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[Blizzard]

Yeah, but that's were the report/banning process should work; not being just a basic word filter; because in the end why put so much emphasize on that, when you finally connect to their service..to play Halo 3, Gears of War, Street Fighter..is all "gay, gay, gay, gay, you f***ng mexican, you sound like a n***, I kill them"..etcetc.."

Yes, and that's the sad part...that people on voicechat often suck. I only play PC L4D and TF2 with voicechat, but I've heard 360 can be a wasteland. Bans for that (or permanent mute) might well be a good thing.

And thanks for the clarified response from the previous poster. I think that makes sense, and includes the mention of the same type of namechange being done in reference to heterosexual-sounding names. It's not that it might not be a legitimate name, but to a child/random person looking at it, it appears different.

 

[JonathanEx]

Pretty much. People are going overboard here. Sorry, but there's just no reason to have content of a sexual nature on your public gamer card.

That section of the is effectively putting the word 'lesbian', when mentioned in your profile (not even name this time) on a level pegging with words that I cannot mention here because they are banned for obvious reasons. Sexual orientation and sexual activities are two different things that should be differentiated in the terms and conditions for what it or is not allowed.

 

[Cday]

Sounds like somebody's trying to play the victim. It's against the rules to have that on your profile whether you're a lesbian or not.

 

[Zeliard]

meh. I don't see the difference whether its in her profile or in her gamertag. That being said arguably it is worse unless Microsoft specifically has a policy about advertising sexual orientation because lesbian is not an offensive term.

I'm saying this is different because of MS' past "reasoning" on the subject:

We recieved a complaint on the Gamertag and determined that it did indeed contain sexual innuendo. Now granted, there could be an argument that the text is not pejorative to homosexuality and should therefore be allowed. But there is no context to explain that. Gamertags are visible to everyone and it would be hard for me to defend to a parent of a young child who saw it that the name did not contain content of a sexual nature.

In this case, it's in a profile, not a gamertag that's "visible to everyone". You can see someone's gamertag in a game without ever looking at their profile - can't do the opposite.

Also, he complains that there was no "context" offered there to explain what the guy's gamertag meant. In this case, there is context. She is self-identifying as a lesbian.

 

[perryfarrell]

Understandable. There's sexual insinuation. If Microsoft wants to keep that out, they can.

 

[Brimstone]

Orson Scott Card is in charge of Xbox LIVE?

 

[Blizzard]

I'm saying this is different because of MS' past "reasoning" on the subject:



In this case, it's in a profile, not a gamertag that's "visible to everyone". You can see someone's gamertag in a game without ever looking at their profile - can't do the opposite.

Also, he complains that there was no "context" offered there to explain what the guy's gamertag meant. In this case, there is context. She is self-identifying as a lesbian.

Okay, I just looked -at- the consumerist article...and there aren't references. Or pictures. Or any descriptions of what were in the profile, assuming the person was telling the truth. It's plausible, but until there is any detail, proof, or response, it's a person saying "Microsoft did this purely because people found my orientation offensive."

And THAT is why I want to see the exact profile data, or a response from Microsoft.

 

[TheExodu5]

That section of the is effectively putting the word 'lesbian', when mentioned in your profile (not even name this time) on a level pegging with words that I cannot mention here because they are banned for obvious reasons. Sexual orientation and sexual activities are two different things that should be differentiated in the terms and conditions for what it or is not allowed.

In their TOS, they don't explicitly say sexual activity. They say to exclude content of a sexual nature. That should be clear enough.

What do you think will happen if a kid does a Google search on lesbian?

Can I have a GamerTag called OrgyLover? What about going tamer and putting in my profile "I am sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.". There's just no reason to have that on XBLive. If you're going to fight for equal rights, pick your battles. If you're going to put in your sexual orientation, you do it on a dating service, not a gaming one.

 

[APF]

You are already assumed to be straight.

IME on XBL you're assumed to be gay and black.

Not in those words.

you guys have no idea what could have been in her comments. it could have been very vulgar.

It's true, as a lesbian she could easily have written something about listening to NPR and wearing Birkenstocks.

 

[JonathanEx]

In their TOS, they don't explicitly say sexual activity. They say to exclude content of a sexual nature. That should be clear enough.

I know that. I am saying that there is a difference in what they are, and that should be reflected in what is allowed: it seems stupid to lump orientation in with sexual activity

Okay, I just looked -at- the consumerist article...and there aren't references. Or pictures. Or any descriptions of what were in the profile, assuming the person was telling the truth. It's plausible, but until there is any detail, proof, or response, it's a person saying "Microsoft did this purely because people found my orientation offensive."

And THAT is why I want to see the exact profile data, or a response from Microsoft.

Fair enough. I would have though the Consumerist would have asked for the profile.


Oh, wait, it's a Gawker blog. They run anything they get emailed.

What do you think will happen if a kid does a Google search on lesbian?

Can I have a GamerTag called OrgyLover?

1) Something very funny.

2) Probably not, and I'm saying there should be a difference between mentioning orgies and mentioning homosexuality.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I'm saying this is different because of MS' past "reasoning" on the subject:



In this case, it's in a profile, not a gamertag that's "visible to everyone". You can see someone's gamertag in a game without ever looking at their profile - can't do the opposite.

Also, he complains that there was no "context" offered there to explain what the guy's gamertag meant. In this case, there is context. She is self-identifying as a lesbian.

Either way the gamertag should probably be treated like the content of the profile. If he gave the impression that there are separate standards for either one then he is most likely incorrect in that interpretation. Once again not defending the banning of the word lesbian unless Microsoft is across the board consistent with sexuality once it reaches the banning stage.

 

[Cowie]

Pretty much. People are going overboard here. Sorry, but there's just no reason to have content of a sexual nature on your public gamer card.

Granted we don't have all the information yet, but if the offending content was genuinely "I'm a lesbian", that's hardly sexual content. "I fuck chicks" I will give you, or hell, I'm willing to stretch out to "I make love to women", but labeling sexual orientation as sexual content seems pretty unreasonable.

 

[Zen]

i just find it annoying because i dont going around screaming... im straight. hey hey look at me I am straight!!

She wanted attention and she got it.

God forbid she truthfully entered her sexual orientation in her user profile.

 

[JBuccCP]

They must be trying to scare her straight.

Spoiler

Also she's actually a 55 year old man.

 

[TheExodu5]

2) Probably not, and I'm saying there should be a difference between mentioning orgies and mentioning homosexuality.

Don't discriminate against orgy lovers! We're people too! >_<

Anyways, is it really so much of a problem for her to remove her sexual orientation from her profile?

 

[Micromegas]

There are so many things that can be said about this... but I'll go with:

It's ironic for Microsoft to make a stand at the "gamertag" level when we all know that as soon as you put on the headset and join a game of Halo, you hear 10 things a minute that are more offensive that anybody could ever do in their gamertag or motto or whatever.

No, you can't be a "lesbian" but you'll here "gay" or "fag" w/in 10 seconds of any given game over Live.

Microsoft bans this girl, but fails to deal with the enormous elephant in the living room.

Microsoft fails.

Again.

 

[fernoca]

Yay! Full circle!!
Now we just need someone to talk about gay = pedophilia and the thread is complete.

 

[TheExodu5]

Yay! Full circle!!
Now we just need someone to talk about gay = pedophilia and the thread is complete.

Take a look at the gay picture thread in OT. There are a few bordering on pedophilia there. :lol

 

[Stoney Mason]

There are so many things that can be said about this... but I'll go with:

It's ironic for Microsoft to make a stand at the "gamertag" level when we all know that as soon as you put on the headset and join a game of Halo, you hear 10 things a minute that are more offensive that anybody could ever do in their gamertag or motto or whatever.

While this is true it works both ways. Somebody could yell to the rooftops they are a lesbian once they put on the mic and they still have their freedom.

There is an issue here but I'm not sure just saying it's ironic is actually dealing with the real situation here.

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

I am calling this one for the OT. Sorry guys, good try. =(

 

[-COOLIO-]

i just find it annoying because i dont going around screaming... im straight. hey hey look at me I am straight!!

She wanted attention and she got it.

being straight isnt an interesting bullet point about yourself

 

[Zen]

Three pages! Keep it going!! OT is catching up though! Even with your headstart.

Is it true what they say: Video games kill your attention span?

Why are you trolling the gaming side? The arrogant OT elitists are the worst part of Neogaf.

 

[JonathanEx]

being straight isnt an interesting bullet point about yourself

some people like to describe their hair colour, although it's not particularly interesting either

Just a thought, I don't have an opinion on that and am not trying to compare TheGayestGamer to TheBlondestGamer, but am just throwing out ideas.

 

[Calcaneus]

I am calling this one for the OT. Sorry guys, good try. =(

Bullshit, ref, bullshit. I call moneyhats.

 

[Odious Tea]

being straight isnt an interesting bullet point about yourself

But being gay or lesbian, on the other hand, is something to shout from the rooftops?

Edit: I'm not saying Microsoft is in the right here, and am pretty repulsed by the continual stupidity of large corporations over and over again.

 

[Operations]

How can this shit still fly in this day and age? And from MS from all places, damn shame.

 

[Saren is Bad]

as long as the GT wasn't like ILuv2Scissor or something incredibly sexually, then who gives a fuck.

also, what fags report for being a Lesbian on XBL? A LESBIAN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

 

[Pterion]

lulz, xbl.

 

[TheExodu5]

also, what fags report for being a Lesbian on XBL? A LESBIAN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

I'd assume it would be a straight person that would report a lesbian, not a "fag" as you would put it.

 

[Flyguy]

I am calling this one for the OT. Sorry guys, good try. =(

In the battle of the banal OT just can't be beat.

 

[CurlySaysX]

Maybe she was sick of nerds hitting onto her, so she put that offensive statement on her profile?
MS probably should have asked her to just remove the offending material from her profile rather than ban her. IMO

 

[HallucinatingElvis]

i just find it annoying because i dont going around screaming... im straight. hey hey look at me I am straight!!

She wanted attention and she got it.

if you did though, if you put something in your bio stating that you are a straight man, you would also be censored in some way.

 

[Saint10118]

what fags report for being a Lesbian on XBL? A LESBIAN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

This thread isn't an invitation to throw hate speech around. Using 'fag' in the pejorative sense is against the TOS and is offensive to me personally and I'm sure many others.

 

[Pachael]

We need a Xbox Community Manager to come on down here and explain this mess!

 

[Zombie James]

"Offensive"? It feels like we're in the 1800's of gay rights.

 

[Micromegas]

How can this shit still fly in this day and age? And from MS from all places, damn shame.

Seriously?

When was the last time Microsoft did something, anything, and you thought, "alright, good call Microsoft!"

Really.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Shame on you, Microsoft. Hypocrites.

 

[Samara]

Don't agree with Microsoft on this: but what's the point of saying "Ï'm a lesbian" on your profile ?
These things will just attract losers left and right.

 

[Fewr]

I'm just wondering,

if she had no qualms about telling the whole world before what her sexual orientation is, then why has she not explained exactly what the problem is at the consumerist or at gay blogs like towleroad.

 

[Saint10118]

"Offensive"? It feels like we're in the 1800's of gay rights.

Prop 8 says welcome to the new millennium!

 

[dreamcastmaster]

There are so many things that can be said about this... but I'll go with:

It's ironic for Microsoft to make a stand at the "gamertag" level when we all know that as soon as you put on the headset and join a game of Halo, you hear 10 things a minute that are more offensive that anybody could ever do in their gamertag or motto or whatever.

No, you can't be a "lesbian" but you'll here "gay" or "fag" w/in 10 seconds of any given game over Live.

Microsoft bans this girl, but fails to deal with the enormous elephant in the living room.

Microsoft fails.

Again.

There was a news item recently that said Microsoft were looking at a voice censoring system that would identify offensive words and automatially mute them. So it seems they are looking at this problem.

With regards to this gamer getting banned, has anybody actually got documentation on what is or isnt allowed. People are blaming Microsoft as a big corperate entity for this banning, but who's to know if it's not just a jobsworth Live account staff that interpreted the rules wrongly?

 

[JonathanEx]

I'm bored, and feel like playing a game. I'm going to add "Straight." as the last sentence, the single one, no other reference to it, to my bio.

 

[sullytao]

As many have said you will hear far worse within minutes of being in an online match. As soon as Xbox 360 came out I tried to have "being gay is ok" as my XBL motto (time in my life when I was able to come out to myself and others and felt like the world needed to know) however gay was already filtered so I had to go with ghey. It was cool for a week or 2 but it just wasn't worth all the hassle and grief that you get from the morons over Live. So its not something that I would recommend to people.

In the end if you really want to mention your sexuality then there shouldn't be any restrictions on it providing you do it within reason (i.e. not have your tag as something that clearly refers to sexual intercourse), since I'm pretty sure that the term gay means you are attracted to men not just that you have sleep with them (you know what I mean lol).

There was a news item recently that said Microsoft were looking at a voice censoring system that would identify offensive words and automatially mute them. So it seems they are looking at this problem.

With regards to this gamer getting banned, has anybody actually got documentation on what is or isnt allowed. People are blaming Microsoft as a big corperate entity for this banning, but who's to know if it's not just a jobsworth Live account staff that interpreted the rules wrongly?

I've heard of this tech a few times. I really don't expect to see it for a good few years though since it sounds sketchy at the moment and with XBL its often very hard for a person to make out what people are saying so I can imagine the system letting alot pass through.

 

[B-Rad Lascelle]

You guys know this is a community-enforced ban system, right?

Essentially speaking, if you call attention to yourself and encourage negative feedback, you will be banned. It's a shame the online gaming community is wholly intolerant but everyone is also making a huge assumption that this individual's tag/motto combo was the sole reason they were banned.

MS didn't make this decision at all. This actually equates to a bunch of XBLers declaring themselves a "No Lesbians Society" (think of the "No Homers Club" on the Simpsons) and making a statement.

Is it fair to this individual? Not in the least. But then, it wasn't fair to Homer either.

Negative feedback will get people banned no matter where it emanates from. Be it a GamerTag, motto or offensive online behavior (think 99% of most Halo fans). The problem there is that most of those gamers have 100 accounts, unlimited use of their parent's credit cards and they live in their basements playing games 24 hours out of the day.

So while the perception is out there that "these gamers are never banned" or that's there are no repercussions for outright offensive conduct, the truth is that there are plenty of repercussions and these gamers simply have no qualms about making nuisances of themselves because they have a zillion other accounts to fall back on.

The lesson is... Xbox Live is not the best place to declare your sexuality.
Neither is World of WarCraft.
Neither is U.S. Congress.
Deal with it.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

"Land of the Free."


Seriously though if this is true this is ridiculous. Probably more so to do with an inexperience sheltered moderator then Microsoft. I doubt they have a "no homos" allowed policy.

 

[hgplayer1]

ok so I thought this was kind of an interesting story and from few details we have it seems MS is over doing it by banning her.

shouldnt 50% of Xbox Live be banned by now? "gay" seems to be the adjective of choice for most of the gaming community (and today's society in general).

what I would like to know is how many people complained? and why cant we get cheaters and real assholes on Live banned seemingly as easy just by complaining they were offensive.

 

[Slavik81]

wrong thead title is wrong.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

NHL 09 is full of offensive names in the EASHL. I see some pretty awful stuff in there but that has obviously escaped the EA mods and the eyes of XBL.

 

[Micromegas]

There was a news item recently that said Microsoft were looking at a voice censoring system that would identify offensive words and automatially mute them. So it seems they are looking at this problem.

I heard this rumor as well. But. It is physically impossible to do this without delaying the signal. I doubt there will be a way to implement this tech that will be as palatable as just perma-banning repeat offenders.

That will never happen because Microsoft seems incapable of doing the right thing, and if they perma-banned every juvenile racist or homophobe on Live they'd see at least 75% of their paid subscriptions drop.

 

[TDG]

Sounds like a pretty dumb move by MS, though we don't know all the details.

Misleading title ftl, though.

Why are you trolling the gaming side? The arrogant OT elitists are the worst part of Neogaf.

WTF are you talking about, he was doing the same thing in the OT thread. :lol

Ignorant Gaming side Ignoramuses are the worst.