Autistic Prodigies Being Exploited Internationally Online

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I have a story I would like you to help with.

In 1999 at the dawn of online gaming, I was undiagnosed with autism; I've since begun attending autistic classes and researching a lot about it to understand why I suffer from all of the conditions. Tourettes, severe OCD, inability to make eye contact, mathematical & astronomical thinking, prodigious creative abilities, difficulty socializing, interrupting and rambling, no friends, etc.

At the time, however, I saved myself from my disadvantages by diving into the world of computer art; I began teaching myself web design, programming, and making graphics. I was only 12; in about two years I managed to make a lot of friends in an online development community and built my own worlds, creatures, and stories. In 2001, a man in France & the software developer of the gaming tools essentially exploited my content and sold it openly on their servers for others to peruse and refused to give me any money. Before this they had no product; their PRODUCT was MY CONTENT. I was so young I didn't even understand.

I was further psychologically abused by the French server owner being told that I have no rights, that I didn't make anything worthwhile, and he banned me from the game and I felt horribly guilty for over a decade. He even threatened people with lawsuits from time to time. I was so traumatized that for 15 years I held onto it until someone forced me to confront an inner rage & shame I held onto because I wanted to be creative with my content again … You know, continue creating my story. It was so uncomfortable but I finally managed to breakdown and admitted that I was basically creatively & intellectually raped by some men on the Internet, who sold and continues to sell people the rights to using my content & creativity but I couldn't do anything about it.

I was too ashamed, poor, and in pain to admit it to anyone, especially my parents. I don't know if there's justice for me, but I think we need create an awareness and bring justice for those autistic prodigies whose creativity online is in great risk being exploited in their own homes due to online connections & greed. The computer seems to be one of the only safe places they can go for refuge, and they use it to channel their minds into something productive and personal—and yet, in my case, there is a multi-million dollar business built off my work and I feel beyond exploited. I have even been taunted by the guy who runs the game who thinks it's funny. It has been painful and depressing to carry this secret for so long, and even now it is taking a lot of courage each day to admit to myself that what happened was wrong.

Just because I am a talented boy on the Internet enjoying himself does not entitle someone to use me for their fortune.

The post you just produced will be interpreted as just bragging.

I don't but others will.

@ antago
I've had a similar experience with people taking credit for my creative efforts and shouting me down when I protested.
Not in the massive scale that you have been exploited, obviously - but I know what a crap feeling it is to be used in that way.

There needs to be a common accepted language to warn people of such exploitation.

I don't believe such a language exists at this present moment.

Well, isn't that the standard procedure when you're trampling the supposed rights of someone unable to defend them? You give them the reply with the best balance of economy and humiliation. You make it clear you're more than able to crush them if they annoy you too much, and move on, since you have better uses for your time than paying attention to them.

@Raleigh

You didn't play the value game and you lost.

You were "shouted" down by that guy because volume equals value, and while you were fumbling to deliver an articulate logical explanation, that neurotypical non-entity stole your thunder.

In the world of the neurotypical stupidity is just as good as tool as any to get what you want.

That's exactly what happened; being shouted down for protesting.

Taking credit for the work of others is common in the business world. Autistics often poor understanding that it is happening or has even happened and poor social skills in fighting back, retaliating and getting even results in autistics not getting the promotions, salary we deserve and losing our jobs.

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 12 Dec 2015, 9:43 am, edited 2 times in total.

There has to be something we can do. He just rereleased some of my content and has made nearly millions off it in six months. He built his entire business off MY MONEY and work. We were supposedly friends online, and they literally just took my content and started selling it to start a business. I was told that I have no rights

If nothing was written down there is not much you can do. Maybe you can complain online and if he has ripped off many others he can be shamed online. But that strategy is risky because it will probably result in a lot of people making fun of you.

If something was written down consult a lawyer. Otherwise probably the only thing is to do is learn a bitter lesson.

EVERYTHING is documented down to hard drive records, archive.org records, forum records, public confessions, and I have tons of players wanting to take him down. My case is the biggest because I literally built his business and if I don't do something, then justice won't be served; I was pretty much just afraid of trying to do something but my heart won't let me go on with this lie anymore and I have to speak out. Even all throughout the content my name is in the characters, the code, archives, credits, hidden in graphics, etc. It's generally publicly known to be my creation. It's not even a secret but I never signed the rights over nor was I paid

Fantastic job by you.
Besides contacting a lawyer you can contact authorities and get as many of your fellow victims to do so.

There's a Statute of Limitations on civil matters such as copyright infringement. If it happened fifteen years ago, then no lawyer is going to take your case. Especially if the defendant is from another country.

And if you mention this French fellow or his company by name, you may be liable for libel/slander/defamation, and give him the perfect case to sue you.

[edit]: I don't wanna shut you down, but that's just the hard truth. The fact is the legal system is run by rich people, and the game is rigged in their favor.

A requirement for slander and defamation is that it has to be a false accusation in order fit that definition, right? Therefore, if they try to sue him for slander, all he has to do is prove that his story is true in order to defend himself. If what he's saying is true, that this game with assets contain easter eggs with his name in it, then proving it shouldn't be that difficult. Also, if lot's of other gamers want to take him down then he can also form an online group to get them to help.

This is the one thing I really viscerally despise about the way the world works. I hope the "we need NT's" crowd is taking notes. That's not to say there aren't nice ones out there, but the scum that pulls this stuff gets away with it... it burns me up.

It makes it difficult to figure out when I am bieng mindful which is a good thing and when I am bieng paronoid which is a bad thing. What makes it worse is that as 2 percent of the world we do need NT's. This behavior while occurring in all phases of life is more common in the competitive business world. I have known plenty of people who are just plain nasty at work and are great parents, neighbors etc.