Welcome Bubblegumisyum, here's why you got banned...

[BriarRosie]

The following is a pasted copy of a response a new DIS member posted to an old thread. (And most people know not to bump up an old thread!)

Bubblegumisyum shared this story and wondered why he (or she) and this player's sister were banned for a month. They should be glad they weren't permanently banned, and I'll be happy to explain it to them.

Bubble's post:

Going on my second!

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This is how is goes! Its Kinda Funny so..
me, my sister, my friend and some random people we didnt know ( guests! ) were in my room one day ( this was the day of the " Star.Ducks Coffee" ) and my sister and my friend thought it would be funny if they told the guests to say "I Am Vmk Staff" to become a staff member. Well they did! I was just crackin up laughing the whole time. Well this was going on for about ten minutes and all of a sudden they were gone! They disapeared! and then VMK zoo came and my sister and my friend hurried up and left. I hurried up and logged out of vmk. Me and My sister tried to get back on but it said we were banned FOR A MONTH!! we didnt do anything it was my friend and those stupid guests. What do I do??

You didn't read the VMK Values. I'm sure lots of players don't. And they wonder what they did wrong to get themselves banned. It's against the rules to pretend (even joking around) to be staff members. Anyone who tells other players "I am staff" (or in your case, encourages others to do it) should be banned for impersonating staff.

Why is this rule so important? Anyone who pretends to be staff might try to get other players to give information, which is also against VMK Values. The rules are on the VMK home page, or in the newsletter, and you can always read them from the HELP button in-game.

Many people didn't know that saying, "I live near Disneyland" (or any other location) could get players banned until it happened to them. I think it's very important for all players to read the VMK Values so they won't trigger any bans upon themselves.....like impersonating staff.

I felt this post was important enough to post as a reminder for all players.

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

i just read that post from that person... hmm that makes perfect sense. i also thought that since he was laughing while they were joking around he was encouraging them.

edit : nice job

 

[EyoreFANS12]

Nice Reminder Briar! And like you said they are lucky they weren't banned forever.

 

[threeboysmom]

You go, girl!!

I thought the same thing as I was reading her post..... I was just sitting here shaking my head the entire time...

Kids, if you break the values set forth on VMK, don't come on this board crying about your "unfair" ban... We're a friendly bunch, but we don't listen well to whining.


ETA: And don't claim she didn't know what she was doing.... She knew enough that when VMK_Zoo walked into the room, she didn't suddenly cry out, "OMG OMG, It's Staff!!!!!!" like the majority of kids do when they spot red ears... No, she immediately left the room... and then immediately signed out of VMK. Can you say G-U-I-L-T-Y ??

 

[aengus]

I am asked occasionally if I am staff, because of the flips. Many players still think only staff have green flips. I go out of my way to not just answer them No. I tell them I am not staff i am just a player.

This rule is in place to protect all the players. It is natural to trust staff members and that is why it has to be taken so seriously. I to am surprised its not a permanent ban. If someone thinks you are a staff member, you could easily get them to trust you into giving information, items, or convincing a player to do things they should not be doing.

 

[BriarRosie]

I am asked occasionally if I am staff, because of the flips. Many players still think only staff have green flips. I go out of my way to not just answer them No. I tell them I am not staff i am just a player.

This rule is in place to protect all the players. It is natural to trust staff members and that is why it has to be taken so seriously. I to am surprised its not a permanent ban. If someone thinks you are a staff member, you could easily get them to trust you into giving information, items, or convincing a player to do things they should not be doing.

And on the flip side (sorry about the pun!), players often don't know that reporting someone who hasn't done anything wrong (also known as false reporting) can get the person doing the report....banned.

That's why it's important to read VMK Values to know what should be reported. And I would like to add that I've reported every player that impersonated staff, ever since VMK began. I've seen them all disappear off my screen, too.

 

[threeboysmom]

And I would like to add that I've reported every player that impersonated staff, ever since VMK began.

-- hides --

 

[Disney Dreams]

If I have 100 credits for every person that asked JegrezosDreams if I was staff during Dreams month I would be the richest player in all of VMK.

And EVERY time I said, "Nope," making sure there was NO confusion about it.

 

[gdulaney]

It's so weird to read this... I was in a room earlier this week and somebody asked to trade. Upon opening the trade window, the girl wrote for me to say "I am VMK Staff" as many times as possible in the room. I replied that I wasn't staff and that I was pretty sure I'd get in trouble. She said, no really - do it and you can check with <another person in the room> because I gave her free rare. I just closed out the trade and left. Is this a case where I should have reported her?

Thanks!!
Ginny
(VMK newbie)

 

[disvaclub92]

It's so weird to read this... I was in a room earlier this week and somebody asked to trade. Upon opening the trade window, the girl wrote for me to say "I am VMK Staff" as many times as possible in the room. I replied that I wasn't staff and that I was pretty sure I'd get in trouble. She said, no really - do it and you can check with <another person in the room> because I gave her free rare. I just closed out the trade and left. Is this a case where I should have reported her?

Thanks!!
Ginny
(VMK newbie)

Yes, I would have reported. She is probably prompting other kids to say it then reporting them when they do or hoping others see it and report them. She is bad news. Hopefully others dont say what she tells them to say.

 

[Berry Princess]

Well said everyone. Its a good reminder to all that they should read the rules and follow them otherwise they will pay the price for breaking the VMK Values.

And don't claim she didn't know what she was doing.... She knew enough that when VMK_Zoo walked into the room, she didn't suddenly cry out, "OMG OMG, It's Staff!!!!!!" like the majority of kids do when they spot red ears... No, she immediately left the room... and then immediately signed out of VMK. Can you say G-U-I-L-T-Y ??

This is how it totally comes off to me. Saying you are laughing about somethng and then you disappear cause you see real staff just stinks of guilt. That ban was called for and as was said lucky it was just a month.

It's so weird to read this... I was in a room earlier this week and somebody asked to trade. Upon opening the trade window, the girl wrote for me to say "I am VMK Staff" as many times as possible in the room. I replied that I wasn't staff and that I was pretty sure I'd get in trouble. She said, no really - do it and you can check with <another person in the room> because I gave her free rare. I just closed out the trade and left. Is this a case where I should have reported her?

Yes you should have. If someone ever tries to claim they are staff or tell you to say it you should report that person. Glad you didn't do it and were smart enough to not listen. Now you know that if it does happen again to report the player.

 

[Disneychick74]

Wow, forget about impersonating staff! that was just a mean thing to do to the PPL that came in the room.
The #1 Question Staf members get is" HOW DO I BECOME STAFF???"
when you sit in a room and tell kids that they can become staff and then not only do they NOT get to be staff but also get banned that is just crude and NOT the intended purpose of VMK.
Like Briar said, you are lucky it wasn't a lifetime ban and apparently you didn't learn your lesson because you post bragging about it and you are still laughing about it.
It wasn't funny...not even a little bit.

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

Wow, forget about impersonating staff! that was just a mean thing to do to the PPL that came in the room.
The #1 Question Staf members get is" HOW DO I BECOME STAFF???"
when you sit in a room and tell kids that they can become staff and then not only do they NOT get to be staff but also get banned that is just crude and NOT the intended purpose of VMK.
Like Briar said, you are lucky it wasn't a lifetime ban and apparently you didn't learn your lesson because you post bragging about it and you are still laughing about it.
It wasn't funny...not even a little bit.

I agree to every single word that was cruel even to think about you should be ashamed. I think that ban should have been lifetime but it was well deserved.

 

[jasonpwns]

Well actually, you can be staff if you

1.Have a degree in something I don't know what it takes to apply for vmk.
2. A good resume
3. Apply for it at disney.
4. Must be 18 years or older

 

[aengus]

Well actually, you can be staff if you

1.Have a degree in something I don't know what it takes to apply for vmk.
2. A good resume
3. Apply for it at disney.
4. Must be 18 years or older

How many people do you know with a degree at age 18? Most people start college at 18

Truth is we really don't know what it takes to be a vmk / host staff member. We can speculate, but we really don't know. We don't even know if they are disney employees.

 

[tofubeast]

We don't even know if they are disney employees.

Excuse me aengus, but I think you mean "cast members."



And back to the OT, so happy to see you post about this. I have done a lot of reporting lately for some shocking behavior. The report button is your friend, when used wisely of course.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Well actually, you can be staff if you

1.Have a degree in something I don't know what it takes to apply for vmk.
2. A good resume
3. Apply for it at disney.
4. Must be 18 years or older

How many people do you know with a degree at age 18? Most people start college at 18

Truth is we really don't know what it takes to be a vmk / host staff member. We can speculate, but we really don't know. We don't even know if they are disney employees.

The ONLY consistent answer I have seen from HOSTs when asked in game what it takes to become a host is many, many years of working with kids

 

[IliketheTitanic]

The ONLY consistent answer I have seen from HOSTs when asked in game what it takes to become a host is many, many years of working with kids

Thats why it says on the homepage that VMK prefer people that have been or are currently teaching with kids. P.S. It always says right at the bottom of the info section when they are hiring.

 

[Belle1997]

You know we have written to try and get people unbanned from permanent ban. Maybe we should be writing to have these kids permanently banned. It is not only cruel but if they took advantage of a new player that did not read the rules (not many kids do) and not many adults we get the rules and click accept lol.

And to laugh about it afterwards they are bad news and even after a 30 day ban does not seem to bother them.

Always makes me wonder where the parents are? I know when my son was growing up not until he was 18 did he have the priviledge of privacy on the net. He knew that there could always be a spot check at any moment. Did not get away with much as it force his computer illiterate mom to stay one step ahead

I know they are only kids and kids do make bad choices but I dread how they will grow up. As many good parents know parenting is more than a full time job. And it grieves me that so many of us need to take this role into VMK and try to teach respect, manners and to be safe.

 

[gdulaney]

Yes, I would have reported. She is probably prompting other kids to say it then reporting them when they do or hoping others see it and report them. She is bad news. Hopefully others dont say what she tells them to say.

Thank you for the advice. Not that I hope it ever happens again, but if it does, I'll be sure to report them.

Ginny