That ToS update that ruffled some jimmies a few months ago

[Vahlnir]

Blizzard in pr disaster mode also claimed blitzchung the player banned, was in the wrong because of a political statement that they should only have focused on the game itself no unrelated topics, trying to pass themselves as politically neutral. However many who play or have played overwatch knows how blizzard has used it to seem morally right by making characters gay suddenly to get brownie points. So if blizzard do it, it's suddenly okay, but a player does it suddenly it's a huge offense worth taking back the prize money and a 12 month ban? Sure...

And before anyone jumps down my throat, no I'm not against gay characters as long as it's developed naturally. I'm just using a case that blizzards know to do against them.

Post by CEO if anyone wants to read through the pr nightmare.
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/bliz...ers-tournament

Link will take you to blizzard site.

Will everyone reason to listen? Nope I know this well, I'm sure I'll get a few people trying argue because they just want to I guess. But US players held a sign supporting Hong kong and guess what? Weren't punished at all because ofc, china wasn't watching.

Yeah, this ended up going far beyond a single player being banned. People saw it as an attempt by Blizzard to silence anyone with opposing views which China doesn't like (which mean anything at all). We have seen at least one other company/business do the same recently. Thankfully, people got creative and turned one of Blizzard's Overwatch characters, Mei, against them by making them a symbol of resistance. Blizzard won't ban their own product and people know that. Good on them. The pressure needs to be kept on them, even though they walked back on their previous punishment a bit. That isn't the point anymore. It is good that they did that but the damage has already been done. Not to mention their PR statement on the matter was weak at best. Blizzard didn't really accomplish anything by releasing it other than showing how hypocritical they are.

[SerLuke]

Wow did a bunch of posts vanish?

Can't edit on mobile (I don't think) purpose shouldn't be there.

Yeah it’s a pain I’ve had to switch into desktop mode to do edit some embarrassing typos and switch back

[Rufalus]

I think they have to keep behavior guidelines broad so that the rules are enforceable and you don't get people creatively skirting around the terminology with their trolling. It still comes down to moderator discretion on a case by case basis and so far at least I'm not aware of bans being abused in the game. The Blizzard thing was quite a unique scenario of using a competition stream as a platform to push a political view.

[SturmChurro]

Unfortunately that isn't at all how it works. There's almost always a subversive element to strict rules and regulations as sinister individuals and groups figure out how best to exploit it for their own gain/silence people they do not like. Sometimes you can even see certain posters deliberately following posters across threads in an effort to rile them up. They never technically break the rules, though they will make an effort to frustrate and irritate their target. Over time, it may very well lead to their target to slip up and get hit with a ban hammer for a post made in the heat of the moment or, worse yet, taken out of context.

Not even. You've seen what I have been banned for. Lets leave it at that.

[FedoraTheExplorer]

...this as well, lol. Aren't you supposed to be the guy who's against this type of stuff?

Who are you again?

[TheForce]

Who are you again?

Honestly was about to ask you the same question...but eh, I don't care enough.

[Reynhart]

At the end of the day, he broke the rules.

Problem is, how are the rules written ? If they explicitely say "You should not express public opinions during Professional livestreams", ok he broke it.
But if it's "You shouldn't say something that might offend someone somewhere", you could literally ban anyone for any word you want, because you'll always find someone offended by it.

Worst case scenario "Have a nice day !" could be offensive for someone that just had a rough day, because it would clearly seem that you just mocked his day. Even saying "his day" could be offensive because you'd just assume that he should identify as a male...and so on.

[linay]

Problem is, how are the rules written ? If they explicitely say "You should not express public opinions during Professional livestreams", ok he broke it.
But if it's "You shouldn't say something that might offend someone somewhere", you could literally ban anyone for any word you want, because you'll always find someone offended by it.

Worst case scenario "Have a nice day !" could be offensive for someone that just had a rough day, because it would clearly seem that you just mocked his day. Even saying "his day" could be offensive because you'd just assume that he should identify as a male...and so on.

According to Blizzard:

Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image...

Regardless of what you think about a political statement (or Blizzard's response), it really does not belong in a broadcast regarding a game tournament and is in no way comparable to wishing someone a nice day, and certainly Blizzard would not, in its sole discretion, fault someone for the latter.

In both this and FFXIV's rule change earlier this year, it is not enough that someone can be offended, but that the company (SE or Blizzard) has to agree that it's something offensive. So worst case scenarios are merely strawman.

That said, I do think people do get offended too easily these days and are generally allowed to do so by the media/public, but on the other hand, there are still appropriate venues to express certain sentiments in public.

[Vahlnir]

Problem is, how are the rules written ? If they explicitely say "You should not express public opinions during Professional livestreams", ok he broke it.
But if it's "You shouldn't say something that might offend someone somewhere", you could literally ban anyone for any word you want, because you'll always find someone offended by it.

Worst case scenario "Have a nice day !" could be offensive for someone that just had a rough day, because it would clearly seem that you just mocked his day. Even saying "his day" could be offensive because you'd just assume that he should identify as a male...and so on.

I don't really think that the rules themselves, however vague, are the issue. It was the heavy handedness of the punishment that people had an issue with, along with their response on the matter. They continue to dig themselves deeper as well. As far as the public view of their company is concerned they know that it can't get much worse so I think they're just letting things ride atm.

[Arngrim_Greyashe]

Not even. You've seen what I have been banned for. Lets leave it at that.

Who be banning the Churro? I'll fight em.