Why doesn't Riot have a zero tolerance policy?

Auroramancer·Nov 16, 2017·1 votes·548 views

Rioters have always said that punishments require a visible trend of negative behaviors, and that "truly toxic" players are very few and far between, though a lot of toxic behavior comes from "neutral" players who have the occasional bad game.

Well, getting consecutive "neutral" players who are all having one-off bad games or attitudes makes it seem like everyone is toxic or negative.

So here's the real question, why is there not a zero-tolerance policy? Why does a trend have to be established?

Now I'm not saying one game of bad mouthing = 2 week ban, but why not a 3-game chat restriction or something? Something to tell the player "yo dude, chill out, calm it down, stop being a dick to people". It's a light punishment, moreso a warning, and gets the point across that their behavior is not acceptable.

Why isn't this the norm?

7 Comments

Well I Say I WinNov 16, 20173 votes

Because handing out small punishments is still punishment, and some people become even more angry when they think they are unfairly punished. It's better to be conservative and only punish players who deserve it and more importantly, deep down they KNOW they deserve it.

We're talking about a service punishing their customers, after all. Not some public school scolding children.

AuroramancerNov 16, 20171 votes

Ironically enough, I just got chat restricted for 10 games after one game.

I wrote this post out of frustration because I had 3 people gang up on me in a game, and 2 of them were premade. I minded my own business and the premade was going out of their way to harass me because I wasn't following their every order.

It was Twisted Treeline, so it was just me and the premade harassers, and no bystanders to be affected by our team chat.

Needless to say, after they threaten to report me for not listening to them and "being too gay" and "being actually retarded" and "i worked for riot 4 years ago so i will ensure you are punished and lose your season rewards", I was the one who got punished. No notification saying that someone else I had reported had gotten punished. Just me.

some people become even more angry when they think they are unfairly punished

I am literally this right now. Though, it's not on the mere fact that I was punished, but that it was a 10 game restriction and that the instigators and harassers were not punished either. It's like 2 bullies ganging up on someone, and the victim is punished for fighting back (which Riot has said is punishable, so no qualm there) but the 2 bullies get off free, instead of everyone being punished. I'm sure those 2 players feel vindicated in their toxic behaviors, and will continue to do as they please, just because the one person who defied them (me) got punished and they didn't.

Just another instance of me losing faith in Riot's Player Behavior system.

foristNov 16, 20172 votes

Now I'm not saying one game of bad mouthing = 2 week ban, but why not a 3-game chat restriction or something? Something to tell the player "yo dude, chill out, calm it down, stop being a dick to people". It's a light punishment, moreso a warning, and gets the point across that their behavior is not acceptable.

Why isn't this the norm?

Because that would make too much sense.

Pandemic PunchNov 16, 20171 votes

This

ModPeriscopeNov 16, 20172 votes

For your average toxic player, you usually get 3 games of chat showing how you were toxic.

Punishments should be meaningful: they should fit the infraction, and be severe enough to force a player to contemplate their actions.

Everyone has an occasional bad game, and you shouldn't be punished for one off game. Because if you're overall a positive or neutral ( I mean, not negative), you shouldn't be punished.

Pandemic PunchNov 16, 20171 votes

I have gotten a 14-day ban straight up before for one word without any prior punishments ever on a 6 year old account AND with no trending toxicity before or after the incident.

The 14-day ban didn't do anything and it rewarded the perpetrator. The only thing the 14-day ban did for me is lose all faith in Riot's system and Support team. Especially when I am constantly being told to kill myself, have people inting, and every other hate speech you can name. I am fighting against Riot and the toxic sector of the community at this point.

Riot talks about consistency and equality but there is just none to be had in my instance. AANNND yeah... I do hold it against them. Not happy about it.