two/or more players, the admins can request that they speak in private chat or their own vent/ts/mumble etc. The fact that i can't say most of what i want on the server because people like grim doesn't like that kind of language is outrageous. It shouldn't be frowned upon else just get a censorship mod for the server and get on with playing the game

Srry to keep posting in this thread but basically some things are acceptable and some aren't, earlier today as I posted there were people on oasis doing these things, some swearing is fine, that is PG13, talking about things such rape in the ways mentioned though is unacceptable, IMO worse than just swearing. I don't know how other people see that way but in different contexts things are better or worse, thats why we can't just allow / disallow certain things.

by ButersBuild 2/26/2013, 2:09 pm

revilo410 wrote:
ButersBuild wrote:This is literally ridiculous. PG13 But you allow some swearing. Either allow something or don't allow it. Most of the people coming in swearing all the time are little kids most likely under 13. Probably because they just learned of the words and feel they can use it. But rape is not even close to swearing. Just because the act of rape is vulgar doesn't make the word itself in the category of swearing else we should put murder, suicide, even douche up on the list. They all have vulgar tendencies but yet it's allowed. The way it should be handled is whether they are joking with each other or just acting like assholes. Grim you over exaggerate everything. Every single time someone spawns a wither you go on a tantrum. Don't even try saying that this is not an exaggeration because it is. I don't see why you can't just enforce a rule where it's to the discretion of the two/or more players, the admins can request that they speak in private chat or their own vent/ts/mumble etc. The fact that i can't say most of what i want on the server because people like grim doesn't like that kind of language is outrageous. It shouldn't be frowned upon else just get a censorship mod for the server and get on with playing the game

Srry to keep posting in this thread but basically some things are acceptable and some aren't, earlier today as I posted there were people on oasis doing these things, some swearing is fine, that is PG13, talking about things such rape in the ways mentioned though is unacceptable, IMO worse than just swearing. I don't know how other people see that way but in different contexts things are better or worse, thats why we can't just allow / disallow certain things.

What?!!? They allow/disallow certain things. That's why you're are allowed to swear and use sexually explicit things but only to a certain extent. Thats why you should either allow it or just censor everything and just stop it completely.

by Krazo 2/26/2013, 2:20 pm

You know, those people who swear and sexually language. 9/10 Gets banned. I think you are a bit overreacting.

But nothing wrong with that. I am kinda used to the swearing and schtuff, that's because the 9 year olds in my neighbourhood swear with cancer and other stuff. Im kinda used to it now.
That doesn't mean I wont kick or ban someone for excessive swearing.

I will do that, but only for excessive.

by **Revilo410** 2/26/2013, 2:23 pm

Kяazo wrote:but only for excessive.

I agree with floris, but its not always the excess (even though that is a big part), it can just be the context people say it in. Sometimes its harmless, sometimes the opposite.

by Grimtongue 2/26/2013, 3:03 pm

ButersBuild wrote:
Spoiler:

:retardlol:

The butt-hurt is strong with this one.

Here is what the MPAA says about sexual language for PG-13 rating:

A motion picture’s single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially requires at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive requires an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context.

http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/what-each-rating-means

by Paxination 2/26/2013, 3:09 pm

ButersBuild wrote:This is literally ridiculous. PG13 But you allow some swearing. Either allow something or don't allow it. Most of the people coming in swearing all the time are little kids most likely under 13. Probably because they just learned of the words and feel they can use it. But rape is not even close to swearing. Just because the act of rape is vulgar doesn't make the word itself in the category of swearing else we should put murder, suicide, even douche up on the list. They all have vulgar tendencies but yet it's allowed. The way it should be handled is whether they are joking with each other or just acting like assholes. Grim you over exaggerate everything. Every single time someone spawns a wither you go on a tantrum. Don't even try saying that this is not an exaggeration because it is. I don't see why you can't just enforce a rule where it's to the discretion of the two/or more players, the admins can request that they speak in private chat or their own vent/ts/mumble etc. The fact that i can't say most of what i want on the server because people like grim doesn't like that kind of language is outrageous. It shouldn't be frowned upon else just get a censorship mod for the server and get on with playing the game

Rules simply state, KEEP IT PG13, and EXCESSIVE SWEARING NOT ALLOWED! We know some people are going to swear. We allow SOME content just so we dont seem like assholes or tightwads. TO SOME LEVEL ITS ACCEPTABLE. Its what we like to call, keeping it real. When both my kids turned 16, we told them, you can cuss, just dont CUSS at US or use the word FUCK. Same thing.

by mickdude2 2/26/2013, 3:22 pm

To me, swearing at someone is much worse than just swearing. For example, 'f**k' isn't as bad as f**k you'. One is just a word, while the other is meant to be offensive and vulgar.

Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat

Too much sexually aggressive language in public chat

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