The Scary Truth 2.0

May 22, 2015.

I’ve lost the ability to self-edit my old posts like I used to be able to, so this will replace the original thread.

Long post incoming. I realize that the sheer length of this will discourage a majority of the players here from reading it, in which case I ask that before you leave the thread, if you’re a minor read at least part 1. And if you are not, read at least part 2.

When the original thread was posted on May 14, 2011 there were far fewer restrictions on what we as players could and couldn’t say. Now, 4 years later, we are censored beyond comprehension and yet, it has remained just as easy for minors to engage in illicit, and even dangerous “activities.”

Initially the thread was designed solely to discuss the legal repercussions of an activity defined as “the act of sending sexually explicit photographs, videos or messages electronically,” for minors. Since then I believe it equally important to delve into the implications this can have on the safety and social well being of minors.

The original post has since been destroyed as the developers have made changes to the way the filters work. However, at the same time the changes they’ve made to the rules and their game has only allowed the things they pretend to discourage to thrive.

This post will be broken into three sections: The first being an updated version of the original material (so that this part receives the most attention from potential new readers), while the second will be a rant, or rather a plea, that I feel obligated to make. Finally, I’ll leave the original post as evidence of what has happened.

Part 1.

*Keep in mind this information is presented within the scope of the United States. This information may or may not be valid elsewhere.

It is easy, as a minor (under 18), to say that you won’t engage in this specific activity. You hear the speeches and you see the news. Everyone just spews the same information about how it’s a horrible idea. They might talk about the legal repercussions (which will be touched on here), but few talk about the impact on your social life this activity can have.

Legally speaking, this activity falls into the category of child “printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings.” Both production and possession of said material is illegal. This falls under state, and even federal law (The Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act of 2003).

Here are a few examples of the legal consequences.

Obviously, these are pretty serious punishments for what you might consider a momentary lack in judgement. However, it shows the importance of refraining from participating in this activity until you’re of age (in a legal sense).

So we’ve got the legal side out of the way. Now let’s consider how this can affect you in other facets of your life. Here is one example (taken from the original post).

This story is obviously on the extreme side, however there are certainly tons of other examples. It is obvious that when you send pictures, you risk them being spread. Once they are spread, you don’t live that down. Sure, the initial ‘hype,’ for lack of a better word, dies down, but you will always be known for it. The other teens around you will still make jokes about it. Things that happen during, for example, your freshmen year will still be remembered when you’re graduating. Is being given a derogatory label worth sending a picture or two to someone you care about now, but probably won’t in the future?

Now think further down the line. You’ve sent pictures. They’ve spread. You’ve been caught and prosecuted. Now you’re on the sexual offender registry for either 25 years or life. Later, you go to apply for a job, and of course your potential employer will perform a background check. They’ll look you up. Google you. Investigate your social media and anything else of interest. They either flat out reject you based on your criminal history with child “printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings,” or they could potentially find the pictures themselves, and refuses to hire you. Just like that, your past follows you and stops you from continuing your life.

Say you aren’t caught. Those pictures are still out there. It is important to realize that once something has been sent it is out there forever. It can be found by anybody who looks hard enough. And say you’ve sent pictures or messages over some form of media that provides even a shred of your personal information like your email. That can be traced back to your exact location, and now what could be considered a childish mistake has dire consequences. Everybody has heard the cliché stories of children going to meet “friends” from the internet who turn out to be"creepy" adults. It does happen. Your safety is a risk when you decide to take part in this activity.

So act cautiously. Protect your body. Think twice before you decide to send that picture, because in that moment you aren’t realizing that you are drastically altering your life forever.

Part 2.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Ghandi

Let me preface this by saying this is a topic I care strongly about. For a long time the direction the developers took this game has left me disgusted to even have this app downloaded. In a way this thread is updated out of my own selfishness; I feel at ease knowing I didn’t remain silent about something that upset me so much. At the same time, this needs to be said.

When I began this game years ago, trying to teach minors about this topic was never my intention. Even in my attempts to become a moderator, this never came to mind. I was inspired to make this after I was made a moderator. At that time, I was content with ATA. This is only important to note because it shows the large contrast with then and now in how the company maintains this game (as indicated by my complete 180 in attitude toward the company).

Almost anybody who is still around from when I resigned will know that I have spoken out against ATA every chance I could. Over the years they have made decisions that only jeopardize the safety of underaged players. There was the attempt to turn this game into a dating app (anyone remember that Facebook post?), the relaxed silencing rules, the advent of the relationship feature itself, even the changing of the filter. All of these features have either encouraged underaged players to ‘hook up’ on this game, have made it easier to do so, or have made it harder for moderators to actually do their job in discouraging these activities.

It is said numerous times in the debate over what is and isn’t “appropriate” to say to other people on this game that we are real people behind the screen. With that being said, at what point do we stop mindlessly playing the game and realize there is a big problem here, involving those very real people? There are stories constantly surfacing about minors meeting strangers who turn out to be predators over the internet in real life, or hear stories of “sending sexually explicit photographs, videos or messages electronically,” with random internet strangers that come to have far-reaching consequences for the sender. In the state this game is in, it not only encourages this behavior, but fosters it.

A huge way to deflect guilt on this game is for people to claim that these kids shouldn’t be doing it in the first place. They should know better. Why are they even playing in the first place when there are age requirements set in place? However, we all know they’re here. We all know they easily make up the majority of the player base. These things happen. We should be focused on how to help them, not blame them when things go wrong during a time in their life that they are expected to make mistakes.

I have made comments in this thread and elsewhere about this issue. The developers only seek to exploit the younger player base. They do not care about their safety. Do not support a company who only wants to take from its customers without any regard for their safety. Do not support the atrocities that are occurring daily on this app. Do not suspend your morals for virtual satisfaction on this game. Have a voice. Be concerned. Help the ones who are in the same position you were once in: young and naïve. Educate them.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Part 3.

****EDIT (Made March 2013 for the change to the filter in late 2012): At the time of the original post, the word that you will see filtered throughout this thread was not filtered. Due to it being filtered, the thread is very difficult to understand. In order to make sense of the thread, you should take note that this thread is on the topic of something similar to dirty chat or sending dirty pictures.****


Hey,it's Royale (clearly :3), I just wanted to talk about a huge issue: ​, and the consequences of participating in this activity.

Okay, so I had a lecture last week on ​. We learned about how much trouble you can get into for doing it, and how it could affect your life forever.

First, the police man told us about the amount of jail time(in this case, juvenile detention, because this is for minors. In the US a federal law states that you can't take part in any kind of ​ or anything of the such until you are 18 years old.) Yes, it is different depending on where you live, in some countries it may be younger or older, but this should give you an idea of how serious this is. For my specific state in the US the consequences are:

You can get up to 27 years jail time for producing and sending a ​ message.

You can get 4 years jail time for simply possessing a ​.

Also, you must register on the ​ offender list, 4 times a year, for 25 yrs or for life.

Now, you may think 'Well they won't find out if I just delete all the messages'.
Well, you're wrong. If an investigation is underway, the police can go through and see all your messages.

Did you know that by giving out a picture of yourself, or your email, or pingchat, where the other person can find out your email, that person can find out your location and seek you out? Suddenly the situation goes from harmless dirty chat and pictures to dire, meaning ​ or death.

You also may think it's okay to do this with someone you know in real life, but not only is it still illegal, things could go bad.

Now let me give you an example of how ​ could go wrong.
A 15 yr old girl living in my state was ​ her boyfriend. She broke up with him, and he sent the pictures and messages to all of his AND her friends.
She was labeled as a ​, or a ​. She was being harassed constantly.
Within the next couple of days she hung herself.

Do you see how serious this is...? The fact that it's illegal, or the fact that people may find you, or you could be humiliated or harassed in real life scare you?
Then don't ​. Spread the word. Nobody should have to go through this.
Educate, be that person that may save a person from ruining his or her life.
Thank you,
-Royale.

 

Wolf more or less hit it on the head. I'm not advocating for a mass deletion of the app from people's devices.

At times throughout my stay here on pimd, more often recently, I have made comments that hinted at being vocal, particularly toward the developers who have had the largest impact on the state of the game.

I believe that if you're vocally against what is happening and vocal in informing others, then I couldn't ask any more of you, and you couldn't ask much more of yourself.

If we're silent, how will anybody know there is a problem?