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Banned, For That!?

No, not me, but my brother just got the hammer for something unimaginable.

"Everyone has AIDS!
My grandma and my dog 'ol blue (AIDS AIDS AIDS)
The pope has got it and so do you (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
C'mon everybody we got quilting to do (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
We gotta break down these baricades, everyone has
AIDS!" - Team America

By now, I'm sure you've seen the movie created and performed by the creators of South Park. Chances are, if you're reading this website, you enjoyed it. I know I did - so, did my brother for that matter. So much so, that he used the quote "Everyone has AIDS" as his tagline on his Xbox Live account.

He was provided quite the shock today upon popping in his review copy of Fight Night Champion. Due to his tagline, he's received a complete ban of his Gold account (offensive material), without warning.

I'm honestly in disbelief. I can understand it being offensive if you aren't familiar with the reference, but a permanent ban without a warning? That just makes no sense.

Thankfully for him, he was smart enough to get on the phone with Microsoft and bargain them down to a 24 hour ban. They offered some leniency because his tagline was a quote from a very popular movie. But the principle still stands. How on earth can Microsoft justify banning his account for something so trivial?

As it stands, he's not sure who exactly he offended or why, but reporting him was likely a retaliation for something unrelated to his tagline. And this is the real shame.

This simple act could've invalidated his account that he has had since getting the Xbox 360 shortly after launch. Gamer points, games, DLC, and all, right down the drain.

Honestly, Microsoft, I don't get it.


 

Comments

Our Take

Nick DiMola Director

03/08/2011 at 08:33 PM

This is completely unrelated, but my Mother and Grandmother are currently watching the show "Glee." I had no idea what the show was, nor have I ever seen it, but right now I have headphones in so don't have to hear the awful music. I can't even begin to understand why this show is popular or how people can tolerate listening to it.

Stanton Daries Staff Alumnus

03/08/2011 at 09:01 PM

Honestly, at the risk of being labeled a Microsoft fanboy I am on their side. You are given the rules when you signup to the service, if you don't want to follow them you get punished.

I just got into this over a NCAA Basketball player being banned when he joined the team knowing the rules.

Chris Mabrey Staff Alumnus

03/08/2011 at 11:03 PM

I think they should have at least warned him first, presuming this type of thing hasn't happened before.

(As for Glee? Yeah.)

Matt R Staff Alumnus

03/09/2011 at 01:37 AM

lol

Nick DiMola Director

03/09/2011 at 06:13 AM

@Stanton

You really are the worst.

First of all, this is pretty firmly in a grey area. He has had the tagline on there for 4 or so years with no complaints and the tagline itself doesn't really insult anyone offhand. Maybe someone got angry because they had AIDS? I don't know, but it seems like a thin argument at best.

Nevertheless, for something so innocuous he should've just gotten a warning and been asked to remove the tagline. Next time he did it, they could possibly take a firmer stance, but for a first time offense, that's a bit extreme.

Stanton Daries Staff Alumnus

03/09/2011 at 09:18 AM

Hate all you want, if you play in the system you have to play by the rules no matter how idiotic they are. It probably went down exactly like you think it did, someone complained and Microsoft had to respond. I don't see how you think it is a gray area when they use the phrase like "hint at".

"Create a Gamertag, avatar 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 or relate to any of the following: profane words/phrases, topics or content of a sexual nature, hate speech (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities;"

Now I'm not saying I agree with the rules, especially when you have 12 year olds running around using every racial slur possible on a daily basis. But they are there, and they haven't changed on a monthly basis like some other consoles out there.

Nick DiMola Director

03/09/2011 at 09:32 AM

I'd say that pretty much confirms how grey this is. Is "Everyone has AIDS" hinting at sexual activity? Probably not. On basis, I don't think that the phrase was meant to offend other members, which Microsoft did agree with when my brother called them. Sounds to me like a knee jerk reaction to a silly complaint.

I have a big problem with Microsoft just instabanning members who have been paying customers and caused no problems for four years. State all you want how this disobeys the rules (I think it's pretty borderline, if anything), but when someone has endorsed your company for four years, then randomly gets a complaint, not about conduct but about their tagline, they at least deserve the benefit of the doubt.

What Microsoft did is prove to my brother that they don't value his business. Even worse, they are causing financial harm at that point by deactivating his account. "Oh, thanks for your XBL subscription for the next 2 years, also for all of your DLC and downloaded games!"

Forget right and wrong, this is just bad business.

vudu

03/10/2011 at 08:59 AM

Does anyone who comment here NOT work at PixlBit? (Besides me.)

Nick DiMola Director

03/10/2011 at 10:17 AM

Yes... then they applied and were subsequently hired to work here.

Nate Hascup Staff Alumnus

03/10/2011 at 08:48 PM

Maxi too. And you can't forget the 'Anonymous Gang'.

Matt McLennan Staff Alumnus

03/12/2011 at 12:47 AM

PixlBit is stealing us all. =D

Maxi

03/12/2011 at 09:43 AM

Yeah I still comment here. I'm kinda surprised to see vudu over here since I haven't seen him over on the other forum.

On to this topic at hand I really haven't been banned from any place. I tend to try to be nice to everyone.

On to the topic at hand. I think if you didn't get the reference than it would be pretty offensive. I have no idea how many spaces there is to the tagline but if there was room if I was in Nick's brothers situation I would have put -Team America after the quote from the movie. Probably would have resolved any confusion on the quote.

Kathrine Theidy Staff Alumnus

03/12/2011 at 08:16 PM

I haven't seen the movie, but I have heard quotes such as that, and I have to say the movie sounds absolutely terrible. It's clearly all shock value, one of the lowest forms of "comedy," you'd have to be stoned or braindead to think that's funny.

It doesn't mean the guy should be banned for using a quote as his tagline, though, especially if it's been there for four years with no action taken. But considering that you can be banned simply by stating in your profile that you're gay, I can't say I'm surprised.

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