Some people take cybernation to seriously?

[Felix von Agnu]

[quote name='Penkala' timestamp='1284584276' post='2455016']
What motive is there for that?
[/quote]

To scare/intimidate Methrage would be my guess.

[Xavii]

While I don't approve of such behavior, you have gone out of your way to gain attention these last few weeks. Something like this can sometimes come with it.

[Rayvon]

[quote name='Xavii' timestamp='1284595968' post='2455239']
While I don't approve of such behavior, you have gone out of your way to gain attention these last few weeks. Something like this can sometimes come with it.
[/quote]

No behaviour of any sort IN-GAME, no matter how malevolent or careless, warrants harassing acts like this IN THE REAL WORLD.

[Lord Fingolfin]

If I'm reading this correctly, GOONS verified that the IP that supposedly posted this information actually was an IP that linked to a former GOONS member. Now unless Methrage somehow got access into AdminCP on GOONS forums so that he could see members IPs and then picked one at random to state as the one who posted the information, it seems like that puts the issue to rest. Good luck regarding sorting this out, good show by GOONS for cooperating and being helpful in the whole affair from what I can tell.

Edited September 16, 2010 by Lord Fingolfin

[Augustus Autumn]

[quote name='Il Impero Romano' timestamp='1284536391' post='2454614']
If the facts as given were the same, yes.

Go back and look at the "far over the OOC line" incidents, you will see a pattern of proportionality and congruency between the actual act asserted and the circumstances that surround it. Hackers attacked large alliance forums, people spread simple things like phone numbers in public areas. Not once can I recall something as out of whack as a person going through the massive trouble of obtaining extremely sensitive information, including actual arrest records, then presenting them in a completely unpopulated area where only the person in question would see them. Read that sentence again. The"yea, that is pretty odd..." feeling you get is doubt, doubt brought on by the fact that believing this type of story anywhere besides the internet would be ludicrous. The hallmark of legitimacy (proportionality and situational congruence) which is present in other comparable incidents is lacking in this instance, if not entirely missing.

For a more in depth look at the relevant reasons why it is lacking, see my previous posts.
[/quote]

I'm not against skepticism, but I'm also not for an off-the-cuff dismissal. Stuff like this has happened before and, I hate to say, it can be fairly easy to dupe persons into giving up confidential information relatively easily. In the industry I work in (I'll refrain from specifying in such a public forum - I'll provide that privately if you want it) it's remarkably easy for me to gain access to some rather privledged information without my providing a single bit of verifying information to the person providing it. Again, it's all a function of how much time you really want to put into the effort and how dim the person(s) providing it are. Regardless, if the claims made here are true that's pretty sad. If they're not, that's equally sad but for a different reason. I'm sure that the appropriate authorities (moderation or otherwise) will address the issue as required and deliver appropriate resolution.

[Ghuxalia]

This kind of reminds me of a TV show I saw once.

[abdur]

[quote name='Lord Fingolfin' timestamp='1284598022' post='2455274']
If I'm reading this correctly, GOONS verified that the IP that supposedly posted this information actually was an IP that linked to a former GOONS member. Now unless Methrage somehow got access into AdminCP on GOONS forums so that he could see members IPs and then picked one at random to state as the one who posted the information, it seems like that puts the issue to rest. Good look regarding sorting this out, good show by GOONS for cooperating and being helpful in the whole affair from what I can tell.
[/quote]
I'll go with this man here.
Whoever did this needs to get out of his basement, and enjoy the sunshine, and NEVER play CN again.

[zenergy]

[quote name='Ardus' timestamp='1284576263' post='2454885']
Yeah, but such systems usually only publicly display bookings for a limited time and have a logical reason: it becomes a place to search in the event a dumb friend suddenly goes missing. I've yet to find a system that just publicly displays complete individual criminal records.
[/quote]

There are plenty of places that do - the city where I grew up lists everything you've ever done on the web. Some people have offenses from the 60s up on there, along with a copy of their long-haired mugshots. Of course, that's in Texas, and our Sheriff's departments are ridiculously well funded and have bored IT departments.

[quote name='Andre27' timestamp='1284593602' post='2455193']
Without permission, most certainly.
Even when there's nothing to hide, privacy should be respected at all times.

Let's take a hypothetical situation where you get pulled over for a alcohol test.
The breath test spikes because you had a spoon of coughing syrup and you get a ticket for "drunk driving".
The ticket gets transferred to the net and the employer where you have a job interview some time afterwards sees the ticket, concludes you're a drunk and decides not to hire you.

Things like medical records, arrest records and so on should [i]always[/i] be private. To see such is not the case in some US states is most certainly "horrifying".
[/quote]

I totally see your point. On the other hand, as a business owner, I'd really like to know if the nice guy I'm about to hire has been arrested 8 times for domestic violence, but never caught a charge. Or if my potential new receptionist is out on bail for drugs, but it hasn't gone to trial yet. FTR, medical records are really strongly protected here, and there are some serious consequences for making those public. Being a criminal isn't a protected class, however.

In any event, I've seen enough petty stupid OOC stuff happen in this game that Methrage's story seems credible. All that faux-logic to the contrary, posting personal info in a private place is exactly something a stupid kid would do to try to intimidate someone. Once the info is out, it can no longer be used as a threat. I would question the ability of those that are questioning his story to make a reasoned judgement on the matter, however, especially since GOONS has all but confirmed it.

Also, if it was all publicly obtained information, then no crime was committed. It's an invasive and crappy thing to do, and highly unethical, but it's not illegal.

Edited September 16, 2010 by zenergy

[Heyman]

Often times, there is a reason, but no rhyme. People can be unpredictable, stupid, and illogical.

I'd think that the accurate term for this situation is: "!@#$ happens."

Edited September 16, 2010 by Heyman

[Ardus]

[quote name='Bavaricar' timestamp='1284592957' post='2455173']
My hat's off to ktarthan for being so cooperative and sharing his initial investigative results.

I simply cannot fathom what level of crazed IC/OOC blurred vision has led some other people ([i]and not a one of them is a member of the GOONS[/i]) to take this game so seriously that they automatically question Methrage's OOC integrity here.
[/quote]
You don't have to be "crazed" to not believe a claim that, at a cursory glance, doesn't appear to make any sense. You only need skepticism. The victim in this particular case one, has a history of seeking attention, and two, made a poorly veiled suggestion that a group of players in this game actively engaged in the activity. That only heaps further unbelievability on an unbelievable situation and opens the victim to criticism. If you get knocked out on the back of the head and mugged, then wake up and tell the press "I have absolutely zero clue who did this crime, but I bet they were black," you're going to draw some justifiable heat.

That said, I'm glad to see folks working together to unravel this thing and resolve it. Whomsoever would engage in such behavior is childish scum.

[jerdge]

I made it halfway to page 3.

While I am completely sympathetic with anybody being harassed, I think that purely OOC events (especially OOC alleged [i]crimes[/i]) should be handled [i]completely off-game[/i].
Do we really need to further discuss this here? What purpose might it ever have? I'm glad that Meth and the GOONS (if I understood correctly) are working together to try identify the offender(s), but now that this thread allowed them to get to work together on the issue and it thus exhausted what possible use it might have had, I don't think we need to go on debating it over and over (and even less we need to try exploit the situation for IC reasons, as some are doing...)

I don't know you, but I just want to [i]play a darn game[/i].

[Voytek]

The readiness of this community to go straight to CALL THE AUTHORITIES A [b]CRIME[/b] HAS BEEN COMMITTED whenever anything like this happens is a little depressing. That's about all I've taken away from this thread.

[Prime minister Johns]

Sadly enough this happens from time to time when people lose their sense of proportion and forget the basic rules of common courtesy.
But when it gets off-game then it is in my opinion best to just hand the matter for the relevant authorities to deal with.

[Andre27]

[quote name='zenergy' timestamp='1284612588' post='2455541']
There are plenty of places that do - the city where I grew up lists everything you've ever done on the web. Some people have offenses from the 60s up on there, along with a copy of their long-haired mugshots. Of course, that's in Texas, and our Sheriff's departments are ridiculously well funded and have bored IT departments.

I totally see your point. On the other hand, as a business owner, I'd really like to know if the nice guy I'm about to hire has been arrested 8 times for domestic violence, but never caught a charge. Or if my potential new receptionist is out on bail for drugs, but it hasn't gone to trial yet. FTR, medical records are really strongly protected here, and there are some serious consequences for making those public. Being a criminal isn't a protected class, however.
[/quote]

And i see your point that as a business owner you'd like to know. However i believe privacy of the individual is more important.
Religion, Criminal Record, sexual preference and such should all be private matters.

There are situations where a criminal record is important (e.g. to become a law officer, work in money transport etc.), but in those instances the applicant should give prior consent to such background checks.

Anyway to get back to CN, OOC harassment should not occur [i]ever[/i].

[Teddyyo]

[quote name='Andre27' timestamp='1284636393' post='2455720']
And i see your point that as a business owner you'd like to know. However i believe privacy of the individual is more important.
Religion, Criminal Record, sexual preference and such should all be private matters.

There are situations where a criminal record is important (e.g. to become a law officer, work in money transport etc.), but in those instances the applicant should give prior consent to such background checks.

Anyway to get back to CN, OOC harassment should not occur [i]ever[/i].
[/quote]
So let me get this straight.

You put the feelings of a criminal above the concerns of business owners?

I'm running a few studies/statistics, who did you vote for in '08?

Back on topic, whoever did this really needs to step back and take a look at where they are, where they want to be in the future, and how this could ever possibly help.

It's a blessing the perpetrator didn't go so far as to post it on the OWF.

Edited September 16, 2010 by Teddyyo

[ChairmanHal]

A few points here and then I'm out.

1. There is no place in this game for people who dig up RL personal information, legally or illegally, in order to try to gain an advantage over another player and/or to try to intimidate another player in any way.

2. There is no place in this game for people who [i]associate with[/i] those who think that doing #1 is ok, whether or not whose guilty of digging up the RL personal information are playing the game or not.

3. I would hope that the individual responsible for this act against Methrage is exposed and ban for life from CN. Further, if GOONS is at all serious about this matter, they will cut all ties with the individual(s) responsible and will ban them from their web site and IRC channels.

I will spare everyone analogies with the Bilrow situation in 2007. RL player intimidation is always wrong. It's not funny and should never be dismissed as "no big deal".

Now...can we play Cyber Nations and stop the bovine scatology? Please?

[Darth Revan]

[quote name='Il Impero Romano' timestamp='1284537872' post='2454622']
Where I'm from, public record searches are either time consuming physical processes or cost [i]actual money[/i]. If your government takes the time to literally post pictures and information for every person charged in an area that is easily accessible, on the internet, and free of charge, I will be both amazed and horrified at the amount of free time they have on their hands.
[/quote]
I normally would not get involved in this type of argument but to nip it in the bud I will say that I can verify that the information is available as it was linked to when Methrage forwarded the posts to moderation.

[Bob Janova]

There's really no excuse for this sort of thing. I'm not sure that a crime has actually been committed here though (though I agree with Andre, it's deeply disturbing that such details about a person can be found legally and without the person's knowledge or consent) so there won't be anything that the police or ISPs can do, unfortunately.

[Sephiroth]

While creepy and very stalker like that someone would do this, I'm not sure a crime has been committed either so calling the authorities would be pointless here.

[Penkala]

[quote name='Felix von Agnu' timestamp='1284595663' post='2455233']
To scare/intimidate Methrage would be my guess.
[/quote]

Why wouldn't they just call him then? That'd be a hell of a lot more intimidating.

[Heyman]

[quote name='Penkala' timestamp='1284652225' post='2455811']
Why wouldn't they just call him then? That'd be a hell of a lot more intimidating.
[/quote]

That's assuming that the person committing the crime correctly utilized his Intelligence Quotient.

[SpoiL]

What a loser.

[agafaba]

[quote name='Penkala' timestamp='1284652225' post='2455811']
Why wouldn't they just call him then? That'd be a hell of a lot more intimidating.
[/quote]
Because then you are skirting the line and might get charged for harassment?

[Sephiroth]

If they tried calling I probably already screened the call, as I usually only answer for numbers I know and feel like picking up.

[Free Quebec]

Anybody who try to find personal information to use it against someone because of a online game grudge is pathetic.
Completely pathetic.