EDIT: I would like to make it clear that my intention here is to discuss how 343 handles bans in terms of harassment. This is not about any harassment I have received. I mention my experience with toxic behavior below to preface what my experience is with that stuff and how I handle it.
Little preface, as you might be able to tell from my username that I’m trans, and it attracts a lot of toxic behavior. I wouldn’t have set it as this if I couldn’t take it. I am very thorough when it comes to reporting and blocking/muting unacceptable behavior, providing screen caps and such.
I just hope 343 takes this stuff seriously and permabans people for using incredibly incendiary language in game. I’m not exactly reporting players for saying, “F- you!” Here. I tend to approach it with scrutiny.
On the flip side I think this community, for the vast majority of it, is full of a lot of cool, friendly people that just want to chill and have a successful match. Let’s keep it that way. I don’t want this to look like the COD community.
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Game is free to play, even if they get banned, they’ll make another account.
Xbox as a whole does seem to try, but there’s just too many.
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I feel like there are ways to circumvent that. Such as auto moderation and putting a 24-hour message ban on new free players. Regardless I feel like the loss of all of one’s progress and purchases are a good precedent.
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The gaming community needs to be open to people of all genders, orientations, ages and races. To achieve a genuinely inclusive culture though a lot of work has to be done.
I think Microsoft are probably leading the pack, their Xbox adaptive controller has enabled many less abled players to enjoy gaming, games like the latest Forza Horizon allow players to set pronouns, name, character model and voice all independent of each other.
Hopefully Microsoft and all their game studios will continue to improve things.
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Bigots deserve to know when a trans girl kicks their butt. I like how you immediately assume that this is all I have to my identity, and not just a superfluous effect of my desire to trigger people when I stomp them.
I have never complained when someone makes being a straight heterosexual man their primary characteristic. I don’t care, and believe me, it happens way more with the hets than is does the transes.
People that don’t give a hoot don’t write four paragraphs about how they don’t give a hoot.
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Why shouldn’t they get to decide on their own gamer tag and how they define themselves? Shouldn’t everyone be able to make those choices for themselves?
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I actually see the guys point. Some people will latch on to whatever ammunition they can to talk trash, whatever they think will hurt the person the most. I could name myself BamaFan for example and I’m sure I’d get plenty of trash for that.
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Sure, and I get that a lot of people romanticize the days when online gaming was the wild west, full of sweaty pre-teen boys screaming the N word while their mom tries to sleep, but I somehow feel like the online space is better when it is not that.
EDIT: I’m not saying that is what you are saying. I’m just trying to clarify my desire when it comes to this topic.
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I can totally understand the question of ‘is it wise to make yourself a target?’ but then we’re kinda approaching a blame the victim mindset. We aren’t where we need to be as a culture so there will be pain points along the way but I’d rather people just be civil to others than people have to hide who they are.
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I don’t think banning is the answer. Understanding about trans for example… is the real answer. Say myself… I would have insulted them 15 years ago when I was in school due to pure ignorance. Having learned about them, I have no qualms. But, do I still curse? trash talk? make se.x innuendos? Hell yes. And are trans spared from that? nope. Just like anyone else, they can get it. I mean… I hope I don’t get banned for saying S My D… I will stop if that’s the case. But, it makes me sad I can’t talk about genitalia. Why not? … {sigh}
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There is definitely a line between banter, trash talk and harassment. It is though a line that I suspect most people will draw differently and has shifted massively even in just the last 10 years.
What one person finds offensive someone else might take as a joke or even as something endearing. I think context and intent are hugely important but online those can be very difficult to understand.
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So maybe I’m just the last capitalist, but the fact of the matter is the platform, the servers, the services and the code are the property of Microsoft and 343 in their respective parts.
Think of Halo Infinite like the local McDonalds. I can’t go into the local McDonalds and start talking loudly about my junk and calling people the N-word, and if they wanted to kick me out for that behavior that is absolutely within their rights. The same goes for Halo Infinite.
They want their product to appeal to the largest swath of people to maximize profit, and part of that means keeping people in check, otherwise your average person might not come back for the McRib if they think a pre-teen is going to sexually harass them. I hope you followed the analogy.
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I literally open myself up to this with my username. Not hiding bruh.
I don’t care. I want the platform to be better by disallowing harassment. Keep up.
You seem like you’re belly aching right now.
There are instruments in place on the platform that are literally tooled towards curbing harassment. Just because we’re not talking about people with tire irons striking player’s kneecaps doesn’t mean we can’t be discussing what ought or ought-not be tolerated.
I have never once wondered that lol.
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I think that anime pic deserves more scrutiny than you being trans.
Overall I think if you are targeting in game-chat than 343i has the power to ban but if you get harassed in DM that’s on Xbox. Xbox already issues bans for mundane messages like “GG” if they are reported so it’s safe to say harassments get the ban hammer too.
Also, what does this have to do with Halo Infinite? The issue seems to be very vaguely tied.
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Ultimately words do have power. You can do harm to someone without physically hurting them and I can’t think of any country anywhere on Earth where freedom of speech equates to freedom from consequences.
I’m sure there will have been times in your life when someone has said something to you that has made you feel happy or sad, loved or hated, proud or afraid.
Surely within that context you’ll agree that someone shouldn’t have to be subjected to discriminatory abuse especially when trying to enjoy a game?
I’m sure you would probably enjoy your gaming experience less if you were the target of hurtful abuse.
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I am explicitly talking about in game communications. How pervasive harassing language is used impacts some user’s experience.
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For sure. It wasn’t clear in the OP, thanks for the comment.
Can’t you just mute them?
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Thanks for the critique. I added a little bit more to hopefully make myself clear.
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