Should MMO studios punish out-of-game behavior?

Recently we reported on an interview in which SOE's Linda Carlson said that the studio is not above monitoring player behavior outside of the game and taking steps to punish or ban that player if they're being a bully or a troll. This in turn sparked a lot of discussion over whether that's a good move or not for SOE, but today I'd like to take the discussion beyond that particular studio to address it in general.

Is it a good idea for MMO studios to pay attention to player behavior outside of the games and take action on that? Does this -- or the threat of it, at least -- foster accountability and community growth, or usher in a weird digital police state where kobolds might come and arrest you and your family for a Twitter expletive? We're sure you have an opinion on it, so let 'er rip!

TH

No, absolutely not.

For one without even touching the subject, if there was one MMO company that is definately NOT the right candidate for such measures it's SOE. SOE have proven to be a bunch of mentally soft, abusive, fascist bastards that would rather ban than trying to encourage working it out like adults.

That aside, I may not support policing in games but I do understand it when say SOE wants to take a stand, or Blizzard within their own games. When it extends to their real life, that's when things become a big problem for me.

For one if you went to a football game, would they check your twitter first? No. Would they demand to see your social networking websites before you caught a movie? No.

In my opinion SOE have every right to police their own games, but it stops there. My real life, and the real lives of other gamers is none of their business, and I think it's disgusting that they not only have the balls, but the arrogance to think they have a right to step into my life. I pay them for their games yes, but I don't pay them to monitor, challenge and authorize me. If anything having a private "rule enforcement" company is beyond arrogant, leave any problems to law enforcement.

Honestly, if gaming companies really want to help, they should teach gamers how to act like adults, teach them to block, and hamper those who do wrong. If someone can't take a few expletives, they should fuck off back to school.

TH

This is just... wtf? How does this woman still have her job...