Guild Wars 2

There were several times I’ve seen totally inappropriate guild and pet names. Is there any possible options to report those to Anet? Also, what if the name is on Russian? With english keyboard but still obviously Russian and vulgar?

I don’t think there’s an option in-game, but you can always take a screenshot and send a ticket to support?

You’ll need to make a ticket. You could report by using character name, but the person who handles the ticket might not think to check guild or pet names or the person may leave that guild or swap out the pet so the name is gone.

Thanks, will do!

Well actually there is a chart for guild or character names you must consider and follow for obvious reasons.

there tolerance and there common sense. He has the right to report, just as much as the person who check it decides on what is best too.

I don’t think there is a proper way to do it, they kinda refuse to implement one.
I don’t think you can add screenshots to reports, my last attempt to report a few guild names turned into a complaint about not being able to do so, as I can’t be bothered to try to type them.
Pet names is even worse as you may not even be sure who they belong to.

And yes, getting offended is a choice; as is breaking the naming policy. It is also no excuse.

I think players need to take a step back and not try to control the environment as if it’s a console game. Seeing a word and being offended is completely different than being “called” a word and being offended. Tolerance should be practiced before running to report anything in game.

DeWolfe.2174:

I think players need to take a step back and not try to control the environment as if it’s a console game. Seeing a word and being offended is completely different than being “called” a word and being offended. Tolerance should be practiced before running to report anything in game.

Um, no. Racism, sexism and bigotry should not be tolerated. Just because your privileged kitten can’t think of a word that would be offensive to you, doesn’t mean others won’t be offended by that kitten. There should definitely be an easy way to report crap like that.

Wolf Rayet.4073:

DeWolfe.2174:

I think players need to take a step back and not try to control the environment as if it’s a console game. Seeing a word and being offended is completely different than being “called” a word and being offended. Tolerance should be practiced before running to report anything in game.

Um, no. Racism, sexism and bigotry should not be tolerated. Just because your privileged kitten can’t think of a word that would be offensive to you, doesn’t mean others won’t be offended by that kitten. There should definitely be an easy way to report crap like that.

TUMBLR: THE POST

(I really hope this was a joke comment. Otherwise, my sides)

People need to stop with the “grow a thicker skin” and just read the TOS

Dikeido.8436:

People need to stop with the “grow a thicker skin” and just read the TOS

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

A-net deals with this sort of inappropriateness quite firmly, which is good. If they start letting things slide, people will just continue to push the boundaries. The rules are the rules, and why something may not offend me, I think it’s important to safeguard these things for people who may take it personally.

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

Are you reporting it because you find it offensive, or just because you fancy yourself as a bit of a vigilante?

Different people take offense to different things at different levels. There can never be a one-size fits all approach to online character naming. If I see someone running around with a name I don’t like, it tells me something about them; mainly that I should avoid them. If this is in the open world then I just let them be; they’re not harming me. If, however, they decide to come at me with abuse then sure, I’ll report, block, and be back on my way.

Do I think people should grow thicker skin? Yes. I wish my own skin was thicker, but you take offense to what you take offense to and I don’t think you can change that too easily. The key is to tell yourself that it’s just a name, and what does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Notwithstanding that, it’s actually alright to be offended – it just means you have feelings, probably unlike the guy running around Queensdale who has chosen to call himself “Kitten Kittener”, or “Kittening Kitten”, or even “Kittening Fairy Kitten”. Reporting people who haven’t showered me in abuse in ways other than their name choices really isn’t worth my time leaving the game and firing up a support ticket, attaching all the screenshots and writing a little blurb about how I’m so terribly shaken up by what I’ve seen. There’s Soft Wood Planks that need collecting, and I’d rather keep on doing that.

Am I right in thinking that if you go reporting everyone for everything ArenaNet reserve the right to suspend your own account for a period of time? If I am, that’s just something to consider.

I’ve reported inappropriate guild names before. With a screenshot attached they told me we can’t use player submitted screenshots, I’m assuming for possibility of them being editted.

Crimson Clouds.4853:

Dikeido.8436:

People need to stop with the “grow a thicker skin” and just read the TOS

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

A-net deals with this sort of inappropriateness quite firmly, which is good. If they start letting things slide, people will just continue to push the boundaries. The rules are the rules, and why something may not offend me, I think it’s important to safeguard these things for people who may take it personally.

Yep, exactly. I report anything I see that’s against the rules, regardless of how I personally feel about it. Any online community (game, forum, etc) that doesn’t enforce its rules goes right down the toilet. I don’t want to see that happen with GW2.

Sarie.1630:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

Are you reporting it because you find it offensive, or just because you fancy yourself as a bit of a vigilante?

How would reporting it be “vigilante”? o.O

Here’s a definition of it:“a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate.”

Being a “vigilante” would be if I actively went and attacked a person for a particular name. I am not enforcing the law, I am not taking it into my own hands. What I am doing is tipping off the moderators to take a look at a particular player’s name that I would believe to be against the ToS. The report system is there exactly for this, as we can’t expect human moderators to scour every player’s name and police what they write. Equally, tipping off the police about a suspected crime would not be described as “vigilante”, as ultimately you are relying on the enforcers to do their job.

I’m a strong believer of rules, especially in “anonymous” communities. I love the GW2 community and want it to remain as friendly and non-toxic as possible. The fewer offensive names the better- I believe that if players see other players breaking the rules and getting away with it, they’ll feel that they can do this too. It takes 2 seconds to report somebody- it doesn’t really take any effort on my part and ultimately could benefit the community a tiny bit.

Just because I don’t take offence from something (e.g. getting grumpy or flipping tables) doesn’t mean that I don’t believe that the “something” could be taken as offensive by the majority (something “objectively” offensive). I.e. If I see a racial slur being used, I am not personally hurt by said racial slur (unless it describes my race in a particularly horrific way), but that doesn’t mean that the slur is harmless in general.

Heck, it doesn’t really matter what we think is offensive or not, it’s down to what’s written in the ToS and what A-net moderators believe to be crossing the line. From what I’ve seen Gaile Grey write on the forums, I think I’ve got a pretty good handle of what is deemed acceptable and what isn’t. (Check out Gaile’s posts on this thread if you want to get some kind of bearing of A-net’s views: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Belliegerence-and-Vulgar-Language/first)

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

I would suggest only reporting things that you know for a fact are against the ToS, and not things you believe are against the ToS.

Draknar.5748:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

I would suggest only reporting things that you know for a fact are against the ToS, and not things you believe are against the ToS.

That’s not our job.

• We report.
• If those who view the report and have the ToS memorized and/or sitting right in front of them deem it as a violation, then they will take action.
• If they do not see it as a violation, the report will be discarded and they will move on to the next report.

That’s about it.

I do not believe your view on this matter will change regardless of what logic is offered to you, so further discussion on the topic with you is not something I shall continue. Just letting you know a response directed at me would be a waste of your time due to my being unlikely to ever read it.

StinVec.3621:

Draknar.5748:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

I would suggest only reporting things that you know for a fact are against the ToS, and not things you believe are against the ToS.

That’s not our job.

• We report.
• If those who view the report and have the ToS memorized and/or sitting right in front of them deem it as a violation, then they will take action.
• If they do not see it as a violation, the report will be discarded and they will move on to the next report.

That’s about it.

I do not believe your view on this matter will change regardless of what logic is offered to you, so further discussion on the topic with you is not something I shall continue. Just letting you know a response directed at me would be a waste of your time due to my being unlikely to ever read it.

I will accept your offer not to continue discussion on the topic, you know, since you and I never entered into a discussion in the first place…

My point is that it makes one look like a complete tightwad going around reporting people for things they "feel"or “believe” are against the rules, when they aren’t. It’s tantamount to calling 911 to report that McDonald’s didn’t give you french fries…

Sarie.1630:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

Are you reporting it because you find it offensive, or just because you fancy yourself as a bit of a vigilante?

Different people take offense to different things at different levels. There can never be a one-size fits all approach to online character naming. If I see someone running around with a name I don’t like, it tells me something about them; mainly that I should avoid them. If this is in the open world then I just let them be; they’re not harming me. If, however, they decide to come at me with abuse then sure, I’ll report, block, and be back on my way.

Do I think people should grow thicker skin? Yes. I wish my own skin was thicker, but you take offense to what you take offense to and I don’t think you can change that too easily. The key is to tell yourself that it’s just a name, and what does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Notwithstanding that, it’s actually alright to be offended – it just means you have feelings, probably unlike the guy running around Queensdale who has chosen to call himself “Kitten Kittener”, or “Kittening Kitten”, or even “Kittening Fairy Kitten”. Reporting people who haven’t showered me in abuse in ways other than their name choices really isn’t worth my time leaving the game and firing up a support ticket, attaching all the screenshots and writing a little blurb about how I’m so terribly shaken up by what I’ve seen. There’s Soft Wood Planks that need collecting, and I’d rather keep on doing that.

Am I right in thinking that if you go reporting everyone for everything ArenaNet reserve the right to suspend your own account for a period of time? If I am, that’s just something to consider.

Agree 100%. There’s always going to be someone to find something to complain about. They forget that “gosh it’s just a game and I can turn it off at anytime” and that the so called offenders do not sign their paychecks or pay their bills etc. Geez just go on and game and ignore what was offensive UNLESS it’s personally directed to you. GAME ON
ROFL@Draknar…nice one and huge salute with my coffee mug!

Just don’t look at it. No one’s forcing you to look at other players’ pet or guild names.

He’s not even saying what particular kind of name it was. For all we know the guy could have made an Abe Lincoln reference (can’t name after historical figures)

What? Why would you even do that? Haven’t you got any hobbies you can get a long with instead of reporting childish or silly names?

I am a victim of this nonsense report names as i named my original norn male norn “fat disgrace” when I first started after beta but then deleted it and made it human. A year later some 1 reported this name for being offensive and a net forced me to change the char name, yet the account name is still here…. What’s even more pathetic is that I had this name for 7 years on gw1 and it was perfectly fine. I think people have nothing better to do and get kicks at reporting people

Fat Disgrace.4275:

What? Why would you even do that? Haven’t you got any hobbies you can get a long with instead of reporting childish or silly names?

I am a victim of this nonsense report names as i named my original norn male norn “fat disgrace” when I first started after beta but then deleted it and made it human. A year later some 1 reported this name for being offensive and a net forced me to change the char name, yet the account name is still here…. What’s even more pathetic is that I had this name for 7 years on gw1 and it was perfectly fine. I think people have nothing better to do and get kicks at reporting people

You triggered someone’s fat shame. It is quickly becoming some kind of a “protected” group.

“OMG Fat Disgrace?”
“I’m fat, is he calling me a disgrace?! Unacceptable! #beautyatallsizes #fatacceptance #bigisbeautiful #skinnykittenesaretheworst

Draknar.5748:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

This. Something may not personally offend me, but if I believe that it’s against the ToS I will report it.

I would suggest only reporting things that you know for a fact are against the ToS, and not things you believe are against the ToS.

Why not?

Personally, I know the rules fairly well (simply as a by-product of spending a lot of time on the forums, discussing the rules and helping others). Other players who skipped past the ToS and haven’t look up the rules since will have a very basic understanding of them, probably most of them built upon common sense and experience from other games. Most know that personal attacks are an absolute no-no, but others may not realise that excessive swearing, vulgarity and even things like advertising websites are against the rules.

I tell people that if something feels wrong (as an average human), they should hit the report button. Misuse of the report button is quite a severe offence- you’re not going to be punished if you report one guy for saying something that is borderline. Misuse is basically spam-reporting one guy just to try and get him in trouble when he’s done nothing wrong. The moderators are human beings- if they can understand why you reported it, then you’re not going to get in trouble yourself.

Here’s the rule in question:
“You may not create character names or otherwise transmit, post, link to or facilitate the distribution of any sexually explicit, harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, hateful, vulgar, racially or ethnically offensive, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, or objectionable in a reasonable person’s view imagery or content.”

Sometimes it can be difficult what would absolutely and definitely be against the ToS, and what might be minor or a grey area. It depends on the person and their sensitivities. But I think the moderation team would much rather people report something that is toeing the line than leave it entirely.

Tl;dr: If you have a belief that something is/could be construed as rule-breaking, there’s no danger in reporting. The moderators are there to decide either way. Gaile has a good summary of it here:

“End of the day, why don’t we let the professionals decide? Why don’t each of you who see offensive chat report it and let the moderation team make a decision about the overall offensiveness of a word or phrase in the context of the game”

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Belliegerence-and-Vulgar-Language/page/2#post4929262

Since the discussion in this thread has derailed and is no longer constructive this thread is now closed