Square Enix has a Punishment for Toxic Fans Who Harass Their Employees

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Through the influence of social media, it’s become more common to encounter harmful fan behaviors, often referred to as “toxic fandom.” These individuals can proliferate not just within multiplayer platforms, but across any corner of the internet where a popular franchise resides.

Each studio handles abusive online fans differently, yet it appears that the creators of “Final Fantasy” are firm on not tolerating any form of harassment directed towards their collaborators or staff members.

Square Enix vs. Toxic Fans

In a recent statement, Square Enix spoke out about the harassment some of its workers and collaborators have faced through their support channels. They expressed that such behavior hinders employees’ ability to perform their duties with confidence and peace of mind, and it disrupts other customers too. Square Enix clearly states they will not tolerate any form of harassment, and they are prepared to take appropriate action when needed.

As per the declaration, individuals engaging in behavior that Square deems as harassment are likely to face a suspension of customer support services, and potentially a ban from using Square Enix products. In simpler terms, if you’re found harassing others by Square’s standards, you might lose access to their customer support and possibly be prohibited from using Square Enix products.

If Square Enix finds out that someone has acted unacceptably towards one of our staff members or partners in a way that goes beyond what is socially acceptable or causes harm, we have the right to stop offering support services or refrain from providing any of our company’s products and services.

What is Considered Harassment

It’s true that the specifics on how they plan to enforce their penalties are not entirely clear. However, it is evident that they have clearly defined what constitutes harassment and unreasonable demands, as outlined in their official list of policies.

Harassment:

  • Acts of violence, violent behavior
  • Abusive language, intimidation, coercion, duress, excessive pursuit or reprimand
  • Defamation/slander, denial of personality, personal attack (including email, contact in contact form, comment, or post on the internet), advance notice of wrongdoing, advance notice of obstruction of businessPersistent inquiries, repeated visits
  • Trespassing by visiting or staying in an office or related facility without permission
  • Unlawful restraint, including via telephone calls and online inquiries
  • Discriminatory speech and conduct regarding race, ethnicity, religion, family origin, occupation, etc.
  • Infringement of privacy by taking pictures or making video recordings without consent
  • Sexual harassment, stalking, repeated stalking behavior

Undue demand:

  • Unreasonable changes or exchange of product or request for monetary compensation
  • Unreasonable response or request for an apology (including face-to-face response or request for an apology specifying the position of our employee or partners)
  • Excessive requests for the provision of products and services exceeding the socially accepted norm
  • Unreasonable and excessive demands for punishment of our employees

Square may not have given explicit instances of employee harassment, but a quick look at popular online forums will reveal the type of harassment they are aiming to combat.

While it’s not unusual for fans to debate and show strong feelings about fictional characters and relationships, some enthusiasts unfortunately use their spare time to bully and threaten actors online regarding the portrayal of those imaginary personas.

Example: Briana White, the voice actress for Aerith in the FF7 remake, has spoken out against overzealous fans online who become excessively passionate about the game’s romantic entanglement.

Wait and See

Although Square hasn’t disclosed the specifics of how they will enforce this rule yet, it’s significant that they are paving the way for other production companies to safeguard their actors from unwanted fan behavior.

Naughty Dog didn’t take significant action when Laura Bailey was subjected to harassment regarding her role as Abby in The Last of Us, and outside the gaming world, Disney has faced criticism for failing to address toxic fans who exhibit racist behavior towards actresses like Kelly Marie Tran and Moses Ingram online.

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2025-01-14 00:42