So my PSN account has been suspended for 7 days.....

[BloodRaven]

because apparently I've been accused of,

"Hate speech or other hateful content, including racism, sexism, xenophobia, or hate directed at religious beliefs, cultural identity, gender identity, or sexual orientation."


If this needs to be put somewhere else, mods please move it. I put it here because ti specifically states GTSport in the email.


It also says: PlayStation Safety determined that content uploaded from your account to Gran Turismo Sport on PlayStation Network breached the Code of Conduct set out in our Terms of Service.


The only things I've uploaded are liveries with decals I used that I downloaded from other people that were posted to the GTSport Decal Search Engine. So if I downloaded it from their own site, how can they then say it's "hate speech, hateful content, racism, sexism, etc."? I've never downloaded anything that could be considered hateful, sexual, xenophobic, anti-religious, or anti-anything else. I've downloaded company logos and different styles of stripes and stuff like that. And those logos are for actual companies that deal with either automotive products or race products.

Does anyone know if there's any way to refute this and or get it looked at by someone at Sony?

 

[Famine]

So if I downloaded it from their own site, how can they then say it's "hate speech, hateful content, racism, sexism, etc."? I've never downloaded anything that could be considered hateful, sexual, xenophobic, anti-religious, or anti-anything else.

Nobody reported the decals, somebody reported your livery with the decals on it.

Any clue which livery/decal?

 

[BloodRaven]

Therefore, I can only use Arcade Mode in GTS.



So no daily workout gift
No trying to complete the final Mission Challenge
No trying to complete the final Circuit Experience

Nobody reported the decals, somebody reported your livery with the decals on it.

Any clue which livery/decal?

Apparently, it was for a helmet I created that is a likeness of the General Lee car from The Dukes of Hazzard. So, naturally, it has the Confederate Battle Flag on the top of it. But if people think that flag is racist, or stands for racism, or means anything racist, then they need to read a bit of history about it.



And this is what the person who reported it (I'm assuming, they're the only one that commented on it) posted:

"Racist general lee ****" (don't know what the 4 stars are for, but I can guess that it's nothing nice)



The funny thing is that 3 other people "liked" it.

I created a livery for the Dodge Charger Hellcat that looks like the General Lee from the TV show, as well. But that didn't get taken down (the helmet did) and it has no comments (good or bad) on it. It does have 2 "likes", though. So I'm expecting it to become deleted as well.

The reason I did those liveries is because I watched that show as a kid. I loved that show and still watch episodes from time to time when I can. So I did it as a tribute to something from my childhood.....NOT something that makes me think of anything racist.

That car was named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. And the flag painted on top is a variant of the flag of his army from Northern Virginia.

 

[Northstar]

But if people think that flag is racist, or stands for racism, or means anything racist, then they need to read a bit of history about it.

It is considered racist in modern society, what it may have stood for in the past isn't all that relevant. It's kind of like how swastikas are an ancient symbol with varying meanings but if you display one today people are going to assume you are a neo-Nazi.

 

[barak181]

because apparently I've been accused of,

"Hate speech or other hateful content, including racism, sexism, xenophobia, or hate directed at religious beliefs, cultural identity, gender identity, or sexual orientation."


If this needs to be put somewhere else, mods please move it. I put it here because ti specifically states GTSport in the email.


It also says: PlayStation Safety determined that content uploaded from your account to Gran Turismo Sport on PlayStation Network breached the Code of Conduct set out in our Terms of Service.


The only things I've uploaded are liveries with decals I used that I downloaded from other people that were posted to the GTSport Decal Search Engine. So if I downloaded it from their own site, how can they then say it's "hate speech, hateful content, racism, sexism, etc."? I've never downloaded anything that could be considered hateful, sexual, xenophobic, anti-religious, or anti-anything else. I've downloaded company logos and different styles of stripes and stuff like that. And those logos are for actual companies that deal with either automotive products or race products.

Does anyone know if there's any way to refute this and or get it looked at by someone at Sony?

There is no appeal process for PSN suspensions. And while the application of their rules and doling out of suspensions is fairly inconsistent and at times seems arbitrary, they do have a pretty strict code of conduct - technically, you can get suspended for swearing online.

The whole reason why I created my second alt-account is that my first one got suspended for saying that "This game has made me racists against Brazil" in the post-race chat one time.

My suggestion? Create an alt and then maybe contact PSN support and see if that dialogue can take you anywhere in making your larger point - although I'm doubtful it actually will but you never know unless you try, right?

 

[Famine]

So, naturally, it has the Confederate Battle Flag on the top of it

Yep, that'd do it.

But if people think that flag is racist, or stands for racism, or means anything racist, then they need to read a bit of history about it.

If you think it doesn't, you need to read more history than just "a bit". While it seems to be a modern trend among its defenders right now to say it stands for "traditional Southern values", it's literally one of several flags (specifically the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia) used by an army fighting to secede from its parent nation over the right to keep slaves (that often being the traditional Southern value they want it to stand for).

It is on registers of hate symbols worldwide, including being specifically named in Microsoft's terms of service. I don't think Sony makes specific mention of it in the same manner, but it's intensely unsurprising that it'd fall foul of it.

As for "well it's just a replica of the General Lee", have a look at what happens if you create a livery replica of the Mercedes-Benz W25 Avus Streamliner.


I don't think you have a leg to stand on at this point.

 

[BloodRaven]

The thing that gets me, though, is that if they think it's THAT racist, then why would they allow it to be uploaded to their own servers for other people to use? And I'm not talking about just one person uploading it. There are more than 20 images of that flag that have been uploaded to the GTS servers. If it's so racist, or brings about that much hate, why would they even allow it? It seems to me that they'd just automatically ban it from being used.

Also, since General Robert E. Lee was a general in the mean ol' Confederate Army, then maybe they'd ban his name or any derivative of it, as well. I.E., GENERAL LEE, that's on either side of the flag on the hood of the car. And you can download that decal, too. I know, because I did.

This country has gone absolutely bats*** crazy with how many things they call racist or how many things hurt someone's feelings. You're not allowed to have personal opinions anymore unless they go along with everyone else's opinions. "Like what we like or you're wrong".

No thanks, I prefer individuality, freedom, and personal accountability. I don't call people out for things that might hurt my feelings. I call them out for things that genuinely hurt others.....like physically hurt them for no cause other than to hurt them. But I'm skewing into another topic for a forum that's not this one. So I'll leave it at that.

I just wanted to voice my disgust with how something I did that shows tribute to something from my childhood garnered hate from someone else. And now I can't do something else I like doing because of it. AND, I have no recourse to reverse or change that decision.

 

[Timm Sheehan]

Apparently, it was for a helmet I created that is a likeness of the General Lee car from The Dukes of Hazzard. So, naturally, it has the Confederate Battle Flag on the top of it. But if people think that flag is racist, or stands for racism, or means anything racist, then they need to read a bit of history about it.



And this is what the person who reported it (I'm assuming, they're the only one that commented on it) posted:

"Racist general lee ****" (don't know what the 4 stars are for, but I can guess that it's nothing nice)



The funny thing is that 3 other people "liked" it.

I created a livery for the Dodge Charger Hellcat that looks like the General Lee from the TV show, as well. But that didn't get taken down (the helmet did) and it has no comments (good or bad) on it. It does have 2 "likes", though. So I'm expecting it to become deleted as well.

The reason I did those liveries is because I watched that show as a kid. I loved that show and still watch episodes from time to time when I can. So I did it as a tribute to something from my childhood.....NOT something that makes me think of anything racist.

That car was named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. And the flag painted on top is a variant of the flag of his army from Northern Virginia.

There was another thread a while back that was along these same lines and I think the consensus was (at least how I understood it) was that when something is reported to PD or Sony, the reported item is taken down by PD or Sony, and the person gets penalized all without any appeal process.

I also believe in the last series of posts there were several discussions about decals & liveries which were around the highest rated ones. Nothing offensive just someone reported them and they were removed.

I would take a guess that since the beginning of 2020 the reported cases has risen dramatically. I suspect it can be attributed to the younger "woke" generations. I wonder why the offensive drivers have not been banned . . . oh yeah because that would mean someone would have to review hours upon hours of race footage and that isn't worth anyone's time.

Finally I believe that trying to fight this (or even appeal this) is a lost cause, PD nor Sony don't really care. They have satisfied the the "offended" party's complaint and the issue has been resolved in their eyes. All I can say is "Welcome to the NEW reality where everything is offensive and everyone's feeling get hurt". Do your time and continue on enjoying your racing.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

Remember when Shinyodd got banned from Forza for using a decal which is part of the game and putting it on his livery? The rising sun logo.

Yeah...you have to wonder if the people who review the reports and issue the bans are as daft as the ones who reported it in the first place.

Nowadays, even breathing is racist...

 

[BloodRaven]

I just tried connecting with a Sony representative (even though it tells you in the beginning that they can't lift bans or suspensions), to see what, if anything, could be done. And it disconnected me. When I tried to reconnect, it says "It appears we just chatted with you. I'm sorry we didn't resolve your issue. Please try again later."

You just chatted with me? No, no you didn't.

 

[Famine]

There are more than 20 images of that flag that have been uploaded to the GTS servers. If it's so racist, or brings about that much hate, why would they even allow it?

The moderation system is not automated - it's a very small selection of human beings overseeing ALL moderation on ALL first-party games.

If nobody reports the images, nothing happens. If somebody reports them, they're submitted for moderation. As I said:

Nobody reported the decals, somebody reported your livery with the decals on it.

AND, I have no recourse to reverse or change that decision.

Finally I believe that trying to fight this (or even appeal this) is a lost cause, PD nor Sony don't really care. They have satisfied the the "offended" party's complaint and the issue has been resolved in their eyes.

That's a rather odd stance to take knowing that it CAN indeed be reversed.

Last year we brought the case of a chap who'd had a similar ban for uploading a decal to Sony's attention. The decal in question was for German turbocharger company KKK Turbolader, and was reported and removed due to confusion with the Ku Klux Klan.

Sony overturned the ban.

However they won't overturn this one; the Confederate Battle Flag (and its variations) are considered a hate symbol pretty much universally. Even the US Government, not one for censorship thanks to the First Amendment preventing it, regards it as such and does not permit its presence at official events, military installations, and VA cemetaries.

As I say, you don't have a leg to stand on here - and it's no different than a Nazi Swastika (rightly pointed out as originally being a Hindu symbol for prosperity) in homage to the W25.

Nowadays, even breathing is racist...

sigh

And now we've woken up the yOu CaN't EvEn SaY ****** tHeSe DaYs crowd, so threadlock it is.