MS explains "theGAYERgamer" name ban News

15 May, 2008

Xbox Live "banhammer wielder" Stephen Toulouse has explained the decision behind banning "theGAYERgamer" Gamertag.

Toulouse and his team deemed the name to contain sexual innuendo, which is against the Gamertag terms of use. They were not, apparently, swayed by the weight of complaints from what the "theGAYERgamer" said can be an anti-homosexual audience.

"We received a complaint on the Gamertag and determined that it did indeed contain sexual innuendo. 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," explained Stephen "Stepto" Toulouse on his blog (spotted by Kotaku).

"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 do not take action based off the number of complaints, or how often people complain in a given day. Whether it's one complaint or 20, we will look at it the same way," he added.

Grant, "theGAYERgamer", mailed the Consumerist blog with a letter explaining he had just found out he would need to alter his Gamertag to continue to be allowed on Xbox Live.

He had first-hand experience of anti-homosexual comments directed his way during bouts of Halo 3, and so phoned Microsoft to determine if their complaints were the cause of the problem.

Grant was told that the "greater Xbox community" found his name offensive.

"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," Toulouse further explained.

"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."

Toulouse went on to reveal the "good news" that complaints like this make up a "tiny, tiny fraction" of a percentage of the total users on Live.

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pikemon

15/05/08 @ 10:46

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don't ask, don't tell

neilka

15/05/08 @ 10:47

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How gay.

Rash'

15/05/08 @ 10:49

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Xbox Live is loaded with adolesent homophobic gamers. This is a small step towards removing ignorance from Xbox Live.

phatb0y

15/05/08 @ 10:50

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Bad news for Dave Cock then.

Really though, how the hell can they be so prudish? MS might want to listen to a few random games of COD4. 'Fruity' names aren't the problem here.

The little darlings they're trying to protect are usually the ones asking to come around to my house stick a broomstick up my black Jewish mother's ass. Right after they've done their homework of course.

speedjack

15/05/08 @ 10:51

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Fair enough.

No need to have that sort of thing rammed down your throat.

...did I just type that ?

Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:19

JonFE

15/05/08 @ 10:52

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Maybe he would have more luck with a "theCHO_ANIKIERgamer" Gamertag :)

agparrot

15/05/08 @ 10:53

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"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."

Has he ever played on Live? Doesn't bloody sound like it - I have had some fantastic games of GTA IV recently, many of them with amusing and intelligent people from all over the planet, even Americans.

However, there is a rotten streak of mostly American gamers that appear to think it is fine to call people Gay or the 'N' word, usually repeatedly-until-mute. Unfortunately it is far easier to police gamertags than to take into account the way the people that own them conduct themselves online.

If theGAYERgamer is indeed gay, I can't really see a problem with his tag - he could surely defend it through another avenue, anyway, insisting that he is the 'happier' gamer in it's Olde Englishe context.

imamazed

15/05/08 @ 10:55

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I once came across a player with the gamertag "IAN HUNTLEY8". Now, if that is his actual name, then he shouldn't be using it on XBL, and it probably wasn't anyway, so I filed a complaint.

Also came across a "GhandiKillin4life" which offended me somewhat.

redlander

15/05/08 @ 10:56

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"Racism, hate speech, bigotry, homophobia, all these things are an integral part of the Xbox Live experience and are encouraged by most users"

Fixed.

Eraysor

15/05/08 @ 10:57

#10

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It's a fair point that they want to keep innuendo off of XBL, but they need a better reporting system for idiots in the chat. I definitely don't want it to become like Nintendo's terrible Friend Code system though.

redneon

15/05/08 @ 11:01

#11

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I wonder if I'd be allowed 'MyPenIsHuge".

Darkedge

15/05/08 @ 11:02

#12

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anyone who has the tag "theGAYERgamer" even if they are gay is just stupid and inciting trouble from idiots. MS were totally justified as thats like the beatles saying they were bigger than god - it's going to cause controversy, even if it happens to be true in some ways. Dumb

*edited as previous comparison was ill thought out - sorry.

Edited 2 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:54

CannonAnBall

15/05/08 @ 11:03

#13

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I'm sure there is a video on youtube or something from the lobby of a Halo game where one gamer has 'GAY' in his name. What you hear is unreal:

I've found it here!

bengray66

15/05/08 @ 11:04

#14

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EuroGAYmer.....

/gets coat.

Harlequeen

15/05/08 @ 11:04

#15

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Well, they've not complained about my name. But then there's some Italian FPS clan out there with the same name. And I don't think they're all gay. And of course, the whole thing is silly but unfortunately necessary. Things like N**gaKiller would be quite rightly banned.

Kirly_Wombat

15/05/08 @ 11:05

#16

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Aslong as names with Hetero etc in get treated the same (which the article says they are) then fair enough. How hard is it to think of a name without any relation to sexuality?? Easy enough.

Fab4

15/05/08 @ 11:06

#17

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I wonder when they'll start banning all the little neo-nazi pricks running around with shit in their profiles.

Edit: On a side note though, StepTo was very helpful getting a guy with the GT: I have Maddie, banned

Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:10

miiiguel

15/05/08 @ 11:09

#18

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I'm either lucky, or we are indeed living on "soundbites". I never had a racist, xenophobic, sexist, or plain simple lesser-minded experiences on Live. Most times pretty kind kids (if sometimes a bit over excited, but that's part of the charm I guess), and quite reasonably inteligent adults.

Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:11

paketep

15/05/08 @ 11:11

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No surprises there, typical puritan Americans

DanWhitehead

15/05/08 @ 11:12

#20

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anyone who has the tag "theGAYERgamer" even if they are gay is just stupid and inciting trouble from idiots. MS were totally justified as thats like calling yourself "thebetterhitler" - it's going to cause controversy. Dumb

Being gay is like...being Hitler?

Unclebenny

15/05/08 @ 11:14

#21

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Darkedge- thats just silly. How can you compare identifying yourself as gay to someone comparing themsleves to Hitler? So by your logic people who are gay should hide it from the rest of the world.
That is the problem right there. Rather than accepting gay people as just another part of the community most people say," I don't have anything against gay people but if they make a show of themsleves any trouble they get is thwere own fault." This in combination with the other major factor at play here, parents shielding their children from the phrase Gay as it were offensive. Perhaps if more parents explained to their children at a young age that some men like men and some women like women then it that part of our society would not be excluded in the way they often are and gay would not have become a popular playground insult. If you treat a word as tabo then thats will be what it becomes. (this subject properly steams my clams)
I think microsoft should have had a bit more of a backbone and nto cowed out to people who don't want to explain sex or gay relationships to their children. There is nothing wrong with either subject. I can understand its a thorny issue though.
I would like to agree that xbox live does contain some top notch people but like every major gathering of people also some idiots. However the fun I've had taunting them has more than made up for it.

BigD

15/05/08 @ 11:16

#22

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@ Rash'

how so? removing theGAYERgamer just ignores the problem. keeping it there and banning people who abuse them would be a step towards removing ignorance, this is just a side step around the issue.

siro

15/05/08 @ 11:17

#23

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I'd say it's worse than Hitler. You're contageous and should be banned from life/live.
/bullcrap

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 11:19

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OMFGZ!!! They banned JediMasterMalik?!

Madafunkola

15/05/08 @ 11:20

#25

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I was berated by a very un-pleasant chap on GTAIV last night, calling me a F*ING RETARD for selecting a game at night, in the rain... Little did he know the rest of the lobby consisted of my friends and family, so he got a fair few retaliations.
But how do we get these people banned?

Rodafowa

15/05/08 @ 11:21

#26

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Darkedge- thats just silly. How can you compare identifying yourself as gay to someone comparing themsleves to Hitler? So by your logic people who are gay should hide it from the rest of the world.

That is the problem right there. Rather than accepting gay people as just another part of the community most people say," I don't have anything against gay people but if they make a show of themsleves any trouble they get is thwere own fault." This in combination with the other major factor at play here, parents shielding their children from the phrase Gay as it were offensive. Perhaps if more parents explained to their children at a young age that some men like men and some women like women then it that part of our society would not be excluded in the way they often are and gay would not have become a popular playground insult. If you treat a word as tabo then thats will be what it becomes. (this subject properly steams my clams)

This. A thousand times this.

bhutz

15/05/08 @ 11:25

#27

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I saw "MaddyMcann" the other day, now that was a naughty gamer tag! Not bad at COD4 though.
I think mine will get banned eventually...has the word Spunk in it...people love it though, suprised no one has snitched yet!

coach_mcguirk

15/05/08 @ 11:27

#28

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A friend of mine had to change "Trouser Payload", which seems fairly tame to me.

mrmrc84

15/05/08 @ 11:29

#29

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This whole article and the comments are hilarious.

Xbox Live is full of very loud and very crass young people. Not necessarily racist or homophobic but just rude enough to pretend to be all of the above. Thats kids! If they can get away with it they will.

Xbox Live will always try and be presented as a controlled environment even if it isn't.

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 11:30

#30

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So, you're saying that parents should explain homosexuality to their young kids then? Well, I say that's up to the parents to choose an appropriate age to discuss such things with their children, why should it be forced down their throats on their kids latest toy by some selfish twat who didn't read the rules and regulations of being an XBL user. No sexual references in gamer tags, whether gay or not, that's the rule. XBL is not the place to flaunt such information imo.

paulf

15/05/08 @ 11:32

#31

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@ miiiguel you are really lucky mate - i dont know whether its depends on the games you play on live, i hear abuse on COD4 and halo3 almost every session I play, however its almost impossible for ms to police - for example I saw a player who's tag was 'assRaper' the other day, I'm not a daily mail reader but I had to report it ...

on another note I have a friend who's surname is 'Gay' would he get banned for using his real name? (he found it difficult to start a facebook account in his real name)

Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:34

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 11:34

#32

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LOL @ Charm :D

Disclaimer - I'm not homophobic but that was quite funny.

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 11:38

#33

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lol I'm super, thanks for asking!

Derblington

15/05/08 @ 11:40

#34

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What if it was actually his surname? Then it has no sexual reference...

miiiguel

15/05/08 @ 11:44

#35

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paulf, yeah maybe..., I spent a lot of time playing "eastern-oriented" games like Kingdom Under Fire and Virtua Fighter 5 and I admit I played mostly with Korean, Japanese, Hong-Kong dudes. When I had a go at shooters I played with my UK friends and ocasionaly with a stranger or two, and no pitful encounters.

Anyway, this tag is stupid..., we have to admit it. I don't understand this need to put our sexuality in everything. Live isn't the place for that and that is not beeing homophobic. Society isn't perfect, and in a faceless universal network this kinda thing is like asking to be annoyed.

DanWhitehead

15/05/08 @ 11:45

#36

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Well, I say that's up to the parents to choose an appropriate age to discuss such things with their children, why should it be forced down their throats on their kids latest toy by some selfish twat who didn't read the rules and regulations of being an XBL user.

Kids that age shouldn't be playing online unsupervised against strangers anyway. Parental controls means that parents have to approve every friend request and message sent and received by a child's XBL account. Considering the language thrown around online, stumbling across a Gamertag with the word "gay" in it is pretty much that last thing a parent should be worrying about.

No sexual references in gamer tags, whether gay or not, that's the rule. XBL is not the place to flaunt such information imo.

Gay isn't a sexual reference though. It's a sexual orientation, not an explicit sex act or sex organ, and - unless used in a derogatory way - it certainly shouldn't be considered an offensive term when used outside of a physically sexual context. As was said above, banning this Gamertag in order to keep the peace is like saying the best way to stop gay-bashing is to forbid gay people to go outside.

muscleblade

15/05/08 @ 11:50

#37

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@miiiguel

You cant be playing on Live much. In every 5 sessions (at least) on Live theres someone that says the word GAY. Thats Gay is the new word for thats bullshit actually.

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 11:52

#38

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Kids that age shouldn't be playing online unsupervised against strangers anyway. Parental controls means that parents have to approve every friend request

So, lil Timmy gets a friends request from "T3hGAY3R" and you refuse the request, then Timmy asks what a Gayer is... Why is there a need to allow names like that at all, you're sexuality has nothing to do with XBL imo...

Darkedge

15/05/08 @ 11:52

#39

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okay comparison to hitler was ill advised and I certainly don't think that being gay or using the word gay is bad in any way. But the at tag is inciting people (idiots) to attack him - it's immaterial if he's gay or not.

In an ideal world it would make no difference what he called himself but that is asking for homophobic dickheads to attack him - The word itself not bad but it's like walking around with a sign "kick me" on your arse and a target on your head saying "abuse me" - there will be tears and you cannot deny that. It's actually closer to trolling in an internet forum, pop in shout something controversial and leave - no reason for it just your own childish amusement. Stupid.

miiiguel

15/05/08 @ 11:52

#40

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DanWhitehead, ok..., but what's the need to put sex into Live? It has nothing to do with sex. Live is asexual. Is he looking for a date on Live? I mean... shit, it's just stupid. And I'm all pro everything, well not really pro, I'm a nihilist I guess, in a positive way, but I have to admit that many gays have this need to exhale their sexuality in everything they do.

Shinji [mod]

15/05/08 @ 11:52

#41

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It's a bit depressing to see people so readily conflating "sexual references" with "references to sexuality" - they're two entirely different things. Obviously Live, a service accessible to all ages, shouldn't tolerate the former - but banning the latter, in situations where it's being used non-offensively, is pretty hard to support. It's also pretty hard to understand how this is a priority for Live's community team, when the service's messaging systems and voice chat are absolutely teeming with incredibly offensive, homophobic and racist stuff.

I also don't believe for a single second his claim that "TheStraighterGamer" would have received the same treatment. Not because I believe he's homophobic, but because I hope he's not that bloody stupid - "straight" has a somewhat more common use than being the slang for heterosexuality, after all...

miiiguel

15/05/08 @ 11:57

#42

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err..., and this "news" had this treatment because what it is, but I have some friends who got their "mottos" and "bios" replaced by the phrase "code of conduct", so once again "soundbites". This is happening, it's not just a "gay thing".

Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/05/08 @ 11:57

Madafunkola

15/05/08 @ 11:58

#43

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I do wonder where the line is realy drawn. Would any of these be allowed/banned?
LooseMoralsFTW
SexDrugsRockRoll
SikhGamer
HeroinChic
BumHole
JackAss
LegHumper
???

CunningLinguist

15/05/08 @ 11:59

#44

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@NickD7

Couldn't have phrased it better myself... well maybe I could have, but since you said I'll just endorse your comments instead.

On a side note is that Cliff Bawhatever (lead designer on Gears 2) gay, or is it just his face?

Rodafowa

15/05/08 @ 12:00

#45

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I'm a nihilist I guess, in a positive way

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you seem to think it means.

DanWhitehead

15/05/08 @ 12:01

#46

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In an ideal world it would make no difference what he called himself but that is asking for homophobic dickheads to attack him - The word itself not bad but it's like walking around with a sign "kick me" on your arse and a target on your head saying "abuse me" - there will be tears and you cannot deny that. It's actually closer to trolling in an internet forum, pop in shout something controversial and leave - no reason for it just your own childish amusement. Stupid.

Stupid, possibly. Brave? Probably.

It's pretty much the most innocuous use of the term anyway. He didn't call himself CravesCock or LikesMensBums. He simply stated that he was the gayer gamer. I suppose other gay people may take offense at him boasting that his gayness was the gayest of all, but that seems unlikely. I have serious doubts about anyone who honestly gets angry or takes offense at such a bland statement.

I mean, he's the one who got banned. He's the one who presumably received plenty of verbal abuse. And yet, somehow, he's the one who's wrong. It's a classic case of blaming the victim for their own fate, by suggesting that the fault lies with them for "inciting" the problem and not with those attacking them for, you know, attacking them.

The idea that people are somehow "flaunting" themselves, or - as always - "forcing it down our throat", simply by identifying themselves as different is deeply odd.

Kryon

15/05/08 @ 12:02

#47

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"On a side note is that Cliff Bawhatever (lead designer on Gears 2) gay, or is it just his face?"

I just think he's incredibly geeky, then again, I spose it would explain a lot ;-)

Madafunkola

15/05/08 @ 12:03

#48

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I'm sorry, but MS are banning this fairly inoccuous gamertag and at the same time releasing "ROCKETMEN URANUS EXPANSION"
SICK FILTH!!!

optimusprym8

15/05/08 @ 12:03

#49

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well after hundreds of years of oppression the homosexual side should be proud to be what they are but yes, no one wants it shoved down their throat (how many times will that be read here in this comments section today?) - you're homosexual, marvellous. I'm straight, marvellous. Right let's play some games shall we? What does it matter what your sexual orientation is? It shouldn't, it works both ways in terms of respect where it's deserved, it doesn't make any difference to how you play games (unless we want to get into the realms of stereotypes). Kids shouldn't be playing GTA or CoD4 but then hey, we're back onto that one again and blaming the parents.

chrisjm

15/05/08 @ 12:04

#50

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you seriously complained about "IAN HUNTLEY8" gamertag? so if someone with your name which resembles your gamertag commits a crime you will change your gamertag? did you complain about the presumably 7 other people with that gamertag, why not get the probably hundreds of people with that name worldwide to change their name.