11 replies to this topic

[Michael_Lee]

I apologize in advance if there is another thread for this, or if this belongs in the Suggestions forum. I don't believe that I can post in that forum currently so I'm posting this here. I'm publishing this thread as a list of suggested amendments to the MCBans' provisions regarding the issuing of Global Bans. The current published page of MCBans rules regarding Global Bans can be accessed here.

Currently, the advertisement of other Minecraft servers on a server is not a valid clause for a Global Ban. See Invalid Reason #8. Currently, causing harm to a server is a valid clause for a Global Ban. See valid Reason #2.

It is a reasonable assumption that the advertisement of other Minecraft servers on a server can cause harm to the server by driving some members of a server's population to those servers that are advertised. As a server owner, my staff and I work hard to bring in players and encourage them to join our community. When a member of another server joins our server and, violating our rule against advertisement, advertises his/her server, we feel that our work is being undermined unfairly. Stealing and undermining the population of a server does cause harm to a server and its community. This is similar to the unfair practice of establishing a business in very close proximity to its competitor; many state and municipal governments abhor this practice. Going further, this is even more closely similar to advertising a competing business without permission within the confines of another business. Say, for example, I own a restaurant; it is a very unfair and in most cases, illegal, practice for the owner of a competing business to enter my facility and advertise to my patrons his or her business. I see the advertisement of other Minecraft servers on a server no di. Following this reasoning, I respectfully submit my suggestion to the MCBans staff that the Global Ban Rules be amended to cite the advertisement of other Minecraft servers on a server as a valid clause for a Global Ban. This amendment would discourage such advertisers from continuing this unfair practice. Local Bans do not prevent or discourage such incidents from happening.

Thank you for reading and I hope my suggestion will be taken into consideration.

Michael_Lee

[AegisZephyr]

I think firestar or stracci already addressed this in an earlier post. It isn't a globally bannable offense because it isn't causing harm or doing anything extremely disruptive. Now if they came on and spambotted their server on your server, then yes, it would be. If you are that worried about advertisers stealing your members, make your server better. They will always come onto a server and advertise or get others to advertise for them. A server that is good will retain it's members. If they are taking guests or new members, its probably because those members prefer less restrictive and anarchic servers instead. Some people will even join your server, then find something else they like. While we don't allow advertising on our server, even we feel that a global ban is a bit harsh.

[Michael_Lee]

I can see and understand your perspective as well, but when a person joins another server solely for the intent of advertising their own, I strongly believe that this is joining with the intent of causing harm to that server's population and community. They're obviously trying to steal your players. Yes, we can simply ban them locally, but that doesn't really discourage anyone from advertising at all. People will simply join, advertise, and then get banned; they could care less if they were banned since they've already accomplished their goal of advertising anyway. I feel that Global Bans would serve better to discourage players from advertising unfairly. My server retains its players extremely well; we maintain peaks of up to 64 players quite often and players are on around the clock, but this is besides the point.

Posting an advertisement on private property without permission is illegal in real life; if I owned a business and a competing business owner walked into my store and started handing out flyers and business cards without my explicit consent, I would call the police and have him removed. I don't see how Minecraft servers are any different.

I guess this falls somewhere between a local and global ban, and there are good arguments for both sides. But I am inclined to believe that those that get local banned for advertising could care less since they likely never planned on playing on the server anyway. They were simply there to advertise and they've done that already. I think if a server explicitly states in its rules that advertising is not permitted, a global ban should be justifiable, not only on the premise that they intended to cause harm, but also on the premise that the risk of a global ban for advertising should prevent would-be advertisers from doing so.

[Excelero]

Unless they are spamming an IP/website... It's not really harmful.

[Michael_Lee]

Excelero, on 16 February 2012 - 09:08 PM, said:

Unless they are spamming an IP/website... It's not really harmful.

That's what I'm referring to. When I say advertising, I'm referring to when players join your server and spam their own server's IP address or website, but not necessarily with a spambot.

[Jasondenseje]

I have a idea about servers can global ban people for advertising, if hes already have 2, are doing it on your server. Let me come with a exemple.

Someone joins the game
Admin: /lookup someone
2 Locals:
1. - Advertising
2. - Advertising
Someone: Join my server (ip here) or my site (site here)
Someone: Join it today!

----------------------------------------
Is that a good or bad idea?

[MrMunch1055]

Jasondenseje, on 03 March 2012 - 01:23 PM, said:

I have a idea about servers can global ban people for advertising, if hes already have 2, are doing it on your server. Let me come with a exemple.

Someone joins the game
Admin: /lookup someone
2 Locals:
1. - Advertising
2. - Advertising
Someone: Join my server (ip here) or my site (site here)
Someone: Join it today!

----------------------------------------
Is that a good or bad idea?

Yes but with an imperfect minecraft community, what stops a moderator/admin looking up a player to see that he has 1 ban for advertising then the mod/admin just banning the player for the sake of it also knowing that he could get away with it?

I can understand your suggestion, even if the server does have proof of the player advertising it just seems to create a few more problems than it will solve. Also you have to take into consideration the definition of advertising, to most server mods/admins this is the promotion of other servers but some could take it more seriously and start banning players for posting YouTube links in chat.

"Not intended criticism, just pointing out a few flaws"

[xmx900]

My thought is that unless they are causing major harm to your server (Trying to crash the server: 1. massive tnt intended to crash the server 2. ddos attack 3. spambot), It should be local no matter what.

[_Martinius_]

Hello i would like also have the global ban reasons changed.

I would like to have changed that you can't give gloabal bans to users that are saying that they are
from PlanetMinecraft or Minestatus there was even one that said he would be from the mcbans staff.
This Users harm Servers because they are attacking the autorithy of the staff. They think they could
possition themselfs even higher than the owner.

And i don't understand why this isn't a global ban reason because global bans are there to punish users like that and keep other servers save.

_Martinius_

btw i also support that advertising change

[AegisZephyr]

Planetminecraft and minestatus have explicitly stated already that they do not review or join servers. Anyone with knowledge of actual reviewers will never reveal themselves as "reviewers" anyway since that defeats the purpose of doing an unbiased and untainted review.

[Andrew77079]

I think if they are advertising something like a appropriate website/Minecraft server IP, then it should be local. But, if they are advertising something like a porn site, or something that is very inappropriate, then I think that is acceptable for a global ban, but its not by choice.