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[Xbox-Scene]

Xbox Live BanHammer Specialist on 'theGAYERgamer' GamerTag Posted by XanTium | May 15 10:51 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From stepto's blog (FYI: MS employee): I've gotten some questions today regarding a recent name change my team issued against the gamertag "TheGayerGamer".  As I have mentioned before, the community brings content that may potentially violate the terms of use to our attention via the complaint system. For text and profile complaints we actually review every complaint against the Code of Conduct and Terms of Use to determine whether the complaint is accurate.  We DO NOT take action based off the number of complaints, or how often people complain in a given day.  All complaints we get into the system against a Gamertag or content are reduced to one so that our agents merely review the content against the terms of use.  Whether it's one complaint or 20, we will look at it the same way. That's the metric we use and that we have publicly communicated that we use. And the Terms of Use clearly disallow content of a sexual nature:     "[a member may not] Create a Gamertag or use text in other profile fields that may offend other members. This includes comments that look, sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or insinuate any of the following: profane words/phrases, sexually explicit language, sexual innuendo, hate speech (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities. Emphasis mine. 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. We view these situations objectively during our review under the terms of use.  To answer the question another way, yes "TheStraighterGamer" or "TheHeterosexualgamer" would have gotten the same treatment and would have been found to be in violation and forced to be changed. We've actually done that to tags like that before. Racism, hate speech, bigotry, homophobia, all these things have no place on Xbox Live and are in violation of our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. My team works hard reviewing the complaints every single day and taking action on them where appropriate. We also work very hard to be present in our LIVE community actively playing and looking for bad behavior so we can take action when we see it (for some proof of this you can check the Xbox Forums each morning for people complaining about their suspensions and that they were only 'kidding around'!)   The good news is that I have said before complaints as a % of our total users still remains a tiny tiny fraction.  But be sure if you see bad behavior to let us know via the complaint system!

[Mike4]

Although I did think it was unfair at first, I am actually comfortable with this response.

Though it's not a big deal, I just want to play devil's advocate for a second.  I have to disagree with the comment that the name "TheStraighterGamer" would also be banned.  I don't think so.  That name could imply many things and I wouldn't necessarily assume it had a sexual connotation.  That being said, I'm sure someone will want to try it out now and will actually be banned - not because it actually could be offensive, but because Microsoft will have to stand by their word.

[eyric101]

QUOTE(Verity @ May 15 2008, 12:22 PM)

The guy freely admits that he is gay, and his (now banned) gamertag simply reflected that.

If anything, Microsoft is actively promoting homophobia (and intolerance) by their action of banning that tag.

You completely missed the point in your kneejerk reaction to not be homophobic.  It is against the TOS to advertise your sexuality on Xbox Live PERIOD.

[Mike4]

QUOTE(Verity @ May 15 2008, 11:22 AM)

The guy freely admits that he is gay, and his (now banned) gamertag simply reflected that.

If anything, Microsoft is actively promoting homophobia (and intolerance) by their action of banning that tag.

I really hate to defend Microsoft like this, but here we go...

You clearly missed the point.  The Terms of Use state  "[a member may not] Create a Gamertag or use text in other profile fields that may offend other members. This includes comments that look, sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or insinuate any of the following: profane words/phrases, sexually explicit language, sexual innuendo, hate speech (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities."

If the gamer was black and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.  If the gamer was white and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.  If the gamer was Asian and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.  You see where I'm going with this?  According to the Terms of Use, it doesn't matter if you may not be offended by it or if you are exactly what it is it sounds like you're offending.  If it breaks the Terms of Use that you agreed to when you signed up, there are consequences.  That's life.  There are plenty of other areas in life where he may use terms like that (and far worse if he wants) and that would be perfectly acceptable.  XBOX Live is not one of them.  End of story.

[Mike4]

QUOTE(Mitch111788 @ May 15 2008, 11:39 AM)

i can see this being offensive if he wasnt gay and was trying to make fun of gays but is there any proof that he wasnt actually gay?

He was gay.  Since that has no relevance, you clearly missed the point too.

[Verity]

QUOTE(Mike4 @ May 15 2008, 06:40 AM)

You clearly missed the point.

Well, I see the mindless dogpiling has begun.  I'm afraid you've missed the point.  I'm just continually amazed at the sheer number of Microsoft sychphants, especially the ones who claim to hate defending them.

QUOTE

If the gamer was black and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.  If the gamer was white and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.  If the gamer was Asian and called himself a racial slur, that would be unacceptable.

I fail to see where 'gay' is a slur, especially if the guy happens to be gay. Anything can be considered 'offensive' to somebody out there.

QUOTE

According to the Terms of Use...blah blah blah

Ah, but don't you see... after the carefully couched response about comparing and contrasting each complaint to their ToS, all Microsoft really did here was tacitly admit that any complaint against a gamertag will simply be construed as 'objectionable' to some minor subset of people.  I find it objectionable that so many people find so many things 'objectionable'.

Now I'm going to quit typing so I can register the tag TheSnailGamer, at least until some Snail's Rights activist complain and get me banned.

[AcidPenguiN]

I'm not pissed off over them banning this guy, his gamertag violates the easily legible terms of service. I'm just pissed off that they say that bigotry is not allowed on xbox live, but join any one match in any online shooter and I guarantee you will at least be called a nigger or a faggot at some point during the match.

whatever they're currently doing to curb racism and bigotry isn't working, and they need to find a way that does.

I propose the ability to record a sample of any gamertag's in-game voice chat and have the ability to attach that to a filed complaint.

[echto]

Is Microsoft homophobic or just a bunch of perverts?

Microsoft is messed up in the head to automatically think of sex when looking at a word.  What about definitions such as 'Happy'.  I don't see any reference to sex in the webster's dictionary.  See the link.

http://dictionary.re....com/browse/gay

I would be surprised if this did not get blown way out of proportion in the press.

[evans05]

i think its stupid to ban that gamertag yet let people with tags like anthrax terrorist and stuff like that stay, its shocking

[jimjom]

someone make 'theheterosexualgamer'.

[nachomans]

well, the problem isnt MS, is the people, clearly...

If you need to express yourself, I think xbox live is not the place to go.

Nobody cares about your sexual preferences, at least in live.

And yes, there are a lot of people that when read gamertag like this one, starts to make stupid commentary in the rooms.

Does it make you feel better to have an "anthrax free", "IlikeSh*t" gamertag? or something like that? I dont understand people..

[Johnwinger]

QUOTE(eyric101 @ May 15 2008, 12:31 PM)

You completely missed the point in your kneejerk reaction to not be homophobic.  It is against the TOS to advertise your sexuality on Xbox Live PERIOD.

Why even bother replying to that guy. He's obviously trolling.

M$ did the appropriate thing.

[HotKnife420]

QUOTE(biscoito @ May 15 2008, 06:57 PM)

how about Mike Hunt, would it be banned too ?

<As Ogglethorp> You get it? Michael Hunt! HAhahahaha!

[Heet]

This is a sad day for liberals who got their pc feelings hurt.  Xbox live is clearly rejecting the gay agenda.


 

[stunna]

sooo it was only an "issued name change"?