Hey everybody.

So this is going to be a bit different from our standard punishment posts, but first let’s recap what this is all about. In the SHL Runescape server, user @Lobbanet used a homophobic slur. He was immediately called out on this infraction, at which point he went on the defensive, before inviting multiple other users to the Discord to brigade it and spew more hateful, homophobic rhetoric. This is in violation of the site’s rules on user conduct, found in Section 2, Subsection J, Article 4, which reads:


This has been and always will be a zero tolerance policy, so we’ll be levying a punishment towards Lobbanet for these infractions. That said, HO is currently in the process of determining whether we wish to levy a harsher punishment than the first infraction punishment, due to the fact that the intent was very malicious here, and he proceeded to double down by brigading the server with people who also hold homophobic views.

All of that said, Head Office will be discussing and releasing our final decision tomorrow regarding the length and terms of Lobbanet’s suspension. We’d like to release them tonight, but 2 of our members are asleep, and this is something we’d like all members involved with. Once we reach a decision tomorrow, this post will be edited to reflect that decision.

Until then, @Lobbanet will have his posting perms indefinitely suspended, until Head Office reaches a final verdict.

We hope this communicates that this topic is on our radar,  and we’re working to rectify it, we just wanna make sure we do our due diligence in determining what the final verdict will be.

More news to come, and on behalf of the SHL Head Office
nour

UPDATE

After a discussion within Head Office, the official punishment is as follows:

SHL Tier 3 Conduct Punishment:
- One month posting ban
- 10 game player suspension

This decision was a pretty easy one to make. Given the severity and malicious intent of Lobbanet's behaviour, Head Office was unanimously in agreement regarding levying a harsher punishment against him for his actions, which we viewed as multiple, individual infractions. We're also aware that many of you wanted to see a permanent ban, so I just want to explain my/our thought process there. We 100% agree his actions were reprehensible and disgusting, which is why we levied this harsher punishment to begin with. In situations like this, where a user has at least somewhat established himself in the community, we do want to extend the opportunity for that person to grow from their mistakes and come back, even if the chances that they do take that opportunity is small. That said, this is about as short a leash as we could possibly give. Should Lobbanet have more issues with conduct in the future, he'll be permanently banned without discussion.

On behalf of the SHL Head Office
nour