Gay's banned from xbox live

I LOVE MY DAUGHTERS · 03-11-2009, 02:56 AM

Gaming: Identifying Yourself As A Lesbian Gets You Banned On XBOX Live

Read this and Microsofts official reply linked at the bottom.

Not entirely sure how to take it. Seems like there not helping out the ones getting harassed, even though they "take harassment very seriously".

Beer Can · 03-11-2009, 05:23 PM

Sounds like a gaming version of "Don't ask, don't tell."

...Which has been shown to be a really fucking stupid policy that doesn't work.

I AM THE PROPHECY. · 03-11-2009, 05:26 PM

If they banned every racist homophobic drug-referencing asshole there would be like five people on XBL

m335h73r of PBJ · 03-11-2009, 05:32 PM

next xbl account on the chopping block.

Father Ronald "Choirmolestor69" O'Flannery.

WEABOO · 03-11-2009, 05:41 PM

This is beyond messed up

Monster in a box · 03-11-2009, 05:57 PM

This is definitely stupid and all, but if you're going to go out of your way to let people on XBOX LIVE know that you're gay, you're kind of an idiot. Middle school kids are the most homophobic people on the planet.

WEABOO · 03-11-2009, 06:11 PM

I agree, but its disgraceful to see Microsoft actually siding with said middle schoolers

Monster in a box · 03-11-2009, 10:36 PM

No doubt. Maybe if every game on XBLA were rated E I could understand their stance on this, but since that is clearly not the case...

Eight · 03-12-2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midreal

If they banned every racist homophobic drug-referencing asshole there would be like five people on XBL

Yeah, and they'd never have good connections.

But really... I'm surprised people even look into individual players that far. I mean, you have to REALLY hate gay people to hunt them down and try to get them banned.

I LOVE MY DAUGHTERS · 03-12-2009, 04:46 PM

Banning the homophobes would be hard, but I would hope situations like this could be avoided.

Eight · 03-12-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cali

Banning the homophobes would be hard, but I would hope situations like this could be avoided.

The issue lies within the fact that Microsoft kinda lacks the means to enforce any anti-inflammatory speech regulations. They really do rely on the Reputation/Reporting mechanisms to filter out the bad seeds. And since everyone seems to be so tolerant of hate speech for high traffic games (find a room in COD4 that doesn't have someone spouting something racist or otherwise...), nothing gets done about people who are legitimate problems. Since no one bothers to report them.

That and I'm sure Microsoft receives a swath of false positives for that stuff on a daily basis. Maybe the moderators are to blame. Who knows?

thePJA · 03-12-2009, 06:18 PM

You just can't get everyone to be truthful when it comes to the prefer/avoid players and the file complaints. It's just the way it is, and it's unfortunate that people have to put their intolerance of people's race, religion, sex, sexual interests, whatever on a game.

We can all talk about this all we want, talk about how much it sucks and whatever, but what is there that we can do about it, really?

m335h73r of PBJ · 03-12-2009, 06:25 PM

everyone change your gamertag to fuckbitches;getpaid.

**cstarflare** · 03-12-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Profiles that do are asked to change the language and suspended until changes are made. In regards to sexual orientation, for gamertags or profiles we do not allow expression of any type of orientation, be that hetero or other. Players can, however, self identify in voice communication where context is more easily explained to all players involved.

translation: we don't monitor and/or store voice communication, so it's kind of hard for us to enforce our policies there

I read this as "she's suspended until she removes the word lesbian from her profile," which should have been common sense when she started getting shit for it. Ideally she shouldn't have to, but realistically identifying yourself as a homosexual on xbl is a bad idea, and things like this (plus the issue of people putting anti-gay speech in their profiles and avoiding parents bitching) is likely what MS is trying to avoid with the rule. (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt since they're generally pretty gay friendly)

Not that I'm super impressed with the way they've been handling situations that arise because of the policy.

BITCH I LOOK LIKE GOKU · 03-13-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhuckBitches

everyone change your gamertag to fuckbitches;getpaid.

If IIDXPhuckBishes fits, I will.