Parz appeal for discord

[-Parz- 21 / 2,424]

 Which platform(s) are you appealing?:  Discord

 

 

Discord/TS3 username (Add your tag and ID if possible): -Parz-#4811

 

Why were you banned?: On May 9, 2020, I was banned from every GFL Discord. The reason for my ban was "NSFW/gore content in DMs." 

 

Why should you be unbanned? *PLEASE READ*

Since my last appeal, I think I have made tremendous work to show good behavior to not only the players but admins on GFL. I have been playing a lot of the GMOD HNS Server recently. I have made so many new friends on HNS, I showed admins that played at the same time that I have changed and have good behavior. I would like to have an appeal because I would like to interact with my friends on HNS discord. I can say that I have changed since the incident I did over a year ago that got myself banned. At the time of getting banned, I was 16, I am now 18 and i'm missing my senior experience from my own good choice. I am currently taking full college classes instead of going to high school. I have also got into a fortune 500 company, where I learned many responsibilities. Over the past summer, I did summer training where I learned many amazing things like matureness and working in a corporate world. I would like to say one of the main things I learned was Networking. I can even see networking in the HNS server itself! There was a player that joined when I was playing, and we talked and he said he is looking for a server with Aussies in it since an Australian server he played on was shut down. But I told him that there are a lot of Aussie players on this server that I know and then he told me that he will start playing on HNS from now on! We also started to listen to Aussie rap that we both enjoy and that is what I would call networking. I hope this shows everyone that I am a different person. I know everyone hates when someone asked for a lot, but all I ask is at less an unban from the HNS discord server. That's all I ask, I just want to see my friends again. Ever since I joined any GFL Discord, I did not once break any rules, that must say something (I know that I did something against GFL rules, but it was outside of any servers, but I still admit I was wrong). So again, I hope this shows that I am a different person now.

[FrankAL 104 / 3,191]

I would personally be fine with an unban for discord, because I believe you recognize that such conduct isn't accepted by the server and are unlikely to do it again.

[Kaylode 87 / 2,482]

         Personally, I think Parz should be unbanned for discord. Parz has very much proved that he has changed from my experience playing with him. Parz, Your interaction with the HnS community shows it! You've been friendly with everyone on the server, and I haven't seen any sort of toxicity coming from you, making me believe that you should be trusted in the GFL Discord servers. I believe you know what you did wrong and you are unlikely to cause the same mistake again. I give this appeal a +1.

[Joshy 4,364 / 44,927]

I want to note some posts were hidden.  If it's of any concern all decision makers are capable of reading hidden posts anyways.  Usually we do not allow non- Discord Moderators and people who were not directly involved in the decision to post, and so the moderator who has been hiding the posts has been following our usual flow.  I praise their work.  They've been doing a great job.

 

For this one time special exception I will admit, that in the previous appeal: I suggested in-game admins could attest to this person's improved behaviour to help them with their appeal, and so I think I would do be doing everyone an injustice if I were to turn around on that.  I'll follow through on my commitments.  Given that context as this is a special circumstance I've gone ahead and unhidden the admin's post and it will be okay for relevant admins to make relevant posts on this thread.

 

 

I personally feel that the image I saw was very extreme and it would be hard for me to support lifting the ban.  We do work as a team and I understand that people change, and so I will check with the team to see what kind of conclusion we can converge on and maybe it'll be something that does not align with my personal opinion.  I feel like you went for some very nuclear options and it was very reasonable for you to guess what would be the likely outcome for sending such terrible images to several people in our leadership.

 

I was extremely shocked as to what the images were so I'll describe them in the spoiler in hopes that it discourages from any moderators with access to look for it.  You may if you would like, but I would advise against it and hopefully my reference will be helpful.

Spoiler

I remember two images:

1. The really severe one was very gory a bunch of decapitated heads lying on the floor (like 7 or 8 of them ish) looks like a war crime image looks pretty real too... might be...
2. The other image was some weird anime pornographic one with a lot of poop

 

[-Parz- 21 / 2,424]

9 hours ago, Joshy said:

I want to note some posts were hidden.  If it's of any concern all decision makers are capable of reading hidden posts anyways.  Usually we do not allow non- Discord Moderators and people who were not directly involved in the decision to post, and so the moderator who has been hiding the posts has been following our usual flow.  I praise their work.  They've been doing a great job.

 

For this one time special exception I will admit, that in the previous appeal: I suggested in-game admins could attest to this person's improved behaviour to help them with their appeal, and so I think I would do be doing everyone an injustice if I were to turn around on that.  I'll follow through on my commitments.  Given that context as this is a special circumstance I've gone ahead and unhidden the admin's post and it will be okay for relevant admins to make relevant posts on this thread.

 

 

I personally feel that the image I saw was very extreme and it would be hard for me to support lifting the ban.  We do work as a team and I understand that people change, and so I will check with the team to see what kind of conclusion we can converge on and maybe it'll be something that does not align with my personal opinion.  I feel like you went for some very nuclear options and it was very reasonable for you to guess what would be the likely outcome for sending such terrible images to several people in our leadership.

 

I was extremely shocked as to what the images were so I'll describe them in the spoiler in hopes that it discourages from any moderators with access to look for it.  You may if you would like, but I would advise against it and hopefully my reference will be helpful.

  Reveal hidden contents

I remember two images:

1. The really severe one was very gory a bunch of decapitated heads lying on the floor (like 7 or 8 of them ish) looks like a war crime image looks pretty real too... might be...
2. The other image was some weird anime pornographic one with a lot of poop

 

Hey Josh, can we talk about this ban in private? I want to get to the bottom of this. I really don't think I should be banned forever (even tho I know it's bad what I did) but there should be like steps to show that I won't do that again. Like example, let me be unbanned from one discord server (HNS) and mods and admins can monitor me and I can show that I won't do that stuff ever again and then later down the road after I show myself to be better, could be possible unbanned from the rest. I would like to put this on the record that I would never send anything like that to a public server with lots of young people that would be affected by that stuff. I would also like to say that I was put in that group chat by nblock, it was probably late at night and he probably got into my unmature head at the time and since then, I realized what I did and I do not associate myself with him nor do I have him added (blocked his discord and steam). But I know its not up to me, but I would like to talk to you about better solutions. I just mainly want to be unbanned from the HNS discord server. Ever since I came to HNS I just felt welcomed and not being able to be in that server feels like a part of me is gone. 

[Joshy 4,364 / 44,927]

Some cases we'll take it to private for example if someone's personal information is at risk, but generally we try not to move appeals to private so that it's well documented and it's easier for all relevant persons to be involved.  Plus I will be candid again, that my personal opinion on this is not in your favour because I saw the evidence, and by keeping it open I'm trying my best to be more impartial, and give your appeal its diligence by allowing all relevant persons to provide their take on it.

 

I do believe people can change, but there is no denying what you did was pretty severe.  Like I said in your last appeal, that you shouldn't be doing the most nuclear thing then asking for forgiveness.  The damage is done.  I am talking with other staff members even though they might not all be posting so your appeal is still a work in progress.  Also: we have a "private matters" rule we don't like threads like the one you posted in off-topic trying to do a public apology because these type of threads are not relevant to the typical community member and it's not a good discussion; plus the details are obviously very ugly and can get risky.

[Joshy 4,364 / 44,927]

I've reached out and communicated with the staff teams my concerns.  I am willing to make the evidence available to them to understand its severity (with a lot of caution too because these images are extremely horrible and will be shocking).  Again: I think it would be a good idea to consider your ban totally permanent.

 

I understand you are going to protect your self interests and attempt to negotiate what may look like a middle ground, but the bottom line is you sent extremely gory and inappropriate pictures to other people in our community and when you did that it was determined you were not a good fit for our Discords.  Most people do not visit multiple discords and so lifting your ban in your discord of interest effectively relieves an arbitrarily high percentage of your punishment (we'll say 95%) it's really not a very good "middle ground", and we also have a very complicated system that links all the bans between all the discords and so lifting your ban in only one would be a frustrating special exception for someone who has done something so severe.  We don't want to change that known good working system.

 

Even if we were to stipulate that you have improved (and I'm not denying its promise and congratulate you on your growing success), then how could we hold the next personable accountable for their severe actions too?  We couldn't.  It's not very uncommon for people to come 1-2 years later saying nearly the same thing as you are saying, that they were immature and have changed  (I've been here since the old forums about 7 years ago so I've seen it many times every year)...  again: Damage is done, and these pictures were so severe I could see it being extremely risky and long lasting for anyone who sees them especially if they are a little bit unstable or going through hard times.  It is honestly among the worst images I have ever seen in my life and unlike other scenarios where I wouldn't mind banning someone once every year or every other year (my frequent justification in lifting permanent bans on less severe issues)... such images I don't think are tolerable even just once ever.

 

I'm very sorry.  I'm happy that you still have access to our games and that you are getting along with admins.  I would recommend to not make any bad calls that would risk your happiness there. Best of luck and congratulations on your success elsewhere.  This ban is permanent and well documented with the teams.  There is no way we can consider lifting the ban; so: no more appeals please.  Thanks.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Joshy