CALL of Duty has abolished an in-game gesture over fears it's a hate symbol.<\/p>\n
The signal in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare caused a player's character to hold up their hand in a commonly used \"Okay\" gesture.<\/p>\n
3<\/p>\n
The move involves holding one's index and thumb together and was often used by players during online multiplayer matches to signal a win.<\/p>\n
Used innocently by millions worldwide, it has also been described by the US Anti-Defamation League as \"a sincere expression of white supremacy\".<\/p>\n
News of the quiet removal of the gesture or \"emote\" by Call of Duty (Cod) creator Infinity Ward was reported by The Independent.<\/p>\n
Neither Infinity Ward or publisher Activision have confirmed the reason for the gestures removal.<\/p>\n
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However, it's widely believed to be part of an official campaign to stamp out racism on Modern Warfare and its spin-off game, Warzone.<\/p>\n
\"There is no place for racist content in our game,\" Infinity Ward wrote on Twitter last month.<\/p>\n
\"This is an effort we began with launch and we need to do a better job. <\/p>\n
\"Were issuing thousands of daily bans of racist and hate-oriented names. But we know we have to do more.\"<\/p>\n
White supremacist groups adopted the \"Okay\" gesture in 2017, according to The Independent.<\/p>\n
Popularised by notorious social media site 4Chan, \"alt-right\" supporters are often photographed performing the gesture.<\/p>\n
The alt-right is a loosely connected far-right, white nationalist movement based in the United States that has spread across the globe.<\/p>\n
The Okay gesture was co-opted to trick the media into a reaction, but is now used so widely that experts believe the symbol's meaning has changed.<\/p>\n
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It was flashed by the man accused of killing 51 people at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year when he was in court.<\/p>\n
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) added the \"Okay\" gesture to its list of hate symbols in September 2019.<\/p>\n
It's said to be a way for alt-right supports to communicate with one another, though the gesture is largely a \"popular trolling tactic\", the ADL said.<\/p>\n
The US anti-hate group added that the \"overwhelming usage\" of the symbol today is still to show approval or that someone is OK.<\/p>\n
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Therefore \"particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture\".<\/p>\n
Among other changes, Infinity Ward announced last month it would add additional resources to monitor and identify racist content.<\/p>\n
They're bolstering in-game reporting systems and handing out more permanent bans in a bid to \"root out\" repeat offenders.<\/p>\n
The Sun has reached out to Activision for comment.<\/p>\n
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We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n See the rest here:<\/p>\n Call of Duty BANS OK gesture over fears its a right-wing extremist symbol - The Sun<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CALL of Duty has abolished an in-game gesture over fears it's a hate symbol. The signal in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare caused a player's character to hold up their hand in a commonly used \"Okay\" gesture. Continue reading