War of Words

[TOW-19]

War of Words

Gamers Split on How to Take Aim at Digital Hate Speech

Article from Chicago RedEye 04.19.10

 

Spokane, WA

It's not just cyberbullets that are exchanged during firefights on the Xbox Live version of "Call of Duty."

 

Many gamers also exchange hate speech over their headsets as they stalk each other across the virtual battlefields. Players trade racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic insults so frequently that game makers are taking steps to tone down the rhetoric.

 

One gamer told an opponent he presumed to be Jewish that he wished Hitler had succeeded in his mission. Many exchanges involve the talk of rape or exult over the atomic bombing of Japan. There are frequent slurs on homosexuals, Asians, Hispanics and women.

 

Such comments can be heard on all online video gaming systems, including Playstation Network, Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft) and others.

 

"Personally, I don't do a lot of online gaming for that reason," said Flynn DeMarco, founder of the Web site gaygamer.net, which has worked with Microsoft and other companies on steps to clean up online gaming. "I don't play with anybody I don't already know."

 

DeMarco said hate speech has been a problem for years. Game makers, despite some serious efforts, can only seek to limit the amount.

 

"A lot of the problem lies within the players themselves," DeMarco said.

 

The widespread use of the slurs is partly fueled by the same anonymity that provides cover for abuse throughout cyberspace. Players can compete with people thousands of miles away and know them only by fictional "gamer tags"they use to identify themselves.

 

After years of tolerating abusive players, gamers have become more diligent about noting the gamer tags of abusive players and reporting them to game companies. Abusive players can be punished or even banned, but the process is slow. "It's a baby steps kind of thing, DeMarco said.

 

Microsoft, maker of the Xbox 360, has taken numerous steps to clean up the language on its Live service, which is by far the biggest online gaming service with some 23 million members.

 

Stephen Toulouse, director of policy and enforcement for Microsoft's Xbox Live service, heads a team charged with providing a safe and enjoyable experience for customers. "There is always a subset of humanity that goes toward miscreant behavior," Toulouse said. With 1 million to 2 million players online at any one time, most of the policing falls on other users who report hate speech to the company, he said.

[Nikastylez]

I can definitely agree with this. People in these games go way too far and start talking shit for no reason. I've noticed that it does tend to happen more when you are running with several clan mates and all have the same clan tag. People love taking jabs at clans.

 

I think there is a very simple solution to all of this though and I think its a feature that would use all the time: Add the option of allowing only friends to chat with you in game. This way, you would never hear anyone else in public rooms and for the most part, I really don't care to hear anyone else. All they will do is talk shit anyways and I usually have 5 other guys with me in public rooms so its already guys on my friend's list and there's no need for me to chat with the opposing team.

[Hellraiser]

Xbox has that kind of option.. you get into the chat room and everything else is muted you can only talk with them. if i remember right there was people i had to add to the friend list for them to be able to hear me.

good thing about that option was that in Search and Destroy in MW2 the xbox disabled that option so you cant talk after you're dead.

 

the mute is there.. in MW2 as soon as i enter a room i mute everyone. in socom well you cant in game which sucks, you can only mute them in the lobby.

 

i say. fuck'em. why should it bother you what people say over the mic.? i just plain ignore them and keep on.

[Nikastylez]

Yeah... the ignoring part is easy... but it's annoying!!! lol The funny thing is that it's always someone else that just starts talking smack for no reason. We don't say a word to anyone else in the lobbies aside from gg and gl, but there's alway that one person that just needs to start running his mouth for no reason. And it gets even worse when they lose badly... oh you should hear the excuses as to why they lost and how we still "suck" even though we won by a big margin lol

[RageDiesel]

i don't see how people can seriously get so upset over what someone is saying that they don't even know. All it really is is smack talk taken to another level and that because your not face to face with the person. if you don't like it then mute people or don't play with a headset. as long as little kids are playing games online you will never be able to play any game and not hear it so it's pointless for people to constantly complain about the speech in online gaming. it's never gonna change so if you can't learn to mute and ignore the immature people with mics then don't play online at all.

[Nikastylez]

i don't see how people can seriously get so upset over what someone is saying that they don't even know. All it really is is smack talk taken to another level and that because your not face to face with the person. if you don't like it then mute people or don't play with a headset. as long as little kids are playing games online you will never be able to play any game and not hear it so it's pointless for people to constantly complain about the speech in online gaming. it's never gonna change so if you can't learn to mute and ignore the immature people with mics then don't play online at all.

 

I also complain about the heavy traffic in the mornings on my way to work. Does this mean I should quit my job, sell my car and stay at home 24/7?

[RageDiesel]

Nikastylez ]

i don't see how people can seriously get so upset over what someone is saying that they don't even know. All it really is is smack talk taken to another level and that because your not face to face with the person. if you don't like it then mute people or don't play with a headset. as long as little kids are playing games online you will never be able to play any game and not hear it so it's pointless for people to constantly complain about the speech in online gaming. it's never gonna change so if you can't learn to mute and ignore the immature people with mics then don't play online at all.

 

I also complain about the heavy traffic in the mornings on my way to work. Does this mean I should quit my job, sell my car and stay at home 24/7?

lol. i complain about gas prices so i guess i should sell my car and ride a bike. that is something completely different lmao.

[TOW-19]

i don't see how people can seriously get so upset over what someone is saying that they don't even know. All it really is is smack talk taken to another level and that because your not face to face with the person. if you don't like it then mute people or don't play with a headset. as long as little kids are playing games online you will never be able to play any game and not hear it so it's pointless for people to constantly complain about the speech in online gaming. it's never gonna change so if you can't learn to mute and ignore the immature people with mics then don't play online at all.

 

I don't think my attention was caught on this article because I was viewing it in a me-me-me/ how-can-the-world-make-MY-life-better perspective.

Rather, I was reading this article (and I believe it was in the vein in which it was written) that it's appalling to see what the anonymity of online gaming licenses "normal" everyday people to become once they are not in front of someone.

 

I have met people in life that just seemed like normal people.

Out in a group, out for a beer, the topic of games comes up and what do you know...1 or 2 of them play Socom or Modern Warfare or something. The entire night they seemed normal. Acted normal. Spoke normally.

But then I met them online in a room, mid-round, and you hear how they speak when they don't think someone they know is listening....and that's when you hear them dropping the "faggots" and the "niggers" and the "fucking Jews" and the "fuck your mother silly, bitch" comments.

And you think to yourself...."that's NOT the dude I was talking to the other week."

 

I have no evidence of this, but I am of the mind that over half of the players who speak like this on the mic do not speak like this in their regular lives.

They don't speak this way at school.

They don't speak this way at work.

They don't speak this way with their girlfriends/wives/kids.

But when they feel that their environment is anonymous enough where their given name will not be judged, then they become the person they evidently WANT to be...but can't. Because of whatever social environments they depend on to upkeep their existence.

 

That, really, is the heart of this matter.

It's not what you HEAR.

It's what's being SAID.

 

My interpretation.

[xPUDDYTATx]

Undertow ]

 

I have no evidence of this, but I am of the mind that over half of the players who speak like this on the mic do not speak like this in their regular lives.

They don't speak this way at school.

They don't speak this way at work.

They don't speak this way with their girlfriends/wives/kids.

But when they feel that their environment is anonymous enough where their given name will not be judged, then they become the person they evidently WANT to be...but can't. Because of whatever social environments they depend on to upkeep their existence.

 

 

 

what you said here made me laugh tow. i think of all the foul mouthed 12 year olds i hear in game every night. im pretty sure that they dont talk this way in front of parents or teachers, but in their rooms on thier headsets its enough to make a sailor blush.

[IRISH BULL]

And the worst part, its these guys talking shit.

 

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

dont forget these sexi ppl

 

 

 

 

 

[TOW-19]

Yeah...those are the easy targets.

Sadly, though, I think a great portion of them are just regular lookin' folks like you and me.

That's kind of the disappointing reality of it.

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

it shows ppls true natures most ppl in society will sit there and commit murder if they knew they could get away with it as they know they can get away sayin the things they say online. did a study of it in sociology just this semester. the numbers are redic

[RageDiesel]

depends where and what time of day you complete the murder lol. happens all the time in the news. someone gets killed and they don't know who did it. but I don't plan on ever killing someone unless it was self defense.

[xPUDDYTATx]

wow...hey NAME HERE you ignorant fucking retard. let me fill you in on something...one of my best friends is a 58 year old gentleman that loves to play video games. he doesnt game online, but religiousley plays video games for the single player and split screen options. my friend also has a medical condition that has led to extreme obesity in his life. now, other than the beard, the first picture you poisted looks very much like my friend when he plays. he does wear a tshirt and sweats, but if you ever met him you would be the first to admit he is probably one of the nicest guys you ever met in your life...

 

...thank god im not...this thread had to deal with the things you hear online. the things that come through your headset. you wanna post a picture like that and think your gonna turn a semi serious thread into some fucking heyday bullshit jokefest for you? take it to one of your other multitude of threads dumbfuck. how many people are registered members at urgent fury? how many may resemble the pic you posted and take offense to what you did? YOU DONT FUCKING CARE!!!!! cuz your the perfect player, the perfect poster, and the perfect fucking member of this community. go back to youtube, go back to your mindless drivvle, and stop trying to post anything of any fucking substance here, because you have none dude. your fucking stupid, so leave your comments for the countless stupid threads here and stay out of any that have any kind of intelligence in them.

[meauxpack]

xPUDDYTATx ]

wow...hey NAME HERE you ignorant fucking retard. let me fill you in on something...one of my best friends is a 58 year old gentleman that loves to play video games. he doesnt game online, but religiousley plays video games for the single player and split screen options. my friend also has a medical condition that has led to extreme obesity in his life. now, other than the beard, the first picture you poisted looks very much like my friend when he plays. he does wear a tshirt and sweats, but if you ever met him you would be the first to admit he is probably one of the nicest guys you ever met in your life...

 

...thank god im not...this thread had to deal with the things you hear online. the things that come through your headset. you wanna post a picture like that and think your gonna turn a semi serious thread into some fucking heyday bullshit jokefest for you? take it to one of your other multitude of threads dumbfuck. how many people are registered members at urgent fury? how many may resemble the pic you posted and take offense to what you did? YOU DONT FUCKING CARE!!!!! cuz your the perfect player, the perfect poster, and the perfect fucking member of this community. go back to youtube, go back to your mindless drivvle, and stop trying to post anything of any fucking substance here, because you have none dude. your fucking stupid, so leave your comments for the countless stupid threads here and stay out of any that have any kind of intelligence in them.

 

Damn dude, overreact much? SxB has had a pretty strong showing on these forums lately...

[xPUDDYTATx]

yes pack, i overreact a lot. especially when i see a place i love flooded by one person that thinks i need to see every new video posted on you tube linked to this forum. especially when i see someone that i respect and admire post a serious thread, and that one particular individual post some bullshit nonsense in it that really didtn need to ne there just cuz he cant add anything intelligent to the conversation. sometimes people just need to know when to post and when to shut the fuck up

 

 

and yes, SxB HAS had quite the showing lately...but if you would take a minute to read and do a hint of research, you will see that FORMER members just run their mouths wildy, while some of us that have been around a while speak when we feel strongly, speak with a hint of inteligence, and try like hell to speak to the point

[Hellraiser]

meauxpack ]

 

Damn dude, overreact much? SxB has had a pretty strong showing on these forums lately...

 

2x

 

holy crap dude.. chill... he was just joking on the usual stereotype. i know that many could take offense on that picture cause we have to face the fact that there's a lot of people here that might resemble the one in the pictures so we should take that into consideration before posting pictures or making jokes. still that's no reason to jump on like that and wipe your ass with him. There's a lot of people that saw that pictured and LOL or giggled so they also thought it was funny so it's not just him.

 

xPUDDYTATx ]

you will see that FORMER members just run their mouths wildy, while some of us that have been around a while speak when we feel strongly, speak with a hint of inteligence, and try like hell to speak to the point

 

xPUDDYTATx ]

 

 

...thank god im not...this thread had to deal with the things you hear online. the things that come through your headset. you wanna post a picture like that and think your gonna turn a semi serious thread into some fucking heyday bullshit jokefest for you? take it to one of your other multitude of threads dumbfuck. how many people are registered members at urgent fury? how many may resemble the pic you posted and take offense to what you did? YOU DONT FUCKING CARE!!!!! cuz your the perfect player, the perfect poster, and the perfect fucking member of this community.go back to youtube, go back to your mindless drivvle, and stop trying to post anything of any fucking substance here, because you have none dude. your fucking stupid, so leave your comments for the countless stupid threads here and stay out of any that have any kind of intelligence in them.

 

i dont believe that's the best example of not running your mouth wildly and speaking with inteligence. all that seemed unnecessary IMO!

 

[John]

Ok, Im not amused with either what Lucky posted or what Puddy said. Lucky, you should know better than to post pictures of people caught in misfortunate photo ops. As a Ranger, you should expect to hear from Goat about this.

 

Puddy, I hear your side and get what you are saying. I also understand emotion taking control of your keyboard. But as well, you should know better. You should have just hit the report button in the thread and stated your case to us. I will get back to you soon.

 

This topic wont be locked, BUT, it will stay clean. and I will delete the pictures.

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

You have my sincerest apologies I meant absolutely no offense with the pictures. They were simply the first pictures on google images that i pulled up. If i could take back the pictures i would.

[meauxpack]

I don't get what the big deal with the pictures is? It seems fairly innocuous. If we can't post anything on here that anyone may get offended by for any reason, the forums will be pretty dead. I could understand if they actually were pictures of a forum member or something (as it would then be a personal attack), but they are just generic pictures of overweight dudes doing nerdy things in huge tighty whities. That shit is funny, i don't care who you are. The funny part of those pictures was that they were hanging out in their chonies getting their nerd on, not that they're fat. Put clothes on em and its not so funny. And though Name Here is a post whore of biblical proportions, there is a ZERO percent chance that any disrespect was intended to anyone by it, and, frankly, that should have been recognized. If you are trying to project that posting to some attack on all overweight, video game playing people, you'll spend a lot of time pissed off.

[Playerdown]

Yeah, and puddy your sig offends me. I have a cat that tries to peek at my wife like that!

 

[IRISH BULL]

meauxpack ]

I don't get what the big deal with the pictures is? It seems fairly innocuous. If we can't post anything on here that anyone may get offended by for any reason, the forums will be pretty dead. I could understand if they actually were pictures of a forum member or something (as it would then be a personal attack), but they are just generic pictures of overweight dudes doing nerdy things in huge tighty whities. That shit is funny, i don't care who you are. The funny part of those pictures was that they were hanging out in their chonies getting their nerd on, not that they're fat. Put clothes on em and its not so funny. And though Name Here is a post whore of biblical proportions, there is a ZERO percent chance that any disrespect was intended to anyone by it, and, frankly, that should have been recognized. If you are trying to project that posting to some attack on all overweight, video game playing people, you'll spend a lot of time pissed off.

 

Actually, one of those guys IS ME? I'm soo embarrassed. Thanks a lot Name_Here.

 

 

 

;D

[Chili327]

Undertow ]

I don't think my attention was caught on this article because I was viewing it in a me-me-me/ how-can-the-world-make-MY-life-better perspective.

Rather, I was reading this article (and I believe it was in the vein in which it was written) that it's appalling to see what the anonymity of online gaming licenses "normal" everyday people to become once they are not in front of someone.

 

I have met people in life that just seemed like normal people.

Out in a group, out for a beer, the topic of games comes up and what do you know...1 or 2 of them play Socom or Modern Warfare or something. The entire night they seemed normal. Acted normal. Spoke normally.

But then I met them online in a room, mid-round, and you hear how they speak when they don't think someone they know is listening....and that's when you hear them dropping the "faggots" and the "niggers" and the "fucking Jews" and the "fuck your mother silly, bitch" comments.

And you think to yourself...."that's NOT the dude I was talking to the other week."

 

I have no evidence of this, but I am of the mind that over half of the players who speak like this on the mic do not speak like this in their regular lives.

They don't speak this way at school.

They don't speak this way at work.

They don't speak this way with their girlfriends/wives/kids.

But when they feel that their environment is anonymous enough where their given name will not be judged, then they become the person they evidently WANT to be...but can't. Because of whatever social environments they depend on to upkeep their existence.

 

That, really, is the heart of this matter.

It's not what you HEAR.

It's what's being SAID.

 

My interpretation.

Excellent outlook.!!

 

Is it there true identity.?

Is it something that builds up that they need to let out.?

Is it how they want to be.? (like putting on a costume)

Is it just exciting to be opposite of who you are in reality.?

 

Where/what will this lead to in the future..? THAT is what scares me.

 

I have thought about trying the option of only being able to communicate with friends, but it's bad for wars (cant say GG), & its like giving in to the terrorist.. which is what they really are.!! ;D

[RNG187]

This is all hooplah, I have no clue what they're talking about.