Microsoft has had to apologize after banning a resident of Fort Gay due to the "offensive" nature of his location. Josh Moore is a resident of Fort Gay in West Virginia, but Microsoft decided it didn't need to verify that, and simply banned him because "ohmygod that word has gay in it!"
Even when Moore argued that Fort Gay was a real town, Microsoft refused to hear him out. The company suspended all his gaming privileges until he could provide evidence that the location was genuine. Microsoft warned Moore that if he put "Fort Gay" back in his profile, they'd axe his account and keep the two years of Xbox Live Gold membership that he'd pre-paid.
"At first I thought, 'Wow, somebody's thinking I live in the gayest town in West Virginia or something.' I was mad. ... It makes me feel like they hate gay people," says Moore. "I'm not even gay, and it makes me feel like they were discriminating."
Microsoft's Stephen Toulouse has since confirmed that the situation is rectified and that his company "is going to make it right." All I can do is shake my head. Ironic to think that Microsoft banned Moore because they thought he was being childish, but only managed to make the entire company look juvenile and immature in the process.
Gamer suspended over name of W.Va. town: Fort Gay [Yahoo]
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Contest:
11:20 AM on 09.08.2010 | 
;)
seriously, thats rather stupid. I'm really interested in what they feel is enough compensation to make things right considering I'm pretty sure that's illegal on some level.
Also, that header image is awesome.
Not to mention, are MS employees not allowed to use google earth?
As I conclude this post, I realize the MS XBL ToS people are likely outsourced for shit to nothing, thus have no desire to apply some logic and geography.
There. I said it.
Almost all large companies outsource customer and tech support these days. Including Amazon and Dell.
Yeah, this makes MS look stupid on multiple levels.
@Killrig
Fact. Pray you never have to deal with Xbox Live support. It's like slamming your head into a bed of rusty nails covered in lye, over and over again.
I've yet to get support from XBL, but I recently had a 2.5 hour nightmare from Dell's tech support that STILL resulted in my calling back the next day because they forgot to process my return. Unbelievable. I have nothing against outsourcing work, as it improves the economy of other countries, however it becomes a problem for me when I have to call them back 3 times when they didn't do what they said they would.
*googles 'Fort Gay'*
*finds out it exists*
Seriously, what's so difficult about that, MS employees?
It literally takes 30 seconds...tops.
yeah.
So they can jump on some guy for using the word 'gay' but they can't manage to ban the foul mouthed 13 year olds spewing actually offensive shit from Modern Warfare? The world works in mysterious ways indeed.
Yeah, that is weird.
I mean; come on, Macon? That's almost like bacon. And that's just silly
Also, i'm moving to Fort Gay with MuddBstrd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Gay
Used to be called Cassville but people kept making the sign say "assville". So they changed it to fort gay? Hilarious.
Crack knucles and stretch
ctrl+f
"gay"
Enter
1 match found
"Fort Gay"
Ban account
Sips coffee, good day.
Yeah. There's a Canadian town called Dildo. Guess what my cousin living there DOESN'T put as his location for precisely this reason?
(13:24:28) ***fartron looks back at the picture at the top of the article
(13:25:02) RinkuHero: fartron the article is by
(13:25:04) RinkuHero: jim sterling
(13:25:06) RinkuHero: so what did you expect
Anus, France
Climax, Michigan
Climax, Minnesota
Climax, Pennsylvania
Condom, France
Fucking, Austria
Hell, Norway
Hell, Michigan
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Pussy, France
Tittybong, Victoria
Twatt, Shetland
Wank (mountain)
"Fort Gay reminds me of Fuck City from Arrested Developement."
Check your lease, man.