Jerks Online
Current Mood: Frustrated
Category: Disappointed Games

Posted by GR8 Anhialator:

Yesterday, I asked the GR8 kids if it was my imagination, or, if it was true that more and more people online, in the multiplayer gaming community (specifically XBOX Live), were getting meaner and more hateful toward us. Each of them said that, "people are getting meaner."

Remember that The Gr8 Clan is a group of children known as The Greats, aged from 8 years to 16 years old, chaperoned by GR8 Anhialator (sic). And we play to have fun. Yet, there is an increasing number of foul-mouthed males (different ones each day--proving my theory that more and more people are slipping into "hate" mode) who take it upon themselves to hurl vile insults, and even threats, at a group of children and women.

I've telephoned XBOX Live regarding this matter, and they responded by telling me that there was nothing that could be done.

Currently, the XBOX Live "feedback" system is set up for people to file complaints against abusers. However, abusers can also file false complaints against people like myself, and the children in The GR8 Clan, which has happened, after I've booted someone out of my room for threatening a litany of sexual crimes against me and/or my GR8 kids. It gets worse when that first guy has a bunch of his little trolls in the room with him, because once he has been booted, all of his friends simultaneously hurl filthy words and vile threats at us. After I've cleared the room, I can see how my "approval rating" among other gamers (XBOX Live's "feedback" system) has slipped another notch, or two.

I called XBOX Live, and brought this to the attention of the lady on the other end of the line, explaining to her that I have to run my own room to keep it clean and fun, but that these creatures were giving me bad feedback when I refuse to tolerate their horrendous attacks. I asked her if their system could allow enough evil-doers to get a do-gooder banned from XBOX Live. Her response was, "Yes, it could."

I told her that my clan is a group of children, and that these jerks come in and call us names as soon as they hear the kids' voices over the headsets. They call us names when we lose, and they call us names when we win. I'm not talking about schoolyard names here, I'm talking about street-slang, gang-banging hateful names, usually referencing genitalia or degrading sex acts.

Every day, I find myself hosting a room while entertaining the kids-answering their questions, asking if their homework is finished during the school-year, asking how their day was, commenting on their increased gaming skills and teamwork, as well as being attentive to what is being said in the room, accepting and sending private chats while searching for a suitable clan for us to battle, which requires online searches, private chats, IM's in 3 different forms, getting agreements from opposing clan leaders that their members will not use trash-talk or use improper language during the battle as I will have children as young as 8 years old in there, all of this while I must move my own character in the game. A lot of the offenders are clever enough to bypass me and send foul messages to my kids. This is infuriating.

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