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[DeafTourette]

Good. When I had my 360, almost everytime I got online for something like CoD or Halo, I'd hear "N-word" this or "N-word" that. A couple of times I'd be in a squad and my own team (randoms in a group) would turn on me and tell "die N-word!" Or something to that effect. Must have figured I was black by my tone when I'd say a certain thing.

Turned me off from online FPS and group chat since most of my friends aren't online gamers. Plus, it's annoying having to mute everyone saying racist epithets... I get upset when I hear racist words aimed at Latinos, Asians, whites, etc. It gets tiring fighting back against it often.

 

[DeafTourette]

They (same type of people) did the same to my homegirl... Just piled on and turned on her ... Killing her character and calling a "N-word whore" and other names. Saying other vile things I won't utter here.

She finally found a group of friends who also play online so she hasn't had the problem for a while.

 

[Mista]

Same happened to my girlfriend. We were playing left 4 dead 2 on Xbox online and some asshole kept joining our game and killing us constantly. She messaged him 'cunt', must have been reported cause her Xbox live was banned...it really upset her as we just saved up enough to get her Gold as well so we could play together

):

It just pisses you off. But if you report him nothing will happen to him

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Good. When I had my 360, almost everytime I got online for something like CoD or Halo, I'd hear "N-word" this or "N-word" that. A couple of times I'd be in a squad and my own team (randoms in a group) would turn on me and tell "die N-word!" Or something to that effect. Must have figured I was black by my tone when I'd say a certain thing.

Turned me off from online FPS and group chat since most of my friends aren't online gamers. Plus, it's annoying having to mute everyone saying racist epithets... I get upset when I hear racist words aimed at Latinos, Asians, whites, etc. It gets tiring fighting back against it often.

I'm sure you know this, but party chat is a god send. I make a party for just myself if I'm playing solo with randos and you never here anyone. Takes the hassle out of individual muting people. For me, unless I'm playing with friends I don't want to chat with anyone even if they're polite. Really, I don't do much MP gaming any more period as I just play games to relax and escape. It's my "me time" and I generally don't want to be chatting with people (even friends) when doing it. I'm pretty introverted, yet have a social job and fairly active social circle so I need to recharge alone often and gaming is my main outlet for that.

 

[MrCunningham]

The Xbox is a closed platform. Microsoft can moderate it anyway they choose. You are on their servers. Their legal team just doesn't want to deal with offended people who may threaten to take MS to court over things they, or their children heard over XBL. This is just Microsoft looking out for their better interests.

 

[NickFire]

I don't really think it's that outrageous that they want to police people being shitty. Obviously, I'd hope they draw the line somewhere reasonable. Either way, it has nothing to do with free speech; that's limited to government curtailing your rights, not a private party like MS.

They are not really a private party anymore. They are a publicly traded (owned) conglomerate that touches the lives of almost every single modern American in one way or another, and they are in bed with multiple (I assume) governments around the world. Also, anyone paying attention knows how much power entities like these have to control the exchange of information and shape conversations.

Let's be real for a minute. The digital age is not ending any time soon (or ever most likely). And that means the power of these entities to control the exchange of information will continue to grow, grow, grow. They might not be the government per se, but they unquestionably have the power to tilt the scales that determine who will be the government. It is absolutely vital to make them respect free speech if the Bill of Rights is going to mean anything much longer. They are now the rich people living near the ocean of free speech. Sure, the public has the right to access the high water mark down. But good luck getting to it once the rich people make the roads leading there all say no parking, and all pathways there say no trespassing.