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The punishment of users that are not in breach of terms with Riot

SP00PY BOI·12/6/2018, 12:37:01 AM·2 votes·1,465 views

HO. LEE. crap. My account just got insta banned, Riot support confirmed it, then I argued again...and then they overturned it.

This is a long and complicated story, but please read it. I believe it may result in the instant and potentially permanent banning of some accounts that are supposedly violating terms, when they are DEFINITELY NOT.

I'ma just give you the conclusion before I explain everything:

IF: ANY word that CAN be considered in breach of contract DEFINITELY constitutes punishment regardless of CONTEXT, THEN: the current system will punish some users who are DEFINITELY NOT in breach of contract.

Now, what the hell am I talking about? Let me give you some context...

Part 1/3: I recently received a 14 day account suspension from the Instant Feedback System for the use of a "racial slur" in-game (abbreviated form of raccoon). To sum up the context of my use of the word; My friend said that his cat (who looks like a raccoon) looks funny while sunbathing, so gave him a nickname Raccoon-Light, which I then abbreviated (don't want to use the actual word so this post doesn't get taken down, but I think you get my point). Another player responded in-game with something along the lines of "don't be hateful" and I responded with "no no no, like a cat sunbathing." There was no response and no other relevant statements were made throughout the game. We win, say GG and whatnot and I received 3 honors from my teammates (all stayed cool and tilt-proof). The honors aren't super relevant, but it adds to my confusion regarding the ban. Not more than 1 minute later I get a notification of an instant 14 day account suspension regarding my in-game chat. I send a ticket to Riot Player Support and start a chat with a Rioter. She confirms that my account was banned for the use of the word. I explain that I was using it in the context of a raccoon (technically a cat that looks like one) and she agrees that's how I probably used it. Then she says that it doesn't matter, because it is more commonly used as a racial slur and is offensive regardless of how I was using it, and that the ban will not be overturned. I'm confused and agitated, even get a little sassy with the Rioter, but I eventually realize that any further discussion will just be a useless argument with a rando Riot employee. So I log off....and contemplate.

Here is my first ticket and in-game chat log. I attempted to replace the slur with **** but I think it might just be left blank. Either way, here is the exact copy (minus slur):

"The Following is the copy of my chat text regarding suspension:

Game 1 Pre-Game SP00PY BOI: s SP00PY BOI: ty SP00PY BOI: a SP00PY BOI: r SP00PY BOI: t SP00PY BOI: s SP00PY BOI: t SP00PY BOI: ar SP00PY BOI: t SP00PY BOI: s SP00PY BOI: t SP00PY BOI: a SP00PY BOI: r SP00PY BOI: ty SP00PY BOI: s SP00PY BOI: t SP00PY BOI: a SP00PY BOI: r SP00PY BOI: t In-Game SP00PY BOI: sup SP00PY BOI: **** LIGHT SP00PY BOI: no no no **** light is for cats SP00PY BOI: like when they sunbathe SP00PY BOI: lmao SP00PY BOI: ncie SP00PY BOI: nice* SP00PY BOI: nah dude SP00PY BOI: hes too fed SP00PY BOI: sry SP00PY BOI: ye boi SP00PY BOI: had no ult SP00PY BOI: chased zed for 9 miles SP00PY BOI: was a terrible acall imo SP00PY BOI: cant get a better engage SP00PY BOI: gg SP00PY BOI: wait SP00PY BOI: how did SP00PY BOI: we win SP00PY BOI: XD gg Post-Game SP00PY BOI: loses 4 man ult SP00PY BOI: but like whiffs at and shaft them SP00PY BOI: ?

I'm not sure what elicited the ban. I'm assuming it's because I used the word "", in which i was referring to a conversation that I was having with a friend who was in the game (on voice chat) about how his cat looked like a raccoon in the sunlight. Hence the term " LIGHT" which was pretty much entirely directed at my friend in chat just for our own humor. You can clearly tell in my next comment "no no no **** light is for cats" and "like when they sunbathe" that this is what I meant. I've never received any suspension, or even warning before in my many years of playing league, and now I have an instant 2 week suspension. I didn't even use any curse words in the chat and I feel like abbreviating raccoon to **** should not result in a 2 week suspension. I think this may have been an instant response by an automated system and I feel it is not warranted in this case.

Chat started

Player Support Bot Hey! We’re getting a ton of new chats right now. It may take upwards of 15 minutes to get to your chat, but if you sit tight we’ll help you out as soon as we can. If you’re not about that waiting in line lifestyle, you can always submit a ticket instead! Eva joined the chat

EvaHeya SP00PY BOIHello

Evahows it going SP00PY BOII'm ok, how are you?

Evanot bad

OK

sooooo you're right about why you were banned

thats a racial slur

so we act on it with a 2 week suspension

and since there were others in your game

we cant really lift it :/ SP00PY BOII don't see that as fair given my explanation, I was not using it as a racial slur, and raccoon is not an offensive term.

EvaI can understand that

however, that's not how that phrase is genreally used and we have a strict policy around this SP00PY BOISo could you agree that I was abbreviating raccoon and not in fact using a racial slur?

EvaIm sure you didnt intend to use it as a slur

but sadly the damage is kinda done

we cant really lift it

as it was offensive SP00PY BOIWell as a long-time user I guess all I have to say is that it's ridiculous that you can agree that I did not use a racial slur, but other people have so I get an instant 2 week ban for it.

EvaSorry but it's our policy :/ SP00PY BOIThen you should remove the option to repeal suspensions if there is no situation where that would be possible, given evidence.

Evathere are situtations

but yours isnt one of them SP00PY BOIIs there a phone number I can call or a supervisor to speak with?

EvaIm sorry but there is not a phone number

and I have the highest authority on these matters SP00PY BOIThat seems unlikely, but thank you for your time.

Evasorry i couldnt do more for you"

Part 2/3: I start to formulate the logic behind the ban. I'm assuming an algorithm picked up the slur, correlated it with a "hate speech" report from someone in-game, and thus gave an insta ban (14 days). I then think about what this means related to what the Rioter had said the previous day, how the CONTEXT of the situation does not matter, it is simply the word. I think "Can this possibly be true for ANY word that CAN have a bad meaning?"...certainly not. So I devise an argument against that idea, and have another chat with Riot Player Support. I post the most relevant quotes from the previous chat and I explain how words can have dual meanings, and surely not ANY word that CAN be used both harmlessly and insensitively constitutes an insta-ban regardless of it's CONTEXT. He says I shouldn't use the word in chat at all, regardless of CONTEXT, and I agree. I was appealing the fact that I got an instant 14 day ban for it, instead of a warning or chat restriction or some such. My argument boiled down to basically being in agreement that the word should not be used, but an accidental use of the word that is DEFINITELY NOT hate speech should not be so harshly punished and you should be able to dispute it, in good CONTEXT. He doesn't outright agree, but lifts the ban...

Here is the exact copy (minus slur):

"Peacemaker Customer support SP00PY BOIMy account recently received a 14 day suspension and I would like further clarity on the Instant Feedback System. There seems to be a contradiction between what a Riot employee said and how it actually works.

See the following two dialogues from my last ticket request:

  1. "Eva: I can understand that

however, that's not how that phrase is genreally used and we have a strict policy around this"

  1. "Eva: Im sure you didnt intend to use it as a slur

but sadly the damage is kinda done

we cant really lift it

as it was offensive"

So now down to the contradictions. I'd like to define a couple things first, just for the purposes of how I am using them in my argument:

Punish/punishment – an immediate reaction from Riot that causes the player to be banned from playing League of Legends either temporarily or permanently and cannot be disputed.

Two main issues:

  1. Merriam-Webster lists “” as most commonly being used to as a diminutive of raccoon (most common are listed first) and not "how that phrase is genreally used" as being a racial slur, as a Riot employee stated: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

  2. Also, there are other examples of words that have dual meanings as animals and racial slurs that did not result in punishment, as defined above, and contradictory to what a Riot employee stated:

IF a player refers to another player as an ape, monkey, gorilla, etc. in a non-racial context even though any of these words can have a racist context, THEN this is definitely not in breach of the rules (hate speech) and does not constitute punishment.

Example: Streamers refer to other players on their team in the context of poorly executed plays as apes, monkeys, gorillas, etc. as to compare them to thoughtless beasts. Result: No punishment from Riot.

IF a player refers to another player as an ape, monkey, gorilla, etc. in a racial context even though any of these words can be used in a non-racial context, THEN this is definitely in breach of the rules (hate speech) and does constitute punishment.

Example: A player refers to other players on their team in the context of their race as apes, monkeys, gorillas, etc. as to compare them to thoughtless beasts. Result: Punishment from Riot.

So I'm left with this: **** is NOT generally used as a racial slur. It's not your policy to ban people using racial slurs, regardless of context.

Chat started

Player Support BotHey! We’re getting a ton of new chats right now. It may take upwards of 15 minutes to get to your chat, but if you sit tight we’ll help you out as soon as we can. If you’re not about that waiting in line lifestyle, you can always submit a ticket instead! Peacemaker joined the chat

PeacemakerHey there SP00PY BOIHello

PeacemakerJust reading through this SP00PY BOIYeah no problem, I know it's kinda long and wordy haha.

PeacemakerSo it looksl ike you were banned for using the word **** and you are appealing that? SP00PY BOIYes, I am not appealing the fact that I used the word. I am appealing the fact that I used it as a shorthand of raccoon, and in fact not as a racial slur.

PeacemakerI understand where you are coming from but in NA the word "****" is also used as a racial slur

so we should avoid it in game SP00PY BOII can agree with that, I would have been fine with a warning or chat restriction. I hadn't thought of its use as a rcail slur at the time. I feel the ban is unnecessary thought given 0 prior offenses of any kind.

racial*

PeacemakerSo I have some good news here

I am willing to give yo uanother chance with this SP00PY BOII really appreciate that!

Peacemakeryou can see how the system would pick you up for this though

Knowing that is is a racial slur as well we should really avoid using it in game even with other context SP00PY BOIyes, I agree

PeacemakerOk so I went and reduced this for you, and thank you for understanding and I am glad I could give this another look over for you SP00PY BOII really appreciate it, thanks a lot.

PeacemakerOF course have a good one :)"

Part 3/3: Here is my formal argument with what is wrong with everything that happened here:

The Punishment of Users from the League of Legends Instant Feedback System that are not in Breach of Contract with Riot Games

Definitions:

  1. Punish/punishment – an immediate reaction from Riot that causes the player to be banned from playing League of Legends either temporarily or permanently and cannot be disputed.

  2. Contract - Terms, conditions, Summoner's Code, etc. or any other document, statement or otherwise considered by Riot to be contigent upon playing League of Legends

Argument: There are words that can have different or dual meanings depending on the context. Specifically, at least one meaning that is definitely not in breach of contract (not considered hate speech) and at least one meaning that is definitely in breach of contract (considered hate speech). See the following examples:

  1. IF a player refers to another player as an ape, monkey, gorilla, etc. in a non-racial context even though any of these words can have a racist context, THEN this is definitely not in breach of contract (hate speech) and does not constitute punishment.

Example: Streamers refer to other players on their team in the context of poorly executed plays as apes, monkeys, gorillas, etc. as to compare them to thoughtless beasts. Result: No punishment from Riot.

  1. IF a player refers to another player as an ape, monkey, gorilla, etc. in a racial context even though any of these words can be used in a non-racial context, THEN this is definitely in breach of contract (hate speech) and does constitute punishment.

Ex: A player refers to other players on their team in the context of their race as apes, monkeys, gorillas, etc. as to compare them to thoughtless beasts. Result: Punishment from Riot. Given these arguments, we are left with the following:

IF: ANY word that CAN be considered in breach of contract DEFINITELY constitutes punishment regardless of CONTEXT, THEN: the current system will punish some users who are DEFINITELY NOT in breach of contract.

DID YOU READ IT ALL?! What do ya'll think?! I'm sure I made some typos along the way since it was so long. I have more to say, but this is enough for now.

17 Comments

Jo0o12/6/2018, 12:46:35 AM5 votes

Here's the way I see it. I believe your story, but consider:

While the word you used is pretty outdated as a slur, there are no racoons in this game, and nobody would ever guess the context that you were talking about your friend's cat. It's reasonable to assume IRL that you'd have been talking about something else, but the main logical assumption using that word in League is that you'd rather use the n-word but are attempting to circumvent the system.

You weren't in private chat, you were in team chat, and you're expected to consider the thoughts and feelings of your team when you do that. If I entered a game mid-way through a private discussion of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and started dropping the n-bomb for academic purposes, I wouldn't be surprised to get banned. I may not be racist, but I'm presenting myself in a way that's indistinguishable from that of a racist.

I'm glad your ban was overturned, but I don't see a real problem here. You're a tiny exception, and you were able to get the system fixed. There isn't a group of players talking about your friend's cat and getting unfairly banned over it, just you.

rujitra12/6/2018, 2:11:48 AM2 votes

How many people talk about raccoons in League of Legends?

VERY few. You are the exception. The vast majority of people using that term are using it in a bad way.

mlm olo mlm12/6/2018, 2:36:39 AM1 votes

Riot has sole discretion over every account. They literally don't need reason.

Riot runs a super fucked up system though. They perpetuate negativity by removing all context from words. Theoretically, all words can be used in good context. In a world without context, negative words lose such liberty.

Vreivai12/6/2018, 3:26:36 AM1 votes

Let me provide two counter examples to the argument that got you unbanned (and I'm actually quite surprised that worked): %%% (starts with an F) is both a slur directed against a gay man, and a British slang word for cigarette. %%%% (starts with a K) is both a slur that is directed against a Jewish person and a nickname for someone named Enrique. And I cannot see Riot support ever overturning a ban for using either of those words, even if the context clearly showed that you were using them in the non-offensive manner.

Personally, though, I'm of the opinion that they should consider the context of a word if it changes the word's meaning.