Regarding showing banned users - warning long post but situation provided.
All this talk on naming and shaming users I don't think people actually realise how much trouble you can get into. Data Protection Laws are exactly what they state LAW therefore it's applicable to both companies and individuals.
In the UK we never signed to be part of the EU don't get confused with the EEU which we are apart of and in fact UK parliament are debating at this very time if we should fully join the EU. However our main reason for not joining is we didn't want our laws dictated to us by Brussels (European Parliament) and therefore that's why the UK is bound by UK laws.
We have the Data Protection Act 1998 which is VERY SERIOUS if you are found to have broken this law fines are unlimited and you could face upto 5 years in prison or both. UK Data Protection is governed by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Although individuals are not required to register, companies have to register and the registry is made public also those who have broken the law is also made public.
Now more importantly Germany is part of the EU and governed by EU Laws and Directives. In this instance the EU has incorporated human rights into it's directive, I assume this was done because should any person have their personal data released without consent they could file a law suit under the Data Protection Directive and European Law on Human Rights. With respect to InnoGames and in fact anyone in Europe COMPANY or INDIVIDUAL - MUST accept the UK Data Protection Act 1998 if based or living in the UK or the rest of Europe should follow EU Directive 95/46/EC which states the following;
The right to privacy is a highly developed area of law in Europe. All the member states of the European Union (EU) are also signatories of the European Convention on Human Rights(ECHR). Article 8 of the ECHR provides a right to respect for one's "private and family life, his home and his correspondence", subject to certain restrictions. The European Court of Human Rights has given this article a very broad interpretation in its jurisprudence.
In 1980, in an effort to create a comprehensive data protection system throughout Europe, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued its "Recommendations of the Council Concerning Guidelines Governing the Protection of Privacy and Trans-Border Flows of Personal Data". The seven principles governing the OECD’s recommendations for protection of personal data were:
1. Notice—data subjects should be given notice when their data is being collected;
2. Purpose—data should only be used for the purpose stated and not for any other purposes;
3. Consent—data should not be disclosed without the data subject’s consent;
4. Security—collected data should be kept secure from any potential abuses;
5. Disclosure—data subjects should be informed as to who is collecting their data;
6. Access—data subjects should be allowed to access their data and make corrections to any inaccurate data; and
7. Accountability—data subjects should have a method available to them to hold data collectors accountable for not following the above principles.
Just so you know when you sign up to InnoGames FoE the screen name you select is actually an extension of your personal information. So should InnoGames post or make public a username/player that has been banned is actually a direct VIOLATION of EU Directive 95/46/EC Sections 2 and 3. There actually could be only one way that InnoGames could post or make public the information is if they received written consent from the owner of that information (so the player). However the DPO (Data Protection Officer) has the final say, period. So should such consent arrive on their desk the company policy or his/hers decision can still be NO and no one can override that decision not even a higher ranking member of staff as he or she has been named as the designated Data Protection Officer.
In order to investigate certain actions in the game or assist people the Data Protection Office will have given a blanket consent for moderators to see personal information. Now lower ranked moderators may only see partial information whilst high ranking members may see more detailed information and that's why they can view your information without any problems, however should they post any of it then it's a whole world of trouble.
Fact is since the username is an extension of the users personal information publicly posting banned users and/or their reasons for said ban would be a direct violation of EU Directive 95/46/EC Sections 1, 2 and 3 as I'm sure they would not inform the user of the posting. However even if they did they would still be breaching sections 2 and 3.
InnoGames ToS and Privacy policy is an extension to the EU Directive, when you sign up you agree to follow the ToS and Privacy Policy, you don't exactly have a choice to follow the law or not. It should also be mentioned that it's common practice for players to exchange personal information whilst it's not a good idea people still do it. So with that in the mix notifying the community and wider audience that a user has been banned could effect that user from harassment from someone they have given personal information to and also it's common practice for players to use the screen name on multiple games and could cause a knock on effect.
With all that being said EU Directives or German Law which will just be very similar like the UK's version maybe sketchy on some aspects of the username and that's why companies put in a privacy policy to cover them and more importantly YOU! So asking for a name and shame or asking if such player has been banned don't expect the answer your looking for as more than likely you will get something like 'Sorry due to our Privacy Policy, EU Directives and German Laws etc...) I mention German Law as some German Laws may cover things the EU Directive has missed. I'm not 100% sure but I think the way it works is EU Countries follow the EU Directives but still have the option to fall back on their own laws if needed.
Never-the-less EU Directive 95/46/EC prevents InnoGames from making public any personal information such as a ban and/if provided a reason why. In addition InnoGames Privacy Policy is an extension and you are bound by it for as long as your a member. However InnoGames has already said they will provide you with the information they hold on you, if not, this can be obtained either by a Subject Access Request or Freedom for Information Request, EU Directive 95/46/EC Section 6.
REMEMBER Data Protection Laws apply to both Companies AND Individuals which means YOU! are bound by them too! Every country has a Data Protection Legislation so saying I'm in such and such country won't work. Plus in this instance YOU are bound by EU Directives and German Laws.
To make it simple, just because you can assault someone in Africa (selected as outside of Europe - not saying you can just an example) and nothing will happen to you doesn't mean you can come to Europe and do the same. If you do you are bound by the laws in which country the assault took place and that countries police force can request to have you extradited back to that country to face the charges. In retrospect you are bound by InnoGames Privacy Policy, Terms of Service or Terms and Conditions and most importantly EU Directive 95/46/EC, possibly Germany's version of it and your own countries version of it. Fact is personal data is highly sensitive and if it is miss-handled in anyway there could be large law suits against a company or an INDIVIDUAL that means YOU, so should you find out why someone got banned and posted it ANYWHERE that player/person can persue you for civil damages and whichever law it comes under will come after you for Criminal Charges.
Don't take people's information lightly!
Sorry for the long post but this should finally close the debate.
Dread