Legal Issues and Bannable Offenses.

[Hallowsend]

::..Private Servers..::

World of Warcraft owns everything about there game. They own the weapons, they own the creatures, they own the title World of Warcraft. They own all the data, all of your accounts, all of your accounts belongings, all of your characters. ANY Reproductions of this is illegal, just as it is to record a tape or movie and then sell it as your own. Not a very in-depth explanation of this, but as you read more. you will understand what I am trying to say.

Also, as stated in the World of Warcraft Terms of Use, you are not allowed to emulate the game, as only Blizzard has the right to host it. Here is a direct quote from the Terms of Use:

1. Only Blizzard or its licensees have the right to host the Game. You may not host or provide matchmaking services for the Game, or intercept, emulate or redirect the proprietary communication protocols used by Blizzard in connection with the Program, regardless of the method used to do so. Such prohibited methods may include, but are not limited to, protocol emulation, reverse engineering, modifying the Program, adding unauthorized components to the Program, or using a packet sniffer while the Program is running.

So this also includes adding items / weapons to the private server, and also adding creatures etc.

::..Hacks, Bots, Etc...::

Hacking or Botting a world of warcraft server is not a legal offense unless they want it to be. it is against the Terms of Use you agreed to when you signed up to play the game, so they can / will ban your account permanently for hacking or botting, or cheating. Direct quote from the Terms Of Use.

1. You agree that you will not (i) modify or cause to be modified any files that are a part of the Program or the Service; (ii) create or use cheats, bots, "mods", and/or hacks, or any other third-party software designed to modify the World of Warcraft experience; or (iii) use any third-party software that intercepts, "mines", or otherwise collects information from or through the Program or the Service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may update the Program with authorized patches and updates distributed by Blizzard, and Blizzard may, at its sole and absolute discretion, allow the use of certain third party user interfaces.

::..Gold Selling / Buying..::

World of Warcraft Owns all of the material inside the game, and this includes the gold, items, and characters. You need permission from them to sell or buy their property. Buying or selling gold from / to someone who does not have complete ownership of the property is illegal. if they did not give you the gold, then the only way you have obtained it is through brute force, or stealing. This means that not only are you selling someone elses property, but you are stealing it first. Just so you know, that is a felony and can result in jail time.

::..Scamming..::

Scamming is a bannable offense. the definition of scamming as used in Blizzard's Term of Use is: "scammed or defrauded out of gold, weapons, armor, or any other items that user has earned through authorized game play in the Program" I see a pretty big Loophole in there, but you didn't hear it from me. If you scam people out of there accounts, it is the same as the definition above, the account it theirs so you tried to steal an account from blizzard being used by the person. It is not the persons, so he / she has no legal rights on you, but blizzard does.

::..Selling Accounts..::

The accounts are owned by Blizzard, and if they aren't getting the money for the account (That is theirs) Then they have legal rights. Once again, you need FULL Ownership of anything in order to sell it, and if it is something inside a video game, then you do not have ownership.

::..Harassment..::

Harassment is nothing more than a bannable offense. if you insult someone and they tell Blizzard, i doubt you will even get banned depending on what you said. Direct quote from Blizzard so that you may better understand this:

1. Transmit or post any content or language which, in the sole and absolute discretion of Blizzard, is deemed to be offensive, including without limitation content or language that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, sexually explicit, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, nor may you use a misspelling or an alternative spelling to circumvent the content and language restrictions listed above;

Keep in mind before you chat that they log everything, and you will get caught if the person reports you.

::..Model Editing..::

Model Editing is not detectable, or at least it wasn't before 2.3 But now, World of Warcraft has a scanner that makes it more detectable. Model Editing would have been fine if players had not used it to gain an advantage over others inside the game, and not for there own enjoyment. There is no way for anyone to find out you are model editing without telling them yourself, but as I said, this may be different with the scanner now.

If you do get caught Model Editing, there is a slight chance of a ban, and not even a permanent one. This chance is very slim.

::..How can I Get Banned?::..

How cant you get banned? Blizzard has the right to ban you whenever / however and for whatever reason they choose, or without reason. This prevents people from getting mad that they got banned for nothing, because it doesn't matter if you got banned, that's how it is. Direct quote from blizzard:

BLIZZARD MAY SUSPEND, TERMINATE, MODIFY, OR DELETE THE ACCOUNT AT ANY TIME WITH ANY REASON OR NO REASON, WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE. For purposes of explanation and not limitation, most account suspensions, terminations and/or deletions are the result of violations of this Terms of Use or the EULA.

Also, they reserve the right to not be obligated to unban you if you have been banned for any reason at all, so that kind of puts a damper on you guys trying to get a lawyer to get you unbanned. No offense, it was and is a good idea, but your case will have to be pretty good for them to unban you.

Sorry about the wall of text, I just found it necessary for people to know this. Please, if you have anything to add, please tell me. I got this information from talking to multiple GM's and my friends getting accounts banned and such.

I Know that I talked a lot about legal issues, but the chances of getting caught are slim, so don't worry about it unless you are doing it right under blizzards nose.

By the way, I a wasn't smart enough to take screen shots at the time of the conversations, but I will be talking to more GM's about these issues and will put them here so that you may be more greatly benefited.

This was NOT Copy and Pasted, I wrote this up myself. There are only 2 sites that you see this on, if you see it on another site please tell me.

[ltdaryth]

So they own the time you take to play the game too????

[prosbloom225]

Most people selling accounts list a disclaimer that Blizzard owns the character and everything related to the account. You are merely paying for the time spent on the account. So I'd assume that Blizzard does not own the time you put on the char.

[Kurtiz]

People's lives that is WoW, They own. lol

[Hallowsend]

Its blizzards account, they do not "own" The time spent on it, as time is just meaningless way to keep records. Blizzard owns everything that they do when they are using the account, and there is no obligation whatsoever to play. And if they are selling the "time they spent on the account" Then ownership should not change the original owner should stay the same except that the person who sold it has 50 more days added to his life and the buyer loses 50 days. Its impossible to sell something non-existent as time, and the ownership of the account never changes, it always Blizzards. The owner and user of the time would change, but since time cannot be owned or used, to bad for that idea.

[Guzey]

hmm how bout I'm only charging what I feel is equal to the sentimental value of this account

[MasterYuke]

I think its more like rent... you pay for retail, you pay time on their game! yay for blizzard! why cant I learn to market like that >_<

[jimminy]

Very in-depth guide. Nice and resourceful. +rep

[mr.M]

Noice jorb

[Grezdo]

nice guide man.

+Rep

[Hallowsend]

Lolz there is no sentimental value... You cannot sell something that does not exist, and you cannot sell feelings. Which, is all sentimental value is.