Banned For Character Name

[PvPisthelifeforme]

Hello, about an hour ago I was given a 3 hour ban for one of my character names. The name in question was "Bdsm", and the letter that followed said the following...

"If you feel that you may have any additional names on your account that violate our Naming Policy, please submit an In-Game Petition with the name(s) in question. Doing so may prevent further actions on your account. Should you have any other names on your account that violate our Naming Policy and they are reported, the names will be changed and your account may incur further penalties. If this your first naming violation, we will allow you a 7-day grace period to notify us of any potential naming violations on your account. Please take this opportunity to inform us of any further naming violations on your account so they can be resolved without further penalties to your account, by submitting an In-Game Petition on one of your characters that does not violate our Naming Policy.

If you're interested in changing any of the previously inappropriate character names to one of your choice, please do visit our Paid Character Name Change service by logging into your <link> page."

Now the character named Bdsm, was banned shortly after I had posted on the customer service forums in regards to a bug I had in-game. While everything is pointing to the fact, that I brought the attention to myself by posting on the footsteps of Blizzard's Banhammer, this has raised one question.

Are my other characters safe, if I leave them under the radar? While it is clear with the above I am getting a free pass, I would rather not go through the hassle of having to rename some of the characters/get a random name (Friend of mine once got the name similar to "Fzxavc" and was quite displeased).

Let the record show, I take full responsibility for what resulted, and I do not have any emotion towards Blizzard. I would not like this thread to turn into a debate on whether or not my name was justified or not, but instead to answer the bolded/underlined question above. Thank you!

[starkey]

I guess you by passed the contains mature language warning when you created the character, i tried making honeybooboo but since it has boob in it i couldnt create it

[Windfury]

Are my other characters safe, if I leave them under the radar? While it is clear with the above I am getting a free pass, I would rather not go through the hassle of having to rename some of the characters/get a random name (Friend of mine once got the name similar to "Fzxavc" and was quite displeased).

Let the record show, I take full responsibility for what resulted, and I do not have any emotion towards Blizzard. I would not like this thread to turn into a debate on whether or not my name was justified or not, but instead to answer the bolded/underlined question above. Thank you!

Are your other characters names against the TOS? If so no I wouldn't call them safe, unless you never play them/never play with other people/never speak in public channels. It's a very simple right click on the name > report if someone finds your name offensive/a breach of the TOS for whatever reason, and anyone can do that.

[hiragana]

I wouldnt bother personally. Yeah you might get reported ingame but thats the risk we take with having good names. I would have thought if theyd been bothered to check your account for other names already they would have mentioned it, this is probably just a chance for people that honestly didnt know the names werent allowed to change them.

[Throren]

yes and no, you will always have the chance of running into other characters that could report your characters name.


Though honestly you shouldn't name characters after stuff like bdsm, it's common sense.

[PvPisthelifeforme]

I wouldnt bother personally. Yeah you might get reported ingame but thats the risk we take with having good names. I would have thought if theyd been bothered to check your account for other names already they would have mentioned it, this is probably just a chance for people that honestly didnt know the names werent allowed to change them.

The only issue I have with this, is that I am worried/paranoid if Blizzard will check my account, or if they are "giving me a chance to repent" if you will with my other characters. I might add they are MUCH worse than Bdsm.

[Rockwood]

Yeah, I maybe wrong but Blizz dislikes any name that is leet speak or phrase names.
Bdsm is of course leet speak for a type of intimate hobby.

[DieFichte]

The only issue I have with this, is that I am worried/paranoid if Blizzard will check my account, or if they are "giving me a chance to repent" if you will with my other characters. I might add they are MUCH worse than Bdsm.

Why don't you just do what blizzard said, get some nice names, and get on with your game/life. Nobody is a different player because he has actually a rpg name that fits the setting and not something else. (or atleast not a name that is against ToS)

Yeah, I maybe wrong but Blizz dislikes any name that is leet speak or phrase names.
Bdsm is of course leet speak for a type of intimate hobby.

"bdsm" is not really leetspeak, it's the official abbrevation for certain erotic/sexual behaviour and has no f'ing place in a game where not everyone is above the age of 18, that is stated somewhat uber clear in the ToS. (and actually by the law)

[Lynarii]

If your other names are much worse, then I would say that no they are not safe, unless you never ever log on them. Blizzard doesn't actively look out names for changing as a general rule, but if any of your 'worse' ones are reported and they see that you've already been offered a get out of jail free card on a prior offense that you didn't use, you rocket up their penalty volcano pretty rapidly.

[Spliff]

I've been flagged for rename multiple times while playing WoW and I've spoken to GMs regarding it. They have told me they will NOT force you to change your name unless another player reports it even if they see it's in violation themselves. I was told this when I was talking to a GM and admitted I had other toons with violating names and that is what they told me.

So if you're worried about further penalties to your account then yes I would own up to them all instead of risking a player reporting you and subsequently finding your account banned for longer.

[PvPisthelifeforme]

Why don't you just do what blizzard said, get some nice names, and get on with your game/life. Nobody is a different player because he has actually a rpg name that fits the setting and not something else. (or atleast not a name that is against ToS)



"bdsm" is not really leetspeak, it's the official abbrevation for certain erotic/sexual behaviour and has no f'ing place in a game where not everyone is above the age of 18, that is stated somewhat uber clear in the ToS. (and actually by the law)

I am trying to avoid this getting out of hand on whether or not the name was justified or not.

---------- Post added 2013-01-10 at 07:26 AM ----------

If your other names are much worse, then I would say that no they are not safe, unless you never ever log on them. Blizzard doesn't actively look out names for changing as a general rule, but if any of your 'worse' ones are reported and they see that you've already been offered a get out of jail free card on a prior offense that you didn't use, you rocket up their penalty volcano pretty rapidly.

I will take this into consideration, thank you Lynarii!

[Sinndra]

grats to you for finding some clever and distasteful names. you are really cool. and we should all bow to you.

now that sufficient ego stroking has occurred, just go change them to names that arent so distasteful and like other posters have said, and move on!

i hate to sound all prudish, but its just easier, when you use common sense. if you enjoy drama, then by all means do nothing and let somebody get offended and report the names.

[anabolicz]

all my chars are named after their class simple haha
Húñtér, Mãgé etc.. :P

[Gandrake]

news to me

i played a character named creampies for years, people would always complain about it but i was never suspended or prompted for name change. played a mage named gaythoughts in cataclysm, leveling a monk now that is named sackcracker

just sounds to me like you pissed someone off or everyone on your server is like 9

I mean really, you can't go wrong with just picking out a decent name and maybe I'm just lucky, but i wouldn't worry about it.

[DieFichte]

just sounds to me like you pissed someone off or everyone on your server is like 9

That was a good laugh at the start of the day, good night everyone.

[Meatboll]

I guess you by passed the contains mature language warning when you created the character, i tried making honeybooboo but since it has boob in it i couldnt create it

That's funny, I have 2 characters with "tits" in the name and they weren't flagged as having mature language.

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/characte...Titsroc/simple

[Rockwood]

I agree that it sounds like you pissed someone off.
More than likely a guild member or someone from a
"family" guild that ran a dung, raid, or BG with.

[Linkedblade]

Well I can't create a character with the name Zelda. =/

[Deleted]

Bdsm is of course leet speak for a type of intimate hobby.

It's not "Leet Speak". It's an acronym, and yes, there is a difference.

To the OP, I would be honest on this one, the fact that your account has been flagged with a naming violation, and they have specifically stated a 7 day grace period, I would possibly err on the side of caution, lest you end up with another ban when if they DO decide to check your other characters.

That's assuming that you have other potentially violating character names.

[Evi1Toad]

Just curious, are they really making you pay for a name change off of an inapropriate name?