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Scapers Online Discussing the online HS community |
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#1
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'Scapers and Your Safe Internet Experience
Hello, all.
I'd like to ask an administrator to sticky this thread. It should be the first thing that anyone reads for any website they go to. I'd like to share with you all why we should never let our guard down, not even on heroscapers.com. Most people here know that I'm a police officer IRL. I spent 5 years working on cases involving crimes against children. Sadly, twice in the past 9 months, it has been brought to my attention that even in our community, there exist wolves in the fold. The first time was on heroscapehq.com. Using only methods that were available to anyone who knew where to look online, I discovered that one of our members, who had been attending events at which children were present, was to attend a court session as a defendant in a case in which he had been accused of sexual assault of a child. The next incident of note, was when several members were contacted by a user who wanted people she did not know to teach her how to play Heroscape. Thankfully, she asked good people, but this could have just as quickly gone south for her. Most recently, it has come to my attention that an adult user here has tried to contact an person who is under age for the purpose of soliciting something from this child. I'm being very careful, not to name names or cause anyone embarrassment. This is a great community. Truth has worked very hard to give us a wonderful website that he has struggled to keep family-friendly, sometimes against great adversity, but he has persevered. Even considering all this, it's still a website on the internet. We live in an age when an under age girl might meet a adult online and travel from the United States to Jordan to meet up with him. We should be watchful and wary at all turns on the information superhighway. I can say that we have an awesome administrative staff who have dealt with these things appropriately. Regarding what I mentioned above, if you are reading this, you know who you are. If you are a predator, I'd like to recommend that you plague some other community. I'm not omnipotent, but if I find you, I'll pursue you to whatever end I can to protect this community. I've been blessed with having multiple contacts in the law enforcement community across the country. If you're coming here looking for something other than Heroscape-related activities, it would not be wise. I'd like to let everyone know that I have not appointed myself to any position here. Each of the above listed instances were times when someone else here made the decision, and I believe the right one, to involve me based upon my experience and their knowledge of my job IRL. I have said countless times that I did not sign on to police this community. However, I'll not turn a blind eye to a predator preying upon members and their loved ones here. Many will have questions about why I have posted this and specific question about: "Who did what?" and the like. I'll not answer these. I'm sorry, but that's the way I have to do this. If you have had contact with a predator, you'll be getting a PM from me. What you do with this knowledge is up to you. My role will be to advise you of a potential threat, nothing more. Remember, as great as this place and community is, use common sense when interacting with its members. We all know what is safe and what is not. Thank you. Edit by funrun on 9/6/07: excellent additional post by Renquist on this page I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane. |
#2
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Good post.
And your a cop? You learn something new everyday... JOHNNY139'S CLASSIC CUSTOM THREAD! | Visit now!
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#4
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ninthdoc is an upstanding individual and no one should hesitate to ask him for any help if something seems fishy. Thank you for your willingness to help others, even if not in your jurisdiction.
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#5
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I wish I lived next door to you.
"I'm not a vegetarian, but I eat animals who are" ~G. Marx~ |
#6
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Good stuff Ninth! It is nice to know there is a place you can turn to within the community.
Now, how do we get Whitney singing "Someone to Watch Over Me" when they open this page? Just because you're offended, it doesn't make you right.
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#7
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I work at a school, and a representative from the FBI is coming to speak to the parents about Internet safety. I'll add any helpful items from that to this thread.
I would also like to encourage all of you to keep open lines of communication within your family. Kids to parents, parents to kids. We have all ages active on this board and I want to voice my opinion that if you feel like you have to hide it from your family, you probably shouldn't be doing it. For those of you with MySpace pages, there are an endless number of stories about people abusing the information shared so freely. A web page is a billboard to the world, remember that. Believe me when I say that the side of me you see here is the side I accept as a public one. I am ever conscious of the fact that there is no privacy on the internet. |
#8
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sheesh....
great post. its just a little jarring. Makes me think it should be required reading for new members. heck, I would even advocate sending it to parents of younger members if possible. thanks for writing that down, ninthdoc Sudema is top notch in Heroscape: Legacy. Try out this alternative unit cost system at your next game day or tournament. |
#9
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This is all very disturbing. Awareness is half the battle, vigilance is another important part. Thanks Doc for heightening awareness.
I am so focused on content and the game of HeroScape that I do not often get personally involved in conversations, issues, and non-HeroScape related posts. Consequently I am generally naive on troubles of a deep and disturbing nature. This one compelled me to write and thank Doc. (From someone with two daughters). Regards, Matt |
#10
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Ninthdoc,
Very good post. I don't know how else I can say this other than "You are welcome at my house anytime." Jim Don't think of it as being outnumbered. Think of it as having a wide shot selection! Scaper of the Week #17 How to get to Skyknight's house: Drive to the red light, then call him. |
#11
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Re: 'Scapers and Your Safe Internet Experience
Thanks for the post and FYI 9th. Always good to have a reality check though I wish it were under other circumstances. =\
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.” Terry Pratchett, Discworld |
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