Square Enix Unveils Robust Anti-Harassment Policy to Protect Employees and Partners
Square Enix has proactively introduced a comprehensive anti-harassment policy designed to safeguard its employees and collaborators. This policy explicitly defines various forms of harassment, encompassing threats of violence, defamation, and other disruptive behaviors. The company asserts its right to deny services and pursue legal action against individuals engaging in harassment.
The policy's implementation underscores the increasing prevalence of online harassment within the gaming industry. Square Enix, like many others, has faced numerous instances of online abuse, highlighting the urgent need for such protective measures. The policy covers a wide range of personnel, from support staff to executives.
The detailed policy, available on the Square Enix website, clearly outlines unacceptable behaviors. These include, but are not limited to: threats of violence, defamation, business obstruction, trespassing, persistent harassment, unlawful restraint, discriminatory conduct, privacy violations, and sexual harassment. The company will respond to such actions by potentially denying services and, in cases of malicious intent, pursuing legal avenues or involving law enforcement.
Key Provisions of the Square Enix Anti-Harassment Policy:
Harassment includes:
- Acts of violence or violent behavior
- Abusive language, intimidation, coercion, excessive pursuit, or reprimand
- Defamation, slander, personal attacks (across various online platforms), and threats of business obstruction
- Persistent inquiries and repeated visits
- Unauthorized entry onto company property
- Unlawful restraint through phone calls or online inquiries
- Discriminatory speech or conduct based on race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
- Privacy infringement through unauthorized photography or video recording
- Sexual harassment and stalking
Undue Demands include:
- Unreasonable product exchanges or monetary compensation requests
- Unreasonable apology demands
- Excessive requests for products or services
- Unreasonable demands for employee punishment
This decisive action by Square Enix reflects a growing necessity within the game development industry to protect its members from online abuse. Recent incidents, such as the harassment faced by voice actors like Sena Bryer, and past threats against Square Enix staff leading to arrests, underscore the seriousness of the issue and the importance of robust protective policies. The cancellation of past events due to threats further emphasizes the impact of such behavior.
