343 Industries (Halo 4 Creators) Threaten Permabans for Sexist Comments - Polidicks

[quote]Halo 4 players who make sexist or discriminatory comments while playing the game on Xbox Live will receive a lifetime ban as punishment, according to an interview with the game's creators on Gamespot. While discrimination has always been frowned upon and punishable by temporary or permanent bans from the service, the creators behind Halo 4 seem determined to squelch this kind of harassment with a zero-tolerance policy. "This is behavior that is offensive and completely unacceptable. I'd like to think most of our Xbox Live players don't support this kind of behavior," said Bonnie Ross, the head of Halo 4 developer 343 Industries, in her interview with Gamespot. Kiki Wolfkill, executive producer of Halo 4, added that a "broadcast mechanism" like Xbox Live can be a dangerous gift to adolescents, especially in the seeming vacuum of supervision that is a multiplayer game or lobby. The*Xbox Live Code of Conduct*generally condemns harassment between players, either in speech or the content they create. But sexism is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the text. "Racial, ethnic, and religious slurs," are forbidden, as is "content of a sexual nature" and "hate speech," but sexism—attacks based on gender—are not explicitly mentioned. That's not to say such attacks haven't been punished in the past on Xbox Live. Not only are players able to report each other for these offenses, but the service is also*monitored by "enforcers"*who will sit in on games in progress and watch for trouble. Enforcers also review logs for problems and then confront offending players with the evidence of their misdeeds.*But the increased, public focus on preventing sexist harassment by two of the women behind Halo 4*is a promising step, and one we feel is completely necessary. Sexism is a well-established issue within the gaming community—particularly in online games. But even as it's been widely acknowledged and condemned, it persists. Plenty of gamers continue to express troglodytic sentiments against women while playing, seemingly without the slightest inkling of how glaringly offensive they are. To cite just one example, in February, a male pro gamer made headlines by repeatedly sexually harassing a female teammate of his on a live video stream during an event, trying to guess her bra size and voicing a desire to spy on her in the women's bathroom. At this point, this kind of talk is part of a script trotted out by sexist gamers the instant a woman appears, particularly in a voice-chat medium like Xbox Live (some more choice topics: kitchens, sandwiches, pics). When I play online, I often choose to stay muted rather than let fellow players hear my voice. Hearing a woman's voice doesn't always, or even often, draw attention in online games. But I decided a long time ago I'd rather not risk even the small possibility that my speaking up would draw out the same predictable, sexist, vitriolic saws. I decided the only way to win was not to play. Or to play, but not to talk. Playing silently online is hands down less fun than when I can speak up, as when I'm playing with friends. But playing on mute is still better than taking the chance that I'm opening myself up to a roomful of players for whom a woman's voice is a trigger to spout off the same repulsive, sexist garbage lines I've already heard ten thousand times. This kind of harassment isn't only obnoxious, it's distracting. If the offensive stuff doesn't turn into a pile-on, it tends to generate defensive rants from all sides on free speech, white-knighting, and relative skill levels at hand. I just want to play my game. The threat of a lifetime ban on an account won't stop the most persistent of trolls, especially since the policy will be impossible to enforce perfectly. But in a community where sexism is still, for too many people, the default response to a woman in the room, a harsh punishment will hopefully serve as the right wake-up call.[/quote] [url]http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/11/good-riddance-halo-4-creators-threaten-permabans-for-sexist-comments/[/url] It's called a mute button

Wow. People seriously need to learn to get thicker skin.

what a bunch of sissies

thank god im tired of all the girls picking on me

They have a point.. :/ [quote] B. Don’t do the following. Don't harass, abuse, or spam other players, or encourage other players to do so. Don't scream, yell, threaten, or stalk other players, or encourage other players to do so. [I][URL]http://www.xbox.com/en-US/legal/codeofconduct[/URL][/I] [/quote] EDIT: I'm so proud of the egalitarians on Facepunch! <3

[QUOTE=Bradyns;38279014]They have a point.. :/[/QUOTE] No they don't. If it bothers you, hit the mute button which has always existed It's literally one button

as a white cis male gamer, I feel that I have a right to harass people over voip. this is clearly a breach of the first amendment

Okay what. Been riding for the 343i train the whole time but this is seriously dumb

"Oh noes, a 10 year old told me to go to the kitchen! Better kill myself!" Fucking really...

Support them trying to do a good thing for sexist comments, but this is not the way to do it.

Um, that's sorta a good thing. Kids are the last people who should be casually presented with anything like that, if we are to ever get rid of it. You get banned for it on FP too, and FP is generally considered as rather "adult" forum.

This is ridiculous; why focus on sexism and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.

Then most of Xbox Live gets banned.

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.[/QUOTE] uh i highly doubt they'll target one form of discrimination in specific

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? [/QUOTE] cause that'd just be gay

[QUOTE=Mr. Smartass;38279025]No they don't. If it bothers you, hit the mute button which has always existed It's literally one button[/QUOTE] This isn't about being bothered. It's the same reason why you can't be racist against colored people even in front of all-white class. It enforces and spreads the shit we should be trying to get rid of.

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism?[/QUOTE] no where in the article does it say that homophobia and racism won't be punished as severely as sexism

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.[/QUOTE] Those are already against Xbox policy, but not sexism specifically. It's not really a rights competition, just representing a category that has previously been overlooked

[QUOTE=Trogdon;38279053]Support them trying to do a good thing for sexist comments, but this is not the way to do it.[/QUOTE] They've already added a mute system and if I remember correctly, repeatedly harassing people will get you a temporary ban from xbox live.

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.[/QUOTE] This is honestly the first time I've seen anybody even mention tackling sexism in video games. Acting like an absolute prat online shouldn't be tolerated.

[QUOTE=WeekendWarrior;38279124]This is honestly the first time I've seen anybody even mention tackling sexism in video games. [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/566429325/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games[/url] ?????

before anybody asks, they are singling out sexism because it is extremely prevalent in the gaming community and is often overlooked in comparison to homophobia and racism

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.[/QUOTE] Read their code of conduct before commenting: [quote] D. Expression of Relationship Orientation You may use the following terms to express your relationship orientation or gender identity in your profile or Gamertag: Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender Straight Other terms regarding relationship orientation are not allowed. In addition you may not use these terms or any other terms regarding relationship orientation to insult, harass, or any other pejorative use against other users. [I][URL]http://www.xbox.com/en-US/legal/codeofconduct[/URL][/I] [/quote]

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;38279060] You get banned for it on FP too, and FP is generally considered as rather "adult" forum.[/QUOTE] you're serious

[QUOTE=Aidan_088;38279063]This is ridiculous; why focus on sexisms and ignore homophobia and racism? People shouldn't be banned for saying things society finds offensive or distasteful and besides the muting system already present within most online games already fixes this problem anyway.[/QUOTE] [quote]The Xbox Live Code of Conduct generally condemns harassment between players, either in speech or the content they create. But sexism is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the text. "Racial, ethnic, and religious slurs," are forbidden, as is "content of a sexual nature" and "hate speech," but sexism—attacks based on gender—are not explicitly mentioned. [/quote] [QUOTE=Mr. Smartass;38278989]Wow. People seriously need to learn to get thicker skin.[/QUOTE] - white male who isn't harassed consistently online god forbid people are punished for being utter cunts in an online social setting. clearly having some regulation for your conduct in a multiplayer video game will be the downfall of society and free speech

[QUOTE=koeniginator;38279134][url]http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/566429325/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games/posts/247064[/url] ?????[/QUOTE] I was referring to a developer.

[QUOTE=mopman999;38279003]thank god im tired of all the girls picking on me[/QUOTE] But it's perfectly okay for women to make sexist jokes on men, just not the other way around. - Women

[QUOTE=Corporal Yippie;38279141]you're serious[/QUOTE] Uh, there are whole threads dedicated to porn? Dragon porn? Drugs?

Someone in a game made fun of me! :'(

[QUOTE=Mr. Smartass;38279110]They've already added a mute system and if I remember correctly, repeatedly harassing people will get you a temporary ban from xbox live.[/QUOTE] Muting does not stop sexist comments, just your ability to hear them. They are trying to make behavioral changes here, which is a cool idea but I can't see it realistically doing a lot because sexism is a problem ingrained in society. And I really doubt that a lot of people get banned for harassment, and I'm sure that does nothing to stop them