[UPDATE] Microsoft Devastates Autistic Child By Labeling Him a Cheater

[e2density]

It's his GAMERSCORE...whether he cheated to get it or not, WHO THE HELL CARES.

Jeez it's like everyone here is your average rager in ANY game, too busy arguing to realize that nobody really cares who is good at a pathetic video game...

 

[WorldCritic]

I don't even care that much about gamerscore, but I get the feeling that if I lost it all, I would be pretty pissed.

 

[Knightvision]

Sounds like the sort of incident that could be made into a Michael Moore film.

The chances if Microsoft getting it wrong is not impossible, but it's not very likely, and people will mainly see it from that point of view.

 

[Omikron009]

If he's a cheater, then Microsoft did the right thing. If he's not, then shame on you, Microsoft. Raaargh.

I also don't see how it matters that he's autistic. Lots of people who don't have autism use their 360s as their primary form of entertainment.

 

[Sprntr_Zomby]

Microsoft. Now attacking Handicapped people for profit.

I highly doubt he was cheating. It seems unlikely that he would cheat to get a high achievement score then when he gets banned he gets upset. It's not a logical move even for an autistic.

I'm going to say that I'm Autistic and people with Autism don't alway think with logic, especially the ones who are hit hard with the disease and the children.

I think he could have quite weel been cheating just didn't know it was cheating. Microsoft probably had good reason, and maybe its the fact that I'm Autistic, I say punish him the same as anyone else.

 

[Shannon Matchett]

May I askwhy you're including the fact that the child is autistic? I know you're referencing other people, but it's really not necessary to include it in your article too. Autism is hardly a handicap or something that people need to pity others for. It is easily mistakened as a handicap, but it really isn't. I've said this before "Autism is simply just the brain thinking in a different way to others."

I'm able to speak for those diagnosed with autism, because I am myself, autistic. Most people just don't know it. Do you know why many autistic children develop problems? It's because the doctors and the media lead them into believing that their diagnosis is a handicap and it goes to their heads. I'm not calling the liars, but I believe they dont fully understand. Thinking and taking actions, which are to different to the norm, may also contribute to this, but that alone is not a handicap. Nobody can begin to understand what autism really is inless they have it.

Is it too much to ask that I request that the Escapist not use autism in their articles like this? I hate to complain, but it's offensive.

Thanks for being a representative of the autistic community, I really appreciate that you've made the time to represent me as an Ambassador of Autism. This article isn't offensive in the slightest. They're repeating a news broadcast and frankly, the issue at the heart of this IS the fact that the child is autistic. The mother and media are using his disability as an excuse or justification for what's occurred and while I have sympathy for his plight, he, like any other, should be punished for cheating. It doesn't matter if he can't walk, talk or otherwise. What people like me have been trying so hard for is to be treated equally, and it's people like this child's mother who went screaming DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION and people like you who get offended over the simple use of the word autism, who ruin any chance we have for equality. So thanks, Mr. Representative, I really appreciate you setting back our social struggle another 5 years.

 

[SketchyFK]

See, that he's autistic makes me more likely to believe he wasn't cheating. Getting obsessed over things is something autistic people do, and videogames, with their clearly defined rules and ways in which to get achievements, are a pretty good outlet for autistic children in particular.

So I believe that it's entirely possible it looked like he was cheating, with a high score over a short amount of time or something, but in reality it was only possible because as an autistic he was so obsessed with getting achievements he played it too much.

I have autusm and i sort of agree with u here. It MASSIVELY depends on what kind of autism the kid had. If he has, lets say, Aspergers Syndrome, then i fully support the idea the kid didn't cheat. A.S. in partiular does force repetitive and obsessive behaviour. Moreover A.S. people are less likely to break the rules. Following rules is a MAJOR thing for them/me.

Like I said tho, it does depend on the type of autism. It's unlikely that his mum will know if he cheated or not but because of his autism its also even more likely she'll defend him otherwise.

In jist: Perhaps Microsoft should make EXTRA certain that this kid did or didn't cheat. Follow the rules sure but make sure they lable the right people.

 

[Wardnath]

I just do not think that this would be commented if he weren't autistic.

(For the record, my son is autistic and he enjoys playing Wii, he cares not an iota about achievements or trophies)

I'd even go so far as to say that the kid would've gotten more sympathy without the autism.

Look at some of the responses in this thread. I highly doubt that they'd insinuate that he'd cheat, or worse, hope that he did if he wasn't autistic.

(Hell, I'm an Aspie myself and I don't give a fuck about gamerscore. Though it does boggle my mind occasionally how some people get 100k gamerscore. O_O)

I wonder how these people think an 11-year-old on the autism spectrum is honestly gonna know how to cheat online without the proper education. I'm dying to know. Please tell me guys.

The internet exists.

He's 11, and probably still in primary (middle?) school.

 

[AmayaOnnaOtaku]

See, that he's autistic makes me more likely to believe he wasn't cheating. Getting obsessed over things is something autistic people do, and videogames, with their clearly defined rules and ways in which to get achievements, are a pretty good outlet for autistic children in particular.

So I believe that it's entirely possible it looked like he was cheating, with a high score over a short amount of time or something, but in reality it was only possible because as an autistic he was so obsessed with getting achievements he played it too much.

As someone with aspergers I know first hand the obsessive traits of those on the autism spectrum. Hopefully this will be remedied without a massive court battle that makes Microsoft looking like a douchebag. Though right now this makes them look like a massive douche

 

[SketchyFK]

I just do not think that this would be commented if he weren't autistic.

(For the record, my son is autistic and he enjoys playing Wii, he cares not an iota about achievements or trophies)

I wonder how these people think an 11-year-old on the autism spectrum is honestly gonna know how to cheat online without the proper education. I'm dying to know. Please tell me guys.

The internet exists.

Tbh, he's more likely to know than most other kids (depending on what kind of autism he has). Some autistic kids will go to any lengths to win. Others don't have to because their autism allows them to defeat the game easily. Autism can cause obsessive/enthusiastic behaviour which can massively help winning games with increased focus and deterination

 

[SketchyFK]

As someone with aspergers I know first hand the obsessive traits of those on the autism spectrum. Hopefully this will be remedied without a massive court battle that makes Microsoft looking like a douchebag. Though right now this makes them look like a massive douche[/quote]

I wish i just used this instead of rambling on about the exact same thing. I think the escapist would do good with a *LIKE* button.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

Hmmmm... well I don't know quite what to think of this but I believe there are two things that happened. 1)The kid didn't cheat and Xbox made a mistake, maybe someone tampered with his account causing Microsoft to think it was him. 2)The kid did cheat (intentionally or not) and either the parent doesn't know (wouldn't be surprised) or is just making a big deal out of it by acting like the victim. Hopefully if the kid didn't cheat, Microsoft will find out and undo the punishments. If not, well that's what you get for breaking the rules.

 

[Mad World]

If he really was cheating, then maybe he deserves it. I don't think that he deserves special treatment. It wouldn't really be fair if the punishment was lifted just because Microsoft was worried about PR issues.

Now, in general, I don't think that it's a very fair punishment. I don't know if I really think that anyone should be labelled a cheater permanently. But since that is Microsoft's choice of what to do with cheaters, then so be it. Like I said, I don't think that he should get special treatment just because the media took notice.

 

[A Pious Cultist]

I wonder how these people think an 11-year-old on the autism spectrum is honestly gonna know how to cheat online without the proper education. I'm dying to know. Please tell me guys.

If he was so lacking intelligence that you could make statements like that and be valid I doubt he'd be capable of completing the games so completely and in a way that triggers the cheat-detection mechanism.
Fact is he probably cheated. His autism may have been a deciding factor in causing him to do that, I can't say, but it wouldn't excuse it anyway.

 

[fingerbang143]

Well it's not as if Microsoft knew he was autistic, that and i'm sure they would know whether or not some form of boosting took place.

 

[toapat]

But if he was actually a cheater...then that's totally fine with me. And I think that he actually was a cheater, myself.

\

I would more likely believe this kid has a second hand console with the mod that allows people to play downloaded games (i forget the name of the chip)

personally i want Microsoft to stop making games and consoles, and return to only making operating systems. Its one thing if your Firmware sucks, its another if you make everything else suck.

 

[chunkeymonke]

i dont mean to sound like a jerk and no offense to the kid im very sorry that he has autism but if he cheated he cheated being autistic has absoluteley NOTHING to do with the fact that he cheated

 

[D_987]

snip

"I confirmed that achievements were illegitimately modified on the account and contacted the customer directly w/ specifics"

Stephen Toulouse's (Director of Policy and Enforcement for Xbox LIVE) Twitter account.

http://twitter.com/Stepto/status/30407631260614656

An update is in order.

 

[InnerRebellion]

I don't want to make it sound like I'm saying autistic kids are stupid, but couldn't this be an explanation: He looked up a way to get achievements and what not easier, and being autistic, didn't know it was cheating and thought it was ok?