31 replies to this topic

[The_Laird]

I just listed a Yars Revenge on ebay and got this message come up when I tried to post the listing:

Quote

Alert!
It looks like you are trying to list an item that includes the image of a swastika on it. We allow some historical items with swastikas on them, such as stamps and coins. However, we don't allow items that might be considered Nazi propaganda.

It is prohibited to list on eBay items which bear symbols of the Nazis, or the SS, including authentic German WWII memorabilia that bears such
marks, whether visible or covered.

Items which may be listed are coins and stamps from the WWII era (regardless of markings) and WWII memorabilia that does not bear the Nazi or SS markings.

For further information please see our Offensive material policy page

I am just baffled

[Gregory DG]

It's the swirl... Dumb.

[Emehr]

Isn't ebay run by nazis?

[homerwannabee]

Like Gregory said maybe they are referring to the swirl. This definitely is a good case of Political Correctness going too far. And I am one who likes political correctness.

http://www.atariage....e=4&maxPages=12

[Thomas Jentzsch]

They must have some picture analyzing software, else this wouldn't happen.

Can you post your pictures from the listing here?

[Albert]

Thomas Jentzsch, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 4:04 PM, said:

They must have some picture analyzing software, else this wouldn't happen.

Can you post your pictures from the listing here?

Agreed, and that's pretty ridiculous. I assume you attempted to post a screenshot. I wonder if this happened because you're in the UK?

..Al

[Lonely Mountain Hermit]

Well, everyone knows the nazi's were communicating with extra-terrestrials in hopes of getting their hands on a Zorlon Cannon.

[The Eidolon]

I think eBay had some run-ins with European governments, particularly France, over the sale
of Nazi paraphernalia. Items which are perfectly legal to sell in the US would be prohibited in France,
so if a France-based bidder were to buy the item, it would violate the law. French courts went
after eBay and Yahoo and others, I believe, and won a number of settlements against them.
These settlements would not be enforceable in the US, but if the business has a branch in France,
it can't just ignore foreignlaw when it conducts business.

Anyway, my guess is that eBay is not trying to be a clamp down on swastika-themed items
out of narrow-mindedness, but to try and avoid unnecessary legal entanglements. It's strange
that Yars Revenge would trigger the alert, but looking at the swirl graphic I could certainly
imagine it could produce a false positive with image recognition software. Very interesting
story--thanks for sharing it with us.

[Pyromaniac605]

Thats just pathetic if anything or anyone saw the swirl as a swastika they are either:

A.Buggy/Beta Version
B.Blind/Stupid
C.Nazi

I say its C.

-Darren-

[Shawn Sr.]

That swirl is a very common version of the swastika, intended or not. But pulling a video game over it that has no intent of displaying it as a Nazi symbol? BS. Also who's to say it wasn't being used (even though it wasn't) to represent the older and more acurate meaning the Egyptians explained as a symbol for luck and victory?

[Pyromaniac605]

Shawn Sr., on Sun Mar 7, 2010 6:22 PM, said:

That swirl is a very common version of the swastika, intended or not. But pulling a video game over it that has no intent of displaying it as a Nazi symbol? BS. Also who's to say it wasn't being used (even though it wasn't) to represent the older and more acurate meaning the Egyptians explained as a symbol for luck and victory?

No it isnt the only swastika is the swastika not any swirly versions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika .

-Darren-

[Miss 2600]

The swirls are pointing in the wrong direction. To look more like the Nazi swastika, it would be reversed.

That is very interesting, though.

[Miss 2600]

On another note...Hooray I'm a Star Raider now!

[Pyromaniac605]

Miss 2600, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 7:03 PM, said:

The swirls are pointing in the wrong direction. To look more like the Nazi swastika, it would be reversed.

That is very interesting, though.

Your thinking of a Manji thats a reverse swastika.

[Miss 2600]

Pyromaniac605, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 7:59 PM, said:

Miss 2600, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 7:03 PM, said:

The swirls are pointing in the wrong direction. To look more like the Nazi swastika, it would be reversed.

That is very interesting, though.

Your thinking of a Manji thats a reverse swastika.

The Nazi swastika points point to the right (when looking at it). The swirls on Yars Revenge point to the left. I know this because I used to draw Nazi swastikas all the time in my stupid & impressionable youth when I thought they were cool.

[Zoyx]

This was the fault of a computer algorithm. No human has time to go through all of the auctions that are posted to ebay.

[tz101]

PC run amok...

[ericwierson]

WOW!!! Crazy stuff. You can still buy stuff from Farakhan and the Black Panthers. At least there is still some racist crap you can buy.

[fiddlepaddle]

How do we know that Yars Revenge wasn't actually created with the intent of promoting Nazis (through a mirror)?

[Pyromaniac605]

Miss 2600, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 8:05 PM, said:

Pyromaniac605, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 7:59 PM, said:

Miss 2600, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 7:03 PM, said:

The swirls are pointing in the wrong direction. To look more like the Nazi swastika, it would be reversed.

That is very interesting, though.

Your thinking of a Manji thats a reverse swastika.

The Nazi swastika points point to the right (when looking at it). The swirls on Yars Revenge point to the left. I know this because I used to draw Nazi swastikas all the time in my stupid & impressionable youth when I thought they were cool.

Yeah so its like a swirly manji not a swirly swasika. (or should i say svastika )

-Darren-

[A.J. Franzman]

Pyromaniac605, on Mon Mar 8, 2010 1:06 AM, said:

Yeah so its like a swirly manji not a swirly swasika. (or should i say svastika )

Not even close. In German, it's called a "hakenkreuz" (for non-German-speaking Americans, this is roughly pronounced as "hawk in kroyts"), or hooked cross. And it was very common to see it depicted in either rotation during WWII. For example, German flags would be printed from only one side of the fabric, so if the wind blew the flag from any viewer's right to left, the symbol would appear reversed to him. Also, Allied airmen often would deliberately paint the "kill" markings on aircraft as reversed swastikas, as a sign of disrespect.

Edited by A.J. Franzman, Tue Mar 9, 2010 12:20 AM.

[ovalbugmann]

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing the auction picture(s) you put up. Just re-list without any Yars' Revenge swirls visible.

Nothing nazish on the box: http://www.atariage....wareLabelID=603

Thomas Jentzsch, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 4:04 PM, said:

They must have some picture analyzing software, else this wouldn't happen.

Can you post your pictures from the listing here?

[Shawn Sr.]

Pyromaniac605, on Mon Mar 8, 2010 1:06 AM, said:

Yeah so its like a swirly manji not a swirly swasika. (or should i say svastika )

-Darren-

It's a hooked cross to the left or to the right. "Manji" & "Swastika" are both words only relevant in the english language.

[Tr3vor]

fiddlepaddle, on Sun Mar 7, 2010 11:48 PM, said:

How do we know that Yars Revenge wasn't actually created with the intent of promoting Nazis (through a mirror)?

innocent until proven guilty though. hopefully my favorite atari game doesnt promote nazis, but it wouldnt matter anyway, cuz its still yars' revenge

[Pyromaniac605]

A.J. Franzman, on Tue Mar 9, 2010 12:19 AM, said:

Pyromaniac605, on Mon Mar 8, 2010 1:06 AM, said:

Yeah so its like a swirly manji not a swirly swasika. (or should i say svastika )

Not even close. In German, it's called a "hakenkreuz" (for non-German-speaking Americans, this is roughly pronounced as "hawk in kroyts"), or hooked cross. And it was very common to see it depicted in either rotation during WWII. For example, German flags would be printed from only one side of the fabric, so if the wind blew the flag from any viewer's right to left, the symbol would appear reversed to him. Also, Allied airmen often would deliberately paint the "kill" markings on aircraft as reversed swastikas, as a sign of disrespect.

Oh nevermind have it your way then.

-Darren-

Edit: Swastikas arent nescicarily nazi symbols eg. Finnish air force. just chech the wikipedia page for swastika nad there is alot more than just a nazi symbol.

Edit2: (wikipedia) the Manji symbol which is the mirror image of the Nazi swastika

Edited by Pyromaniac605, Tue Mar 9, 2010 4:21 PM.