Square Enix announced on March 2 that it has taken action against the administrator of the Japanese aggregator news blog Netoge Sokuhō (formerly “FF14 Sokuhō”) for publishing article(s) that harmed the reputations of its executives and employees.
Citing the problematic content, Square Enix filed a request with the site’s provider, asking for the disclosure of the anonymous administrator’s identity. The provider complied, after which Square Enix came into contact with the administrator. Following negotiations, the two parties reached a settlement, with the admin agreeing to publish an apology, shut down the site, and pay an undisclosed settlement.
The announcement by Square Enix includes a link to the apology, in which Netoge Sokuhō’s administrator announces that the blog will soon be shut down. They also state, “The publication of the article(s) in question was not intended to infringe upon the rights or reputation of any specific organization or individuals involved. However, we sincerely apologize for any concerns that may have arisen as a result.”
According to Square Enix, this move is in line with its Group Customer Harassment Policy, established in January 2025. At the time, the company said it was seeing instances that constitute customer harassment (such as defamation, violence and threats) of its employees, which compromised their sense of security.
In its new announcement, Square Enix reiterates that, “Going forward, we will continue to take strict action, including legal measures, against conduct that targets specific individuals or constitutes harassment that threatens the safety or mental well-being of our officers and employees, in order to protect them and maintain a healthy workplace environment.”
