Is the TLAGSNET scan enough evidence of crime?

[Duncan Farquar]

Hello.

I wonder if it is considered sufficient criminal evidence the scan provided by the TLAGSNET.

Today I scanned a ship with Synth Marijuana onboard with the TLAGSNET, but when I reached it its cargo was empty. I had a screenshot of the scan made by the TLAGSNET, and by the laws any amount of Synthetic Marijuana is illegal in Gallia, so...

It's enough to ask for a fine, or I need to catch the ship with the goods onboard?

I understand that the TLAGSNET is an inRP tool used by police forces, but I'm not completely convinced that can be used as proof of misbehavior.

Thank you for your answers.

[SnakThree]

It is not enough.

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[kuvacz]

It is not enough.

It is not and actually it is, or at least should be considered metagaming.

The data retrieved by TlagsNet about a ships cargo/loadout has just to be treated as an indicator/a pointer, if at all, but certainly not as sort of clear evidence/proof comparable with (close range) scan/screenshots.

InRP it makes sense that the police get's some data about a ships movement, if it uses the tradelanes, but stating each tradelane(ring) would also be able to act like a full scale sensorphalanx, being able and legal to replace a personal scan is completely ooRP.

It's just as if you hear some sort or rumour in real life and tread this as clear evidence/proof and make a judgement up on that "data", that's simply absurd.

.

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Guide & important links Datastorm (not only for beginners)

The laws of Sirius

[Tenacity]

I disagree, kuvacz. The entire point of the tlagsnet system is to demonstrate that ageira's tradelane rings and jumpgates ARE equipped with sensors capable of doing full cargo scans.

In-RP, the system is used for several purposes:
1) to give interspace or other insuring companies adequate information about the ships they're providing insurance coverage for.
2) to ensure that unauthorized vessels are not using the tradelane network (i.e. hackers, though obviously their workaround is being able to hack the system)
and
3) to provide police with information about ships travelling through house space so as to assist with interdiction of illegal cargo.

That said, the situation pointed out by the OP would not be enough evidence for a fine/arrest. Compare it to a real life situation: a police officer sees a picture of a person surrounded by massive amounts of weed, a felony quantity even. The police officer tracks that person down, only to find that there isnt a single seed or stem anywhere on or near them, or anywhere in their place of residence or vehicles.

The police officer would not be able to stick any kind of fine or arrest in court, because there was no physical evidence to back the prosecution.



All information gleamed from tlagsnet is considered in-RP and fully usable by all parties with access to that information. However, an individual has to be caught 'in the act' in order to justify a fine or combat engagement.

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[Duncan Farquar]

InRP it makes sense that the police get's some data about a ships movement, if it uses the tradelanes, but stating each tradelane(ring) would also be able to act like a full scale sensorphalanx, being able and legal to replace a personal scan is completely ooRP.

Well, the Ageira page in the wiki (the player group one, but in the Lane Hacker NPC page there is a line about the USI), you can read this:

In 700 A.S, Ageira Technologies and Interspace Commerce became partners to develop the "RTS" or "Real Time Scanner" which would scan cargo passing through the jump gates and trade lanes; by attaching a Universal Ship Identification number to every vessel and piece of cargo, goverments could automatically scan for contraband while Interspace Commerce could more accurately assess insurance fees. The new scanners begin production at the Ageira Technologies Facility in Colorado. Ageira Technologies continued to gain profit from Gate and Lane parts as well as it's other facilities in the ninth century, and to this day is the only supplier of the components with the exception of DSE.

So the scan of each ship and its cargo it's inRP, I think.

[SnakThree]

You need actual evidence. RFP tried doing this with only TLAGSNET scan years ago and it was insufficient proof for FR5.

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[Derkylos]

Try it. See what kind of response you get from your intended target. Don't let other people dictate how the 2 of you interact.

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[Sath]

Don't let other people dictate how the 2 of you interact.

^This,

And don't let people influence how you RP your character. Nothing is set in stone, unless you are following ID, lore and server rules. But this is not related to the OP, just felt like saying it.

[Laura C.]

Uneasy question. As others pointed out, inRP lanes are able to scan cargo. On the other hand, the accused party can question the scan, claiming malfuction of the lanes/gates scanners. And then inRP court should decide what is not possible since we doesn´t have courts here (or better said, police decides about punishments without possibility of appeal to court what is not how legal system works in mature society).

Of course you can try - contact the smuggler through comm channel and ask him to pay fine. Maybe he will, maybe he will defend himself in some way (including the way I described above), maybe he won´t answer. Then you can of course try to get fine from him next time you catch him, but don´t expect you will achieve reputation adjustment.

However, I as player with police character for quite some time, personally disagree with issuing fines only from TLAGSNET scan. First reason is stated above, and second is - if you start to do this, one of the outcomes could be that smugglers will stop using lanes soon, if they will be punished even without being directly caught. So you will start losing encounters and catching smugglers who are not using lanes/gates without metagaming is almost impossible. So think about it twice.

Also, in lot of house laws fine depends on amount of contraband and TLAGSNET can´t say you how much the smuggler is carrying so he may for example claim he had only one cargo unit aboard.

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On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Tenacity]

Interesting idea there, maybe we could have some kind of court system on the forum for in-RP trials of criminals.

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