During a recent gameplayer opinion piece one of our writers recalled an anecdote of a disturbing experience that happened on HOME recently.
The snippet in question reads as follows:
"While doing some research on ‘who actually buys HOME clothing’ we happened across a fellow in a cowboy hat (who we'll call 'Jed'). After telling Jed who we were and why we were here doing research, we had an interesting discussion about why he bought the cowboy hat, and virtual belongings in general. Jed told us that he’d done up his apartment with furniture and he invited us over to see it all. Being that it was related to the conversation and the Home research we agreed.
The distant tingle of an alarm bell sounded when I materialized in Jed’s apartment. Everything was super colour-coordinated, ultra chic, and the furniture had been surgically arranged in the room (possibly with a virtual laser level). “Nice feng shui” I mumbled. “I know!” he typed back enthusiastically. It was at this point that I applied this virtual scene to its real life equivalent: I’m currently standing in a trendy house with a cowboy (who, just now, has decided to halve my personal space) and we’re talking about the sensible placement of his furniture.
Houston, we may need to abort...
Sensing an awkward lull in the conversation Jed and I discussed interests, hobbies, and ages (he 'said he was over thirty', and out of journalistic curiosity I told him that I was younger than I am. I said I was 15). This was a colossal mistake. What happened next all but confirmed the sum of all fears: “do you have a cam? I’d like to c u in the flesh” Jed asked, moving in to ‘lap dance distance’. That’s right folks, Jed-o was something of a pedo." - click here for the full story.
Interesting story, no? To be fair to HOME, we may never know for certain if Jed was in fact a mid-thirties sexual predator (or just a very disturbed/ very bored twelve year old kid lying about his age). Whatever the case, it got us to thinking; what if it was legit? Are there systems in place to stop this sort of thing happening for real?
