Xbox says "it's okay to be gay"

Or religious. Or black. Or Dutch.

5 March 2010 15:06 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Microsoft has made some changes to its Xbox Live code of conduct to permit users to express certain personal details on their profile which they weren't previously allowed to.

Until the change, users were banned by Microsoft from expressing their race, nationality, religion or sexual orientation on their profile, in fear of discrimination and harassment. That policy has been reverted, and users are now free to express themselves in whatever manner they desire.

As harassment could remain an issue, Microsoft has also committed to increasing enforcement and stringency in its moderation, to stop the terms from being misused. That, the company thinks, will offer a nice compromise between freedom of expression and the risk of people being discriminated against.

Microsoft's Marc Whitten says: "I truly believe that our diversity is what makes us strong: diversity in gaming and entertainment options, and diversity in the people that make up this amazing community".

Via: xbox.com

Full tags

Gaming, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Live