Account Ban - Inappropriate Name - No explanation

Support Customer Support
1

Hello and Gooday.

Since the beginning of time I’ve used characters in games that start with the name “{Removed}”. To define this directly from Oxford Languages, it means: a simple or [foolish] person.

So for example I have charectar’s named “{Removed}” a play on the druid term “Boomkin” making a funny name with the meaning of “Silly-kin”

My account or one charectar had the name {Removed}on a paladin, which the name was reported. After googling the name It made clear sense to me as to why the report happened - it can be used as a slang.
I was then prompted to rename my charectar.
No problem. So I renamed it to:
“{Removed}” a play on the Marvel superhero Moonknight.

However, before doing this, I looked up to see how many charectar had just the name “{Removed}” in the armory to make sure that “{Removed}” itself wasn’t the underlying issue. Sure enough, hundreds of charectar’s with the name directly as “{Removed}” or “{Removed}” were available. Not only this, but there are MULTIPLE “{Removed}”
Clearly thinking this is okay I moved forward.

Fast forward a week, I’m having my account banned for a 24 hour period. I submitted a Ticket outlining these details. I was responded to in literally less than 30 seconds from a “GM” saying they have “reviewed the information and found the evidence was sufficient.” followed by a link to the TOS which I have read numerous times.

I’m looking for:
-my ban revised
-Explanation as to why my account is banned for using a name that is widely used in game (in the hundreds). Or some explanation as to what’s wrong with the name in the first place.
-the ability of rectifying the issue with my charectar without having to spend major out of pocket expenses as Blizzard charges for name changes. As I’m not looking to repeat the same issue.

Thanks ahead of time for your help, forums have been much more successful for me than in game support which is now unavailable.

**Update, I was responded to in my ticket: **
“This penalty has already been reviewed and upheld. No further information on this action will be released. Any further requests on this topic will not be reviewed. As this items is now considered closed continued contacts on this item may lead to further actions being taken against this account for abuse of the support system.”

Regards,

Blizzard Entertainment

This almost feels threatening, I am simply am looking for an explanation instead of having my account banned for no reason and no ability to talk to support or rectify the issue.
Resubmitting a ticket because I’m getting auto responses should not equal retaliatory action from Blizzard.

Cheers

2

There is nothing that can be done over the forums, if you believe that you shouldn’t have had your account actioned upon, then open an appeal to have the case reviewed.

Regardless of your intentions for naming your characters with that phrase, the word was deemed inappropriate by Blizzard.

Likewise, just because you find others with the same phrase does it mean that it is OK to use the word. The Naming Policy is reactionary, those names either haven’t been reported yet or the name hasn’t refreshed to show that it has been changed.

Edit:
Just saw your additional info, seems you just edited the post. If Blizzard told you that they won’t accept further appeals, then there is nothing else you can do but accept the punishment. It is not a threat, it is a warning. An appeal is not a means to plea your case, it is only to have a different person review it and to come to their own conclusion.

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As previously stated, I appealed it without anyone actually reviewing the file.

I did open a ticket just to get an auto response, When I resubmitted I’m threatened with retaliatory action.

So if not in forums, and not in support, not in the TOS, where is it possible to speak to someone to get more info.

4

I responded to your edit by editing my own post. Sorry for the confusion.

5

I appealed twice to have the same rep look at it and respond in less than few minutes, and without any explanation.

So you mean to confirm that there is ZERO way to get some explanation or find out what’s wrong with the name?

and there Is ZERO way to fix these without financial costs?

6

If you did an appeal, then a different GM reviewed the case, it was not the same one.

After a quick search, that name yielded results that reference female genitalia. I can see why they decided to change it. You got an account suspension because after the force rename you changed it to an equally offensive name. So that was taken as you defying the account action and then a harsher penalty was enforced.

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7

Hi Mairek,

These results: are they yielded from a credited source such as Oxford, or websters?

It would be strange to decide what the meaning of a word is from uncredited sources, especially considering oxford and websters covers slang terms.

So I’m trying to understand how {Removed} is equally offensive.

As for the “separate Gm’s reviewing the file” I can clearly see that both times it was the same person as he left the name in the responses…

“Frostfenic”

8

The GMs also refer to the Urban Dictionary too.

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9

It doesn’t matter what anyone elses definition of a name is - all that matters is if Blizzard feels it’s inappropriate or not if the name is reported.

Society has a habit to turning seemingly innocent names into whatever they want when it comes to slang etc.

Thing about this is - armory is not a good resource to use when disputing names - because Blizzard is reactive (relying on reports). We don’t know if character names have been reported from the armory, or if they have, if they are yet to be changed - for example.

Generally it is a different GM, as appeals go into a queue - would be sheer luck to get the same GM twice.

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10

Like Nephe said, it’s not my opinion, or your’s, that matters, only Blizzard’s. They found it offensive, by any source that they base their decisions upon.

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So because of “sheer Luck” I don’t get to have my case actually reviewed or explained to me?

-If I cant use a credited source to find out if a word or term is offensive. every dictionary defines it as a silly person.
-Blizzard doesn’t take actions to remove the word from input in names. (Literally you can enter the word “{Removed}” in as a name and its accepted.)
-numerous other characters use it, There is literally GUILDS with the name {Removed}.

How does one find whether or not they are naming something inapproriate WITHOUT being banned first.

12

snickers

Sorry but that’s prob not going to be turned around.

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13

Just to be clear, the suspension wasn’t the first course of action here, the force name change was. That was your warning, you apparently choose to ignore it by changing to a similar name even after you researched and found that that you were using an inappropriate phrase.

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14

Really? I don’t think people are THAT naive.

Blizzard house, Blizzard’s rules.

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15

Again, the armory is not a good source for defending yourself by claiming other characters or guilds have the same (or similar) name.

You were reported. The others may or may not have been reported.

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16

Hey Mairek,

You still have yet to explain how {Removed}or {Removed} is offensive without clearly saying where your getting your reference

If its from a credible source I truly want to know.

Because under “urban dictionary” My legal name is offensive and a slang, so is most others on the planet.

Im simply trying to understand HOW this is offensive and HOW I can change the names without bans and paying out of pocket for something blizzard has failed to enforce through text input.

17

Self report the names via tickets. Or buy name changes.

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18

How does one find out what’s offensive and not offensive please.

Without Disciplinary action happening first.

the original ticket and forced name change does not outline what’s wrong with the name.

When asking in game support I’m told nothing, and if I resubmit I’m told I may face retaliatory actions.

So if it WAS sheer luck, should I theoretically resubmit to get an actual answer? or would My account face further actions for trying to receive clarity?

19

You want my personal opinion? I knew that word meant something inappropriate long before knowing it was in Urban Dictionary. And English is not my first language.

But again, my opinion does not matter.

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20

This seems to be it, Zero support…
Just Self submit a ticket on yourself or pay money and only use random charectar combination for names.