The Sims 4 Bans Player From Gallery For Using Word Gay
Over on The Sims' subreddit, u/grumpydai shared a photo of a new account suspension for "hateful conduct" after they called their queer family "gay" in the gallery. According to u/grumpydai, the suspension was even labelled as "a serious violation".
The family was not made out of malice or as a homophobic act, poking fun at gay people - it was simply a gay family, and the name was chosen to reflect that. However, it appears as though The Sims' moderation flagged the word "gay" as a slur, which has upset many in the community given that it stifles expression in the gallery where players share their creations with each other.
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This isn't the first time that a user has reported getting a suspension for using the word gay. Only last month, u/adamthegoose took to the subreddit with their own story. They made an "innocent 'gay bar'" for the gallery in 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalised nationwide in the USA. Eight years later, their account got suspended for "Hateful conduct". The ban was removed as EA said it was a "mistake", adding that it would "review their process", though it seems little has changed since then.
It appears as though The Sims flags any term that could be used in a derogatory way, with 'gay' causing a suspension as it might have been used in a homophobic manner. This is a problem with automatic moderation as it not only catches potential examples of bigotry, but also punishes LGBTQ+ players for celebrating who they are.
One commenter even said that this extends to Sim names, as one player made an Indian character called Nazia, only to be suspended due to it being similar to 'Nazi'.
Both last month's and yesterday's threads have blown up on The Sims
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