Vocal Harassment of Women and Children in Xbox Live

[Atari]

WomenGamers.Com contributor Geek Woman communicated with the leader of the GR8 Clan, an Xbox Live clan comprised of moms and kids who have been battling online harassment on the popular console.

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.

[Johnvanjim]

You've got a great group of kids there, and major kudos to you for trying to keep them away from the filth that comes across on Live.

I just wanted to say that there are pools of decency to be found in the swamp known as Xbox live, and I certainly hope that Microsoft pays some attention and gets serious about giving us proper tools to defend ourselves against the vocal majority.

[Calisto]

Which is exactly the main reason that we do not have XBox Live.

[GR8_Anhialator]

JohnVanJim,

Thank you so much for your kind remarks. I believe the technology exists right now, which would allow more user-control over hosts running their own rooms on XBOXLive. Actually, I know it does.

GR8 Anhialator

[YuffietheGreat]

Sorry... cat is about to get on my last nerves. Else I'd post earlier.

[YuffietheGreat]

I think now a days its going to be harder to shield everyone (especially children) from that filth and the sad thing is that some of those trash talkers are kids. You just have to use common sense when dealing with them. But you're right the technology does exist but there are people who though they try to keep up with technology need assistance to set up the protection they need to game together.

[ISSI Grifter]

I just finished reading the article. To be honest, what you described happening online didn't surprise me. In reality, it isn't vocal harassment of women and children online. It's vocal harassment from one gamer towards another - regardless of their age or gender. Granted, kids with high pitched voices on an M rated game are walking targets. As well as women by hormonal imbalanced teenagers. But I've heard adults, as well as teens insult each other with the same language and comments. It doesn't mean that it's right. That's just how it is - until you can find other like minded gamers. Given the games that your clan is playing, their age, and the mass amount of adults (over 17) playing these games online - sad to say, that will be hard for you and your clan.

In regards about the rating system mentioned in the article, there was a small study done via OXM (Official Xbox Magazine) several months back about the rating/approval system, and what it took to get banned. The writer created a fake acct., went online, TK'd people, called them names (nothing vile), didn't play according to the rules, etc. and was never banned. He did talk to the person in charge of the XBL reports, and he stated that having a poor rating doesn't mean that you'll get a ban. When they read through the complaints filed, they said that they do follow up with them. But if they themselves don't hear it or see it - even following up on a complaint - they can't do anything. Now, if they get a ton of reports on someone doing much the same thing, then they said that action is most likely taken. So - the more people that report for the same infraction - the better.

GR8_Anhialator, I read the games that you and these 8-16 year old kids are playing. Yes, you're right - the ESRB does give them an M rating because of the content and can only suggest that the game be playable for 17+ . But even you have to admit, that the content in these games does involve a lot of excessive blood, gore, foul language and may even have some sexual content or situations. Something that I wouldn't let my own 7, 9 and 10 year old nephews play or hear. Now granted, I'm a firm believer that if a kid under the age of 17 is responsible enough to play an M rated game, given to them by their parents, and their parents are aware of the content in these games, then I think that it's great. Typically, these kids handle themselves better than most others older than themselves online. But I'm not thinking of these under 17'ers as 8 year olds. I'm thinking, 14, 15, 16.

Being that this is an M rated game, you're going to have instances where you're going to run into and hear adult language, and adults talking about adult things..drinking, smoking, being at the bar, talking about girls, talking about guys, etc.. There's almost no getting around it. But that doesn't mean that I agree with the slander and the comments that were directed at you and the kids by these individuals. For that, I am truly sorry. Nobody should ever be talked to like that - I don't care who you are. Please don't judge everyone by the rotten few online. The fact is, the majority of these people spewing their hate and insults would never say anything like that to someones face and live to tell about it.

I know that you're trying to find other clans to play you and your kids. The best that I can do is offer a few suggestions, as myself and our clan also play R6: Vegas.

There is a website called Gamer Angels. Here you can find a bunch of very friendly people that will be able to play you and your clan - not necessarily a clan match per se, but other like minded people that don't want the trash and smack talking and all the mass swearing. R6 and Gears and a few others are the most popular. Please check it out - I joined myself about a month ago, and it's a great seperation from all the crap online.

I don't know how many adults/kids are involved in your clan, but another option might be to break off into groups and play each other. Keep the rooms private.

Don't respond back to the asshats. Plain and simple. They want to rile you and get you to respond. That's wha tgets their rocks off. If a kid hears something that they shouldn't be hearing, just get the persons gamer tag, everyone do an ingame mute, then boot them and mark them as "Avoid". This will help in you not running into them again, and if you do - well, they're still muted from your last encounter - it works, believe me.

Before playing any kind of clan match - set up scrimmages with other clans to see how they play. This is a good way to see if they'll follow your rules before actually setting something up that "counts". Speaking from personal experience, if you're playing on GameBattles - good luck.

Another option (R6: Vegas) - in case you didn't know - is if you and the kids are playing by yourselves - just make it a private room, and only invite people on your friends list. Nobody can see your room publicly and join. They need to be invited.

Again, nobody should have to hear those kinds of insults and language in the game. I have run into my share and the majority of it on both the PS2 and the Xbox 360 - sad to say - does come from kids online. Especially on the Halo game. I only played that twice online and couldn't stand it. I turned it in after only owning it less than 48 hours. That's not to say that there aren't a few adults out there that are a couple of french fries short of a happy meal. It happens.

Feel free to add me to your Friends List (ISSI Grifter), I'm always looking for a fair, polite game.

[GR8 Jen]

Thanks for the nice comments. I just wanted to add that we do not encourage young kids to buy and play M rated games. Most of the kids in the GR8 Clan we met on games like GRAW, RB6 Vegas, and others. These kids would pop in and out of our rooms and the GR8 Clan just came to be what it is today and that is a clan that consists of some adults that watch out for these kids online. It is like a big brother big sister relationship. We have never gone out and looked for kids to join this clan, somehow they just find us.

Whether a game is rated E, T, or M no one should have to put up with some of the abuse that goes on online. I am not talking about the occassional competitive smack talk. I am talking about statements that are so disgusting and horrible I will not and cannot repeat them.

We always make are own rooms when online and when an individual comes into our room they are expected to be respectful of everyone. We do not tolerate discrimination or racism. If they can't deal with these rules then they get the boot.

The GR8 Clan has been around since 2003, and hope to be around for the kids for years to come.

[Gizka]

Just read the article. I think it's great people form groups like this, having adults to watch over it and all, and I too wished there were more measures Microsoft would take to warn the evil-doers on-line. And I fear Windows Live will become exactly the same in that respect.

[Ace Tankkiller]

Maybe giving you the option to make specific rooms for non swearing people?And having severe punishments if they disobey the rules in these rooms?Not a very good idea,but it is an idea.I would also think they would be able to design like some kind of program that bleeps out swear words.They have some for TV,but I think they work off close captioning.I would think they would be able to design something that would work though with all the technology they have.

[Gizka]

Maybe giving you the option to make specific rooms for non swearing people?And having severe punishments if they disobey the rules in these rooms?Not a very good idea,but it is an idea.I would also think they would be able to design like some kind of program that bleeps out swear words.They have some for TV,but I think they work off close captioning.I would think they would be able to design something that would work though with all the technology they have.

Well, that sure sounds good, but also very demanding for the hardware. Imagine how much processes the game servers wood have to make to just send and receive real-time voice chat messages! With over a million users on-line at the time.

[Ace Tankkiller]

Maybe giving you the option to make specific rooms for non swearing people?And having severe punishments if they disobey the rules in these rooms?Not a very good idea,but it is an idea.I would also think they would be able to design like some kind of program that bleeps out swear words.They have some for TV,but I think they work off close captioning.I would think they would be able to design something that would work though with all the technology they have.

Well, that sure sounds good, but also very demanding for the hardware. Imagine how much processes the game servers wood have to make to just send and receive real-time voice chat messages! With over a million users on-line at the time.

I meant client side,not server side.Server defianitely be too much work.

[LifelongGamer]

I like the idea of designated "nice-only" chat rooms. While I'm sure there are gamers who deliberately target young-sounding voices, there may also be some who just like to trash-talk against other (apparent) adults. I know my own vocabulary is courser in real-world locations where I don't expect any kids to be around (bars, work, etc.). Hanging a "kidz present" sign might inform well-meaning trash-talkers that sensitive ears populate the channel.

OTOH, those signs may also draw griefers like a moth to a flame. To say nothing of... worse online predators. Hmm.

AS far as software-enabled curse-word filtering, that's pretty much impossible. Vocal recognition requires that the software be "trained" on the user's voice, since people say words and phrases at different speeds, tones, and inflections. Absent training (or people speaking in clear, crisp voices), the software would be highly buggy, blipping out random bits of conversation. To say nothing of the lead time required to edit (no more live chats), the vast array of slang insults in English and other languages, as well as the fact that you can make filthy suggestions without ever uttering a "curse" word.

I really think this type of thing can only be addressed with consumer service reps making highly visible judgments:

Say Microsoft has twenty or so reps on call at all times. When a user is feeling harassed, he or she signals a rep to come visit the channel. 9 out of 10 times, the reps are too busy... but 10% of the time, one invisibly appears on the channel, listens in for a while, and metes out punishment as appropriate-- anything from suspending a user's chat privileges for a week to canceling his or her XBL account entirely. Needless to say, "crying wolf" might also result in a penalty.

Of course, penalizing your own customers is highly problematic from a business perspective. Perhaps the reps would only be available on kid-friendly rooms? That would cut down on Microsoft's costs as well. Alternately, entering kid-friendly chats may require some nominal fee (say, $2 per year) to cover costs. Or an even higher fee ($10/ year?), which would keep out gamers with no interest in such rooms.

[mAlice in Wonderland]

The sad thing is the people hide behind anonymity on line just like those jerks that cut you on the highway. When there are little to no consquences for their actions - it tends to bring out the worst in some people.

[Brummbar]

I don't think there's enough racism online.