Microsoft Ban Gamertag Critical of Obama
source: http://wedonetwork.co.uk/wedotech/2010/03/19/microsoft-ban-gamertag-critical-of-obama/
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Freedom of expression is possibly one of the greatest things about the internet. The ability to be who you want to be and say what you want to say and to mix with individuals being and saying exactly what they wish is something that should be highly prized and indeed zealously protected. However on the 17th of March WorldNetDaily brought to us news that Microsoft had disallowed an Xbox LIVE username titled “mpeach obama21” on the grounds that it might cause offense and if that doesn’t sound silly enough then wait until you hear the justification Xbox LIVE gave for this decision.
Now I think that most of us would agree that freedom of speech should carry with it a certain amount of responsibility. Racial slurs and other discriminatory usernames are clearly only chosen with the intent of inflaming and offending, but how would a company explain not allowing an account by the name of “mpeach obama21”? Well if that company were Microsoft they’d apparently explain it in the following way.
“This name is actually, it’s not likeable,” Jordan, a Microsoft Xbox LIVE spokesman said to WorldNetDaily. “If you were Obama, what would you feel if you saw this?”
When I first read the article, I automatically assumed it was some kind of joke, but tragically it isn’t. I shouldn’t have to explain why the Microsoft spokesman’s closing question is ludicrous but since this is the internet, I will. Any public figure has to accept the fact that they are going to be subject to public scrutiny and when we’re talking about political figures it’s essential that they are. The fact that we in the Western World have the freedom to question or even criticise our leaders is what makes our respective democracies so great. Now I could quote any number of founding fathers and countless other historical figures to explain why censoring dissenting voices for the sake of what has become known as “Political Correctness” is a bad and indeed a very dangerous thing but if I actually need to do that then I will truly lose all hope for humanity.
http://wedonetwork.co.uk/wedotech/2010/03/19/microsoft-ban-gamertag-critical-of-...
Now I think that most of us would agree that freedom of speech should carry with it a certain amount of responsibility. Racial slurs and other discriminatory usernames are clearly only chosen with the intent of inflaming and offending, but how would a company explain not allowing an account by the name of “mpeach obama21”? Well if that company were Microsoft they’d apparently explain it in the following way.
“This name is actually, it’s not likeable,” Jordan, a Microsoft Xbox LIVE spokesman said to WorldNetDaily. “If you were Obama, what would you feel if you saw this?”
When I first read the article, I automatically assumed it was some kind of joke, but tragically it isn’t. I shouldn’t have to explain why the Microsoft spokesman’s closing question is ludicrous but since this is the internet, I will. Any public figure has to accept the fact that they are going to be subject to public scrutiny and when we’re talking about political figures it’s essential that they are. The fact that we in the Western World have the freedom to question or even criticise our leaders is what makes our respective democracies so great. Now I could quote any number of founding fathers and countless other historical figures to explain why censoring dissenting voices for the sake of what has become known as “Political Correctness” is a bad and indeed a very dangerous thing but if I actually need to do that then I will truly lose all hope for humanity.
http://wedonetwork.co.uk/wedotech/2010/03/19/microsoft-ban-gamertag-critical-of-...
