NationStates Jolt Archive

Like many, most, or all nations I have received unsolicited spam at my nation’s creation. I created a fun name, a fun motto, showed up in a feeder region, and BAM I received several tms asking me to join this region or that.

I responded to a couple of these nations in a very friendly manner, one which seemed to confuse them. I did not flame or grief them, I was friendly, they were simply confused at why I responded as if I knew them. My responses to the canned spam were never rude, I was only ever sociable. As well, any nation that wanted to end a conversation could put me on the ignore list. Instead, when I responded to these spammers in a friendly manner I received messages such as, “i will hunt you down” and “u loser.”

While such a negative response from a stranger who started this conversation in an unsolicited manner would get most people down, I replied back only on friendship. I asked about his day and inquired as to whether we had similar friends.

Yet, somehow I received a warning from the mods, as quoted:

“Judging by YOUR telegrams, you've been having quite the fun time sending confusing and unsolicited telegram to annoy people. Knock it off, right now.”

So, in response I ask at which point it became illegal to send confusing telegrams? If it isn’t against the rules, then quite frankly the mod who posted this in my box is entitled to his opinion outside of my box.

Secondly, how is responding to what a spammer’s telegram in anyway ‘unsolicited’?

Keep in mind I was not accused of being rude, griefing or breaking any actual rule. Only responding to a spammer (who contacted me in an unsolicited manner) and being “confusing,” which I don’t believe is a vague enough offence to actually be against the rules.

Thanks for response, I await the proof of your Intelligent Design,

Binky Jones

I responded to a couple of these nations in a very friendly manner, one which seemed to confuse them. I did not flame or grief them, I was friendly, they were simply confused at why I responded as if I knew them. Doing so once or twice might be amusing. Creating a chain of emails can be considered spamming
My responses to the canned spam were never rude, I was only ever sociable. As well, any nation that wanted to end a conversation could put me on the ignore list.
Any nation that wants to stop a spammer can add them to their ignore list as well, but why should they have to? Doesn't it make more sense to stop the spam at it's source? That's why we have a report function to get the mods involved.

At this point, there is no warning on your nation, as there is no evidence to substantiate any complaint. Do we need to push beyond that?

When you are created and remain in a feeder region, you get spam. It's a fact of life.

When you leave the feeder, if you get spam, spammers get warned.

When you repeatedly telegram people who have told you in no uncertain terms to stop telegramming them, and you continue it, it is harassment. When you call them by a name they have told you to stop calling them, it is harassment. You admit to your harassment when you state: "any nation that wanted to end a conversation could put me on the ignore list." In other words, you admit telling you to stop bothering them has no effect.

Harassment is illegal in real world nations, and it is against the rules here.

Just so I understand.

Getting unsolicited spam is "a fact of life", but replying to said spam is "harassment"?

Just so I understand.

Getting unsolicited spam is "a fact of life", but replying to said spam is "harassment"?

When you repeatedly telegram people who have told you in no uncertain terms to stop telegramming them, and you continue it, it is harassment. When you call them by a name they have told you to stop calling them, it is harassment.

You're not honestly saying you don't understand this, are you?

At some point aren't you as mods taking on more responsibility than you need to or should? I believe the "ignore telegrams" feature was added to the game to allow moderators to stop having to respond to complaints regarding telegrams from nations they didn't want them from. Exactly this case.
Now you're just making work for yourselves. This falls under the same type of rules as invasions. Players have been given all of the tools they need to stop invasion/unwanted telegrams and if they choose not to that's just the way the game is.

You're not honestly saying you don't understand this, are you?

No, I'm not. What I don't understand is why they are allowed to spam me but if I reply then it's harassment.

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When you repeatedly telegram people who have told you in no uncertain terms to stop telegramming them, and you continue it, it is harassment.

So, what you're saying is, as long an unsolicited spammer gets in the last word, everything is cool.

At some point aren't you as mods taking on more responsibility than you need to or should? I believe the "ignore telegrams" feature was added to the game to allow moderators to stop having to respond to complaints regarding telegrams from nations they didn't want them from. Exactly this case.
Now you're just making work for yourselves. This falls under the same type of rules as invasions. Players have been given all of the tools they need to stop invasion/unwanted telegrams and if they choose not to that's just the way the game is.


I do beg your pardon -- when we are contacted about abusive, harassing, or spamming telegrams, it is our job to warn about them. We were contacted. We responded. No overstepping of job -- exactly the job we're here for.

Of course, there are people who do love to push the envelope as hard as they can, then claim they are innocent martyrs -- and people who would prefer there were no moderation at all and make that abundantly clear.

We're not going anywhere, and we will continue to do our jobs. Sorry to disappoint.

Well, since people are being willfully obtuse about this, let me make it as painfully obvious as possible.

If you are in a feeder, you get recruitment spam.
If you are not in a feeder, get spam, and report it, we warn the spammer.
If you ARE the spammer, and are reported, we warn you.

Case closed.