Crime & Punishment

the catch part is EXPOSING that later in the internet. That is even ilegal in several countries without that person consent.

I'm not an expert on the legal systems of every country on the planet, but this isn't commonly true especially since no identifying information (real name, place of residence etc.) of the supposed victim was ever released and there appears to be no reasonable expectation of privacy for a conversation held in a random internet voice group chat channel anyway. But that is for the lawyers and space lawyers to debate I guess.

You are right though in that the "EXPOSING" did ultimately result in the fuss that embarrassed CCP, who then selectively enforced their "real-life harassment" policies to stamp out the source of the bad press - Erotica 1 and the Bonus Room. Things would likely have proceeded much differently if Ripard Teg didn't have a recording with which to spark his witch hunt.

I think a lot of people didn't actually listen to the whole recording and instead went with Ripard's abbreviated take on the matter.


I'm not sure what the legal implications are, tbh.

I think the primary objection in this case was that recordings of the same kind were released publicly over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Please don't tell me that the public outcry over the 200th release excuses their apathy for the 199 previous.

I love these rumours spread by anonymous forum alts about nameless friends.

It is funny, until CCP swings the banhammer all over the place. Because third party information must be true.

Much necro.

I thought I was in a Bonus Room last night. But then I realized it was just a chamber of secrets.

The definition of civil rights change from culture to culture. Where I live, the recordings of that event, and Yes I heard a good bit of it, not all but enough, would be enough for you to get legal prosecution if the other part was living in the same country. Blackmailing someone into an humiliation is specifically stated as violation of civil rights were I live. So some people WILL get offended and will demand what they see as justice. The world is not a tiny sphere where everybody think the same.

If you are wise you shall be extra careful when dealing with people from other cultures because their definition of OK might not be the same as yours.

I don't think that anything that happened in the bonus room would qualify as blackmail in any court of law in any country except perhaps for a country like Cameroon, where you can simply pay the judge for the verdict you want. Blackmail generally only is considered to have occurred in situations where the people involved know each other's identities and where more is at stake than imaginary video game property and virtual bragging rights in anonymous internet chat rooms.

I accept the possibility that there may be some oddball country in the world where this situation may have violated some law. There are a lot of countries in the world, after all, and some of them have legal codes which seem bizarre to those of us who live in North America or Europe. However, you can't really consult the laws of every country on earth before you open your mouth on your private TS server or an EVE Online chat channel, nor should you.

The point being - whatever you may think of the practice of bonusrooming, or of any bonus room in particular, the argument that it is illegal is a huge stretch from reality. You may not like it, CCP obviously doesn't like it, but that doesn't make it a literal crime.

you are VERY mistaken. There is similar cases (not on games, but on social networks) that were went to court here and the offending part was forced to pay restitution. In some countries humiliation is considered as damaging as physical damage.

Of course want want to think this.
But you have no prove that this is true. I petitioned it before Ripard mentioned it on his blog and a lot of people that usually dont care for the forums, came and asked for actions of CCP.

That sokhar says he wasn't tortured, may be. Still the audio exists and proofs, that he was humiliated over and over.
I do not say this was the "silent majority" but still more people were upset over that, than people where OK, with it.

The "Ripard" case is some propaganda that what made up, to project the "guilt" to someone else than e1.
E1 was hit by the ban-hammer and is gone for good. Not many people are crying after him.

However, that still does not change anything for the OP.
Falling for this "bonus room" is quite stupid and shows that one throws all caution and common sense over board cause of greed. I do not expect a special warning of this bonus room, since there are times, when all inner alert bells have to ring on 1000 dezibel.
If the "friend" can not proof that he was humiliated, there is no chance ever for actions of CCP.

It does not matter what some griefers whined a short time ago, CCP does NOT swing the ban-hammer lightly.

Your friend has to HTFU.