Gamertag autochanged because my real name was banned; customer service refuses to waive fee ...

My gamertag was automatically changed because my real first name was added to a list of offensive terms. I'd like to choose a new gamertag for myself, but I don't want to pay ten dollars to comply with Microsoft's policy change towards my name. Customer
service tells me that there is nothing that I can do; I just have to pay.

I find this to be unacceptable.

In my case, the documentation shows the following things to be true:

(1) My choice of gamertag was made in good faith, with no intent to offend. Microsoft's records show that the term which has been deemed to be offensive is, in fact, my real name.

(2) I never violated the policy on gamertag designation. Rather, the policy changed to include my good-faith activity. I registered the gamertag in December 2006 and used it without incident, ever. My gamertag was not changed due to other users registering
complaints. Rather, my gamertag was changed due to my name being added to the offensive terms list. My inquiries with the enforcement division have confirmed this.

(3) Microsoft has made exceptions to the need to pay for a gamertag change in cases like mine. See:

http://kotaku.com/5887730/gamers-last-name-deemed-obscene-by-xbox-live-cops However, XBox customer service has told me that it is not possible to waive the fee. The enforcement division refuses to respond to my inquiries concerning a waiver of the gamertag
change fee.

It annoys me that the gamertage name policies acknowledge the problem of real names being added to the offensive term list, but the automatic gamertag change logic doesn't check to see whether the offensive term is in fact the user's real name and then issue
a complimentary name change instead.

As both customer service and enforcement have refused to provide me with service, where else can I go? Customer service told me that I can write a physical letter and mail it to Microsoft headquarters, but that's all that I can do. Surely, in the 21st century,
there must be a more expeditious alternative.

:)

 

Forced gamertag change.

I'm facing a similar situation; I've started my own thread about it. My gamertag was automatically changed because my real first name was added to the list of offensive terms.

What really bother me is that exceptions have been made to the need to pay the fee in past cases:

kotaku.com/.../gamers-last-name-deemed-obscene-by-xbox-live-cops

I used my gamertag completely without incident; the automatic change did not occur because of user complaints, but rather because of my name being added to the banned terms list. My user account records show that the term in question is my real first name;
there's no problem about the financial end of the system using the term in question to send charges to the institutions with which I do my banking.

Customer service has told me there is no way to have the fee waived. I spoke on the phone to a customer service floor manager, who told me that the only course of action available to is to send a physical letter to Microsoft headquarters. I was given the
address to use (1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA).

XBLEnforcement responded to my inquiry to confirm why my gamertag was changed, but does not respond to my inquiries concerning a waiver of the gamertag change fee.

 

Gamertag Problems - My friends are jerks

Hello,

I was away from home this weekend and some of my roommates (college) ended up changing my gamertag to ****inmymouth** (ofcourse i edited some of that out) and I was told by customer service to contact you all and have my gamertag forceably changed because
my friends refuse to pay for a new name.

PLEASE please PLEASE HELP!!!

Thank you so much

 

Yes keep your name rated e for everyone

And no there is no appeal or waiver you nust abide by the terms of use and yes the fee is actually mentioned in the terms of use

Fyi you should feel fortunate to even have the option to change

Name rules violations will only result in a perm ban on any other service on first violation

And yes the rules are the same and if you look at that case it was subjective it doesnt apply to everyone

 

The banned name list is also part of the naming rules

Being a baned word means it was included becauae it violates the terms of use in some way

Not because ita a name

 

It does not matter how long you had the name it only takes one valid report for an enforcer to look at your name

 

Fyi ms along with other servixes actually changw their tos from time to time it is upto you to read the changes and agreee to them or disagree and to discontinue use

The pet team has the authority to enforce the same rules

 

@ngocphi

On some counts, I think you didn't read my post:

1. There is no sense in which that case was "subjective" that differentiates it from my case. I challenge you to specify such reasons.

2. I don't challenge my name's placement on the banned terms list in any way.

3. There was never any report against my name, ever.

Your final point is a fallacious argument: I won't consider myself lucky and see how I am being treated as acceptable because somewhere someone else is being treated worse. Saying that one act is worse than another does not establish the latter as acceptable.
It is worse to be robbed of life and limb than of property; we don't tell people who have been robbed that they have no grounds for complaint because other people who are robbed are also killed. In the future, you should try to respond to what is at issue
in what a person is saying rather than attempting to change what is at issue.

 

I'm just trying to collect documentation of everything about my situation that I find so appalling. Here's a post entitled "Applying XBLPET's Values" from XBox Live, Policy and Enforcement, Trending news, April 2015 (see:

http://enforcement.xbox.com/Home/WhatsHappening?id=news).

Reads the post:

"One of the most popular expressions amongst enforcement agents is “context is king”. It’s not just a nice sound bite, but a fundamental philosophy that applies to everything we do. For instance, when we review a potentially-offensive Gamertag we always
examine the full context. Is the Gamertag immediately offensive? What else can it potentially refer to? Does the player have a history of offensive content? Critical thinking is important, and content doesn’t always fall cleanly into “good” or “bad” categories.
Real life comes in shades of grey."

(1) XBox Enforcement claims that it considers "what else can [a potentially-offensive Gamertag] potentially refer to." Here is my inquiry to Xbox Enforcement: http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/xbox_support/xbox_360_support/f/41/t/2001509.aspx. I specifically
inform them of what they should have already known: My gamertag makes reference to a my real name. XBox Live Enforcement's response completely ignores this.

(2) XBox Live Enforcement claims that is specifically considers the question, "Does the player have a history of offensive content?" To date, my record shows no complaints filed against me for anything, ever.

 

That second part doesnt apply unless repeat offences or for perm ban.

Hate speach ia actually banned in most countries and inxlude jailtime

Mahbe you should consider others sensitiblities

And note in your article it was never updared as the policy is actually pretty clear

You do not want part2 if you do not follow the rules and have repeat offences of the naming rules a forced name change will be the least of your worries

Multiple violations of the naming rulea cna incur a perm ban of the said account

 

Just for your info its not just about context hate speech is zero tolerance and a severve violation of the terma of use

Its not allowed period no matter if its part of your name etc

No matter the use of the word

It offends someone in most cases hate words offend more then one person

Keep your name clean it is that simple

 

@ngocophi

Please don't offer further comments on this topic; your comments aren't contributing anything.

I've never engaged in hate speech. I've never been accused of engaging in hate speech. That you mention this shows that you're not attending to the facts of this case. To claim that using your culturally and legally legitimate name is hate speech is specious,
period.

I've been saying all along that I'm happy to comply with the gamertag policy. That you claim I should do this shows that you're not attending to the facts of this case.

That you think that "context" in the sense invoked by XBoxlive policy isn't at issue shows that you aren't attending to the facts of this case. My name is documented as a culturally-legitimate name with an inoffensive meaning; any web search will show this.
My name is in no way offensive in its language of origin. It is only offensive in a radically different context (another language, another culture, and another part of the world).

That you mention that hate words offend more than one person shows that you're not attending to the facts of this case. No one has ever complained about my gamertag.

All I've been saying is that I shouldn't have to pay for the privilege of complying with a policy that has been enforced (1) without consideration for what I've actually done (documented fact: I wasn't trying to, nor have I ever, offend anyone) and (2) when
there is a history of accommodating users when the policy makes judgements about culturally legitimate names.

 

Youbdont seem to understand the rules then

Actually im plainly explaining to you qhat you dont seem to understand

Good rule of thumb if you have to explain your use of a word dont use it

And if you checked the post from the pet he is correct

Look at it this way

As you are gaming you are representing rhe xbox community

Lets say the said minority group shows up and sees thenoffencive word in your name. Immediately reaction racist player and it is a shame they allow them on thennextwork

And no first impressions dont have to be explained

That is the hatespeech that is a violation of the terms of use

 

Pet team will never tell you who filed the report

I highly suggest you look up the pet teams vulcan video as it explains the whole peoccessds minus the enforcement united part

A complaint has to be filed either byban enforcer or a xbox player

Once reviewed by one person it is sent to team for review if it is needed for further review

Which cna be a bunch of enforcers or the enforcement united team its not just complain and instant ban

 

Why are you still responding when I've asked you not to and you are contributing anything? I'm tempted consider this harassment and report it XBox Live Enforcement.

I've never had to explain the use of my name - no one has ever complained about it. So I pass your test.

I'm happy to comply with the idea that, because of the unique context of XBox Live - which is an impersonal, international forum - there is a potential for offense, even though it has clearly never occurred. So I'm happy to change the gamertag. However,
I won't pay money for doing so when my gamertag has never created a problem and is in itself obviously unproblematic. I didn't violate polciy; policy redefined my actions to be violations.

You're just wrong about a complaint being filed; that's not what happened at all. XBox Live added a database of offensive terms and one of those terms matched my name. It was a completely automated process that was never reviewed by a human party.

As I say, you just don't understand what's going on here. It is no business of yours, so far as I can tell. Please stop responding. I will consider further responses to simply be acts of harassment.