Perhaps the solution is much like you see in many games when its time to destroy something or delete a character, you actually have to type "YES" to confirm you wish to commit and act that will make you a pirate.
I have been helping a new player since yesterday, he came on this morning said hello, a couple of messages later, nothing.. I checked his info and he was now "pirate" which I know he didn't plan on. Because he likely didn't have the global social setting on he also could no longer chat to me it looked like.
This is a significant issue that requires some attention.