Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

Seems reasonable that they don't want to allow players to push their politics using the official Blizzard streams. They are free to do so in their spare time.

What do you think Blizzard would do if some guy wore a MAGA hat in an official stream?

Into your message is built the assumption that all "politics" is the same.

That's not the case. And further, pretending that oppression and fascism and ethnic cleansing is the same as fighting against those things, because oppressing and murdering people is just another "politics" and not something special, is by itself pro-fascist and evil stance.

> Into your message is built the assumption that all "politics" is the same.

Don't say things like that on HN. They don't like it...

They interview the player/person, what they stand for is their own prerogative. It isn't up to Blizzard to dictate what people should think or are allowed to say on issues such as human rights. It is their right to ban someone for what they deem 'misconduct' though, so yes they are in their rights doing what they did here.

They will also have to deal with the consequences of that decision, a lot of people are cancelling their subscriptions and deleting their blizzard accounts.

This will probably not impact them much, but hopefully there will get big enough that it does.

Absolutely nothing, because in the US we have freedom of speech codified into our constitution.

Unlike China.

Make Azeroth Great Again [0]? You could by them at https://shop.esfand.tv/ before, but it’s currently under construction (the website’s <title></title> still has it in the name).

[0] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=494dkjXL3p4

It’s reasonable from the perspective of maximising profit, sure. And it’s true that they’re (as far as I know) consistently applying a rule they set out a long time ago.

But that doesn’t make it the right decision, morally. Sometimes rules should be broken.

> Article 35. Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.

>And it’s true that they’re (as far as I know) consistently applying a rule they set out a long time ago.

Have they ever enforced this rule in the past? If not, it's difficult to speak of consistency.

>Into your message is built the assumption that all "politics" is the same.

Not really: there are politics I agree with and politics I disagree with. That doesn't mean that I believe Blizzard should give a loudspeaker to those who agree with me. I think that's stupid because it could turn against me at some point. Some people seem not to think ahead.

Which part of their constitution mentions the gulags they sent their muslims/protestors to?

Article 36. Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief.

That's completely true, except for the fact that none of it is true.

Go to China and openly criticize the government, hand out fliers about Tienanmen square with Winnie the Pooh on it and see what happens.

God forbid you actually are a citizen of China, because as a foreigner you will be put in a detention center until deported. As a citizen you will disappear.

I think it also hinges on whether or not previous players have made “offensive” statements before.

If it’s only happened once and they’ve punished it once, I think that’s as consistent as possible.

Although of course there’s a lot wriggle room re definition of “offensive”, which muddies the waters.

I think GP was responding to the way you said “codified into the constitution” as if that were the main differentiating factor (whereas it’s clearly not, because China also codified freedom of speech).

Not Blizzard, but in pro Dota, one of their champions, PPD, was wearing his MAGA hat with no repurcussions during last election cycle. Valve is also pretty bad about bootlicking Chinese authorities, so I don't think this comparison works.

I've been held in a Chinese detention center for 6 days before, when was the last time you were locked away without access to due process just for expressing an opinion?

I lived in China for several years, and I will never go back. I made a choice to move there to advance my career thinking I could tolerate living in a totalitarian state, and now that I have experienced it I will forever oppose it.

"Human rights" = politics. Blizzard can choose what they broadcast using their streams. I'm sure if someone decided to wear a tshirt with a fasces in it you'd agree... but since this is on the other side of the spectrum of politics, you disagree. Honestly, very short-sighted.

Are you actually trying to claim that China is a free country with freedom of speech?

There is a big difference between saying you are a free country and actually being one. In totalitarian regimes the government is not bound to the constitution, that is why they are called totalitarian.

If you truly believe that China is free, which I doubt, I highly encourage you to educate yourself on the half century of fear and murder that they have systematically used to oppress all dissension.

It is not my responsibility to educate you, but you are arguing against history. History may be malleable in China, but outside of the Great Wall we know what they have done and it is my dream that one day China is held accountable for the atrocities it has committed in the name of "peace and prosperity".

>As a citizen...

Think of all the lives your organs will save!

Being off on semantics isn't really the same as lying, in much the same way as nit-picking isn't widely considered a virtue.

This isn't a joke man, people are dying.

Public mockery of China is a small but important part in fighting against what is happening. Pride is important to them, it's why they banned Winnie the Pooh just because some people said he kinda looked like the party's general secretary.