Got a nice hot shower while thinking on this, then sat down and wrote on it for a bit. Going to file a formal complaint with the university, and if they refuse to comply I'll contact a lawyer.
My basis for this is as follows:
The author acknowledges that the data is valuable:
This research is based on natural online data, meaning data that already existed and has not been generated specifically for the purpose of social research (Marres, 2017: 54 ff.). Using digital sociology in this way permits a window into a digital social space that would be difficult to research otherwise. This paper does not seek to represent gaming communities as a whole; rather, it is specifically focused on the right-wing fringe within modding culture.
RPGHQ's data therefore significantly contributes to the research's originality and merit, which was taken without our consent against the terms of use. The author is deriving an unfair benefit from our data.
Ethical misrepresentation:
Ethical concerns regarding the use of natural online data were largely mitigated by anonymizing user data and avoiding lengthy quotations or identifiable information.
The claim that ethical concerns were "mitigated" by anonymization does not address whether the data usage was permissible — under our terms of service or otherwise as the data was not licensed to the author. It also does not consider whether I, as the platform owner, should have been consulted. Identifying RPGHQ and myself("forum leadership") undermines the assertion of anonymity.
Mischaracterization of RPGHQ:
The forum leadership claims to practice ‘radical free speech’.
The term "radical free speech" was never stated by me despite the author putting it in quotation marks. I do not ascribe to any ridiculous European idea of American constitutionally protected free speech being "radical". RPGHQ stands for free speech, period, stating it is 'radical' is defamation.