A member of FaZe Clan since mid-2021, FaZe Kalei is a streamer and TikTok creator best known for her prowess in FPS games likeApex LegendsandCall of Duty: Warzone. Initially tapped to appear in an upcoming FaZe ClanCall of Duty: Warzoneevent, Kalei was barred from becoming a captain in any Activision-affiliated events after the publisher cited issues with her “oversexualized” Twitter activity.In a now-deleted tweet, FaZe Kalei explained that she was barred from participating as a captain in FaZe Clan’s own competition and accused Activision of hypocrisy afterCall of Dutydeveloper Raven Software briefly changed its Twitter profile picture to a cropped image of another streamer’s backside tattoo. The extent of the restrictions placed on Kalei isn’t precisely known, but it seems as if she may still be able to participate in the upcomingCall of Duty: Warzoneevent in some capacity. The streamer has also recentlysuggested thatCall of Duty: Warzoneplayers may want to switch over toApex Legendsto get their battle royale fix.RELATED:Leaked Call Of Duty: Warzone Vehicle Could Let Players Destroy Buy Stations, Loadout DropsMany in the community agreed that Activision was overzealous and pointed to several instances in which the officialCall of DutyTwitter account retweeted content of a sexual nature, the most infamous was an August 2021 highlight of a semi-NSFW music video from rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who is otherwiseknown for herMortal Kombat 11cosplays. Others argued that it doesn’t benefit Activision to police its community so heavily and that risqué content should be more acceptable in an esports environment centered around an M-rated game.
Esports commentator Jake Lucky offered a more neutral standpoint, arguing that, while the ban seemed unwarranted, FaZe Kalei’s behavior on Twitter was, at times, particularly egregious. Having jokingly posted vulgar tweets and images of inappropriate content in the past, Activision’s concern may seem warranted, particularly in light of the many advertiser-friendly content issues which have arisen on sites like YouTube and Twitch in recent years. ThoughFaZe Kalei has also been banned on Twitchin the past, without a similar regard for moderation on its own official channels, theCall of Dutypublisher seemingly isn’t practicing what it preaches.
More egregious is theongoing workplace misconduct lawsuit that’s been hanging over Activision Blizzardfor the past few months. Numerous employees took legal action against the publisher in September 2021, alleging unfair labor practices and sexual misconduct in the workplace. It could be that Activision is particularly invested in censoring explicit material as a result of the lawsuit, or it could be that FaZe Kalei is being held to a higher set of standards than those abided by some of Activision’s higher-ups.
MORE:Raven Software Explains The Process Behind Choosing Call Of Duty: Warzone’s Playlists
Source:Reddit u/Friday515
