If this were the intent of the rules, then we wouldn't need any rules other than the IRs. After all, if only IR violations can be acted on, then why have any other rules at all?
Over-enforcement of the rules has just as much potential to ruin the game as rule-breaking does. The level of enforcement should be tempered according to the rule that's being invoked. At one end, the IRs are enforced most aggressively because those violations are the most harmful, the most immediate, and are fairly unambiguous. At the other end, there are policies like
"Nobles are to treat commoners poorly (with disgust) and commoners are to treat nobility respectfully (with fear)," which I assume should never be seriously enforced.
That's a good theory. However, player-based enforcement in MMORPGs simply does not work. It's been tried many times in many games. There are too many people willing to look the other way, to conspire, who see things differently, or who just don't care. There must be some group in charge of investigation and enforcement, to make sure that everyone stays honest.
In this case, there hasn't been any evidence of the sort of collusion that's being alleged, only speculation, and there's hasn't been any evidence of harm.
