Why Garry’s Mod recently decided “nazi glorification” crosses the line
Enlarge / A scene from a Garry's Mod server or a WWII documentary? Who can say, really? (credit: ModDB / Garry's Mod)
In the realm of online game moderation, the official Server Operator Rules for Source Engine physics sandbox Garry's Mod have always been pretty forgiving. For a long time, the only things that could get a server explicitly "blacklisted" by developer Facepunch Studios were sexual violence, unmarked NSFW content, fraudulent server information, or "malicious actions" that essentially hacked a player's local game installation.
On April 20, those scant rules were updated with one more specific prohibition: "Display of swastikas, the nazi salute or other glorification of nazism is prohibited, even for 'roleplay' purposes."
That new rule represents a change of heart for Garry's Mod creator Garry Newman, who told Ars his outlook on what should and shouldn't be allowed in online spaces has changed since he became a parent to two children (currently 9 and 6 years old).