!BreezyWitchyWomanยทWednesday, June 9, 2021 - 11:25am
We have a few rules here on HL that are there to protect our younger players from being preyed upon by our older ones. However, it really is up to YOU as a player to ensure that you stay safe and free from harm.
Personal Info. PLEASE do not give out your personal info such as home address, home OR cell phone number, email address or even a messenger contact info(AIM, YIM, MSN) UNLESS you really, truly know the person. Even giving out your real name can be dangerous, so please limit that to ONLY your first name if you feel the need to share that information. Ask Danilo about how even just a name can lead to someone finding out where you live, if you don't believe me.
Online Relationships. I realize that meeting new people and making new friends is what attracts most people to the net. I too think it's great that we are able to meet so many different people from all around the world. But with that said, not everyone has the same intentions and/or feelings. There are many people out there who, to put it bluntly, just like to rack up the score with how many people they can...er..score with.
It is VERY easy to lie online and to be lied to. Finding love online is not as easy as some may think. Although it IS possible to find that love of your life (Edmund and Serenity ;)), not everyone is actually looking. As I said, it is up to YOU to protect yourself. Someone claiming that they love you after chatting a few times, or telling you that you are the only one, is probably really not true. Please don't get caught up too much in the fantasy part of many sites.
The LAW.Anyone 18 years old and older is considered an adult and it is illegal for them to "be with" anyone under the age of 18. Even though nothing sexual is supposed to be happening on the site anyway, we realize that we really have no way to stop it when it's done in private, i.e. OWLS. HOWEVER, we CAN and DO monitor owls so be warned.
ANYONE over the age of 18 that is caught doing ANYTHING inappropriate with a minor WILL be permanently banned. Not only that, but Danilo can and will contact your ISP to let them know what you do online so they can alert the proper authorities. Even using this site as a fishing hole and taking it off-site can be cause for a ban if we hear about it.
Again, please use common sense when forming online relationships and in your interactions with other people. Not just here but any site you visit.
Thank you.
Responses 1 - 25 of 40 to "Internet Safety/Online Relationships"
I'm just a little disappointed these rules have to be reminded yet again. But that's what I get for wanting to believe more players would use common sense and common respect than actually do. Thanks for the post, Witchy!
@DemonSlayer-- Check their bio. Ask. If there's any doubt, assume they're the opposite of yourself (adults assume the person is a minor/ minors assume the person is an adult).
We usually go by bios or ask. Sometimes we have other information with which to learn someone's age.
Know it's been a few days (haven't been on) but maybe it'd be helpful to get that real age module that lists minor/adult in their profile? Of course I understand that people lie about it all the time, but for the majority of cases it should be fine. Still, I guess people should also realize that you shouldn't be doing anything more than PG-13 anywhere on this site at all. I'm pretty sure in rule 5 it mentions in pretty capitalised red letters that %$!#@ing is allowed nowhere on site, in or out of character.
For the record, guys, Witchy isn't kidding when she says only a name is necessary to find a great amount of information on a person. Not as easy as it'd be for a celebrity, but still more easy than anyone would want it to be. And once you couple a name with a face, well, you make the job easier -- especially if you have social media accounts and such that aren't private or protected.
Can't help but think the last rule could be abused someway, "Even using this site as a fishing hole and taking it off-site can be cause for a ban if we hear about it." What if someone didn't like someone and made up lies about some older player trying to pick up minors?
Just saying. I trust the staff to analyze the situation and make the just decision in any case.
I suspected as much, still think this is very detailed and spot on maybe the overall mentality will shift now for those that do come here to prey upon others. I hope people can be a little more careful.
You say that it is illegal for an adult (someone 18+) to have a relationship with someone under 18yo; this is not necessarily true as in many states the of consent is 16yo. . Therefore in this study thing anyone 16 or over can be in a relationship with anyone 16 or over.
@JacobP -- "Anyone 18 years old and older is considered an adult and it is illegal for them to "be with" anyone under the age of 18. Even though nothing sexual is supposed to be happening on the site anyway..."
Notice the quotations around be with followed by the "Even though nothing sexual is supposed to be happening on the site anyway..." part.
Jacob is sort of correct on age of consent laws. In most of these states there is a statue called Romeo and Juliet law, which limits person 16 and 17 years old relationships only with people up to four years older than them, so a 30yo can't have a relationship with an 16yo in these states . Only a few states actually allow 16 & 17 year olds to "be with" anyone 16 or older. As I understand it Hogwarts live is in essence, setting its own "law" to cover all users. FYI Jacob, there is some countries where the age of consent is over 18 esp India where it is 21.