back to article Microsoft bans XXXXBOX gamers for CURSING in online combat

Microsoft has announced that it will silence swearing and cursing players on its Xbox Live online gaming service. Although Redmond reassured cursing customers that they will still be able to turn the air blue in private chats, they will have to be much more discreet when shooting up some stranger on the other side of the world …

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  1. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Pete Spicer

      Re: 15-18?

      Sure, but that doesn't prevent uninformed, or uninterested, parents buying them anyway.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: 15-18?

        who cares under 18s are a minority now in gaming, should ban them from being able to play anything that isn't a good complex strategy or world building sim and leave all the mayhem and blood shed to the adults to relieve the pent up rage of 9 hours in the slave pits.

        *gets back to building a sorting machine*

  2. Dan Paul

    No Such Thing as Profanity!

    To me, there is no such thing as profanity in the company of consenting adults. If they havent heard it before, they should have by now. If this is a game where people kill each others characters then nothing could be quite as hypocritical as banning someone for "blue" language. If you are using Skype on an XBox, your conversation should be free from censorship anyway. If you happen to let loose a barrage of F#%& this and that during a game rated for ONLY mature audiences (GTA anyone???) many times the gameplay will be far worse than your words could ever be.

    This is another example of pantywaist, busybody, nanny lovin fruitbats who should just stay off the net FOREVER as their delicate ears could be offended while they rape the "ho's" and kill the rubes online.

    Regardless of the words you say, what and how you say it, "profanity" is still free protected speech that should not be regulated unless you threaten somone with bodily harm and truly mean to do so.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

      No, that's not what free speech is about.

      Not at all.

      1. Dan Paul

        Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

        Yes, yes it is. The very definition of Free Speech is that you panty waists can't tell me what I can say (for any reason). Or for that matter what I do, that does not harm anyone else. All "Blue" laws regarding profanity, temperance, prostitution, etc came from religious rule and thus are unconstitutional and should be removed from the books.

        YOU do not have the right to censor ME for ANY reason! That is the very basis of free speech!

        Swearing/Profanity is perhaps one the most important aspects of free speech as it is obviously designed to offend someone.

        George Carlin and the 7 dirty words for example can now be played on the radio and Internet, when it could not before. How about the unedited versions of most rap "music"? You hear them every day.

        If you don't like it, don't play "Adult" rated games that depict battle or "mature" circumstances, don't go to PG-13 to R to X rated movies, don't go where your delicate ears (or eyes) will be offended.

        Or you could just grow up and ignore what fully 60% of the population says every day in one language or another.

        For once you allow the censorship of a single F@ck You, the slippery slope gets alot steeper.

        1. Graham Marsden
          Boffin

          @Dan Paul - Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

          With the Right of Freedom of Expression comes the Responsibility to use it appropriately.

          Would you use the same language you use in the company of your peers in front of your parents/ grandparents/ in a church/ on television/ in front of other people's children and, if someone objects, smugly claim that you're exercising your Right of Freedom of Expression?

        2. David Webb

          Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

          Are you challenging the moderators on this forum by any chance? I'm sure they can censor you, especially if you say really naughty stuff that is against the rules. Basically, this is their house (and MS's servers is MS's house) and if they don't want you to come into their house and shit on their carpet then you're pretty much not allowed to go shit on their carpet, if you want to shit on a carpet feel free to use your own, and of course have no objections when people come and shit on your carpet.

          P.S. it's Fuck, you actually self censored, a slippery slope indeed!

          1. Anonymous Coward
            FAIL

            @David

            "Basically, this is their house (and MS's servers is MS's house) and if they don't want you to come into their house and shit on their carpet then you're pretty much not allowed to go shit on their carpet".

            That comparison is flawed. It's not their house. It's their building and they're offering it up for rent to any game company who wants to use it.

            When you're playing in a game you're not playing in a Microsoft environment perse, but in that of the game company. For example; Microsoft has nothing to do with a game like GTA V.

            Within that context the story becomes a whole lot different. In MY house (which I'm renting) I can say and do all I want. My house, my rules. The only rules that supersede mine are those which are directly related to the well fare of the building. For example I can not tear down a wall if I want to. But other than that I can do as I please.

            In my opinion the same applies here. You maybe playing on the XBox but you're still playing games which Microsoft had little to do with. And well; isn't it a little bit hypocrite that when looking at a game like GTA V you can get an NPC swearing at you (Quote: "You f*cking c*cks*cker!" if you steal or ram a persons car) but the very moment a player says the exact same thing he risks getting banned?

        3. Psyx

          Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

          "YOU do not have the right to censor ME for ANY reason! That is the very basis of free speech!"

          Yes I do.

          No its not.

          It's a service provided by Microsoft, and they can censor you over their airwaves just as much as they fucking like, and there is fuck all you can do about it, because you elected to use that service. So basically, you're talking rubbish.

          You appear to be one of those people who whine about 'free speech' and 'rights' without actually understanding what is and is not covered, nor what level of responsibility such freedoms levy upon on you.

          It's you who's the whining panty-waister.

          Honestly, there should be a new 'Godwin's Law' for people who start to bleat on about 'free speech' inappropriately.

          1. Dan Paul

            Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

            Sorry you are unable to see that censorship of any kind is against the First Amendment . I don't care what the polite legal "consensus opininion" is, I only care about the fact that it is my belief that I am allowed to have and express any opinion I choose, in any words that are applicable and that opinion includes the fact that I believe that profanity and all laws that "control" it are a violation of my "right to speak freely", IE "Free Speech". This includes using the "objectionable" words in conversation.

            Do not try to change my meaning of free speech with your opinions.

            Nowhere did I say I would be stupid enough to express that "opinion" in places where it might do me harm.

            Microsoft can do anything it wants but I will still choose to use the words I want. If they ban me, oh well.

            No I would not run off my mouth in front of children but I respect the right of someone to "speak freely" and that includes the right to say "Fuck Off, Wanker!"

        4. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

          @Dan Paul.

          You massively understand free speech. Over and above this "right" go the laws of the land.

          Would you expect, in this day and age, to be able to hurl a torrent of racist abuse at someone and it be ok, "because, you know, free speech". No. it'd be illegal, and rightly so.

          1. Dan Paul

            Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

            Racism itself is not illegal in the USA, in fact the various Nazi Party groups have won many a court case in the USA over it's right to march wherever, whenever and with whatever on their signs, much of which is certainly racist, anti-semetic etc.

            The fact remains that even the Nazi's get to say anything they want under the US First Amendment.

            Notice that I do not agree with their sentiments, only their right to express any and all opinions they have.

            This is "Free Speech" since you pantywaists do not understand the actual legally proven extent of the First Amendment.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

      "Regardless of the words you say, what and how you say it, "profanity" is still free protected speech that should not be regulated unless you threaten somone with bodily harm and truly mean to do so."

      You don't really know what protected free speech is. The Constitution provides you free speech against the government, that is all. If you want proof, walk into the office of the president of the company you work for and call him every name in the book and say whatever you want, don't hold back. When you are fired, go see a lawyer and ask them to sue your previous employer. After they explain to you that you were fired with cause and that your speech was not protected, you will now know that free speech only applies against government entities.

    3. Psyx

      Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

      "in the company of consenting adults."

      Ummm... you just hit the nail on the head: I think that the issue is that people who merely happen to be playing the same game as you *aren't* consenting to be swore at and many of them aren't adults.

    4. NomNomNom

      Re: No Such Thing as Profanity!

      Ideally transgressors would be liquidated, their molten corpses poured into glass coffins which would then be transported around the city for all to see to set an example.

      But in lieu of that MS will have to just ban them for 24 hours.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Awwwwwwww....

    Maybe he can go outside and get a life now.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good. If kids can't control their potty-mouths they deserve to have their toys taken away.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't mind

    I don't mind just as long as they don't try to mute my cursing every time I get confused using win8.

    1. Katie Saucey
      Windows

      Re: I don't mind

      Fucking aye.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ABout time really.

    The language that, in particular affects Xbox Live is shocking.

    Having both systems, I prefer playstation online gaming, as you don't get called a F%*ing Ni%%$$r every 2 minutes.

  7. Cooker

    I welcome the move, xbox live has a well deserved reputation for being full of abusive people and it gets a little tiresome being told how many times "I've F*&ked ur mum!!!1"

    1. Steven Raith
      Coat

      To be fair, your mum loves a bit of schlong.

      Tell her I said hi.

      Steven R

      (Yes, I'm going, I'm going...)

      PS: I only ever play XBox online among private parties - I don't understand why anyone would join a public lobby in any game, I don't think I've ever found one that wasn't full of utter, utter bellends)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        I know of one lad (of mixed race parentage) who was banned from Xbox Live because he asked "Is it because I is black?".

        I don't know him, or his gamer tag - but I worked with his mum and after giving her a lift home after a works Christmas bash and a few gin and tonics...

        I haven't played Xbox Live for about a year. The only time I have played Xbox in the last twelve months at all has been for a few nights of Worms 2 amongst friends - a game that I recommend to people on the grounds that it *makes* you swear at each other.

        "You f&^%ing %^*$^, I can't believe you f^&%7 ninja roped across the map and killed my last worm, you utter ^$%%^!"

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Well my gaming tastes don't match those of my real life friends, they play FIFA and COD, I'm playing Mass Effect 3 and Trench so I've got no option to dive into those scum infested public lobbies.

    2. Katie Saucey

      That's nothing

      From the earliest days of the PC shooter, doom (LAN, dial-up), then quake, then HL/CounterStrike, shit talking has been an essential part of play. I regularly play/host Civ 5 games with comments that would make Stormfront guys think twice, it's part of the game to upset your opponent and gain the psychological edge. Don't even get me started on some chess.com sessions I've had.

      1. poopypants

        @Katie Saucey (Re: That's nothing)

        Gordon Freeman never swears.

      2. JC_

        Re: That's nothing

        it's part of the game to upset your opponent and gain the psychological edge

        That's over-analysing it; for the vast majority of the trash-talkers, it's a chance to try and wind up other people, safe in the knowledge that they're not going to get punched for it like they would in the real world.

  8. Michael Xion

    Never encountered it

    As someone who has logged 100s of hours on Halo and Battlefield multiplayer games, I can honestly say I've never heard any swearing. In fact I rarely hear any talk at all. Maybe it's because I play in Australia, I don't know. Meanwhile, BF3 itself has lines like "I'm getting my shit pushed in over here" and "fuck me, they're all over me" that are broadcast quite regularly, so this move from Microsoft seems somewhat hypocritical.

  9. Lennart Sorensen

    So no swearing, but killing is OK.

    1. Dave 126

      >So no swearing, but killing is OK.

      "They train young men to rain fire down upon people, but they will not allow them to write 'Fuck' on the side of their airplanes because it is obscene"

      - Cl. Kurtz, Apocalypse Now

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Writing fags on bombs used in the limited police action in Afghanistan is still naughty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fag_bomb

    2. Jugernautilus

      To be fair, I don't think you are actually allowed to kill your opponents.

      I guess simulated swearing would be ok?

  10. john devoy

    Age limits?

    How is this policy affected by the age rating of the game? If a game is rated 16+ or 18+ then banning players for a few profanities would seem a bit out of place, people muttering to themselves when they make mistakes is a far cry from abuse of other players.

    1. Tom 260

      Re: Age limits?

      As far as I'm aware, the videos can be viewed by anyone on the Live service, not just those with the game, and since Microsoft are utter bellends regarding child accounts, everyone generally just makes an adult account anyway. It took about 5 years for them to make an option available to upgrade from a child to adult account keeping your tag & gamerscore (after all, kids do grow up eventually), and the upgraded accounts still don't work properly at everything a regular adult account can do.

  11. Hoe

    I wonder, will they still ban you if you release a video saying how great your Xbox is and how Shit the PS4 is?

  12. JassMan

    Does it use a local dictionary?

    If you are playing in the UK can you say MERDE or can you use words in in English which have no meaning in Merkin such as ARSE ('cos we all know they speak out of their ASSES) or even TWUNT?

    1. Dave 126

      Re: Does it use a local dictionary?

      I watched a French film with English subtitles in the cinema, 'A Town Called Panic'. At one point, a character said 'Merde' and the subtitles said 'Oh Dear', which we all found hilarious at the time.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't mind

    I don't mind as long as they dont try to mute my cursing every time I get confused using win8.

  14. TheFatMan

    WTF?

    Just WTF is a Panty Waist?

    1. David Webb

      Re: WTF?

      It's the thing that most Xbox/PS and the 12 Wii U owners only ever get to see when they don't have ad-block on and get shown "lewd" pictures of ladies in their underwear? Ohh a panty waist (queue sounds of fapping and much joy, never buy a used game controller).

      Disclaimer - above is a joke, yeah, 12 people owning a Wii U? Pfft.

      1. Dave 126

        Re: WTF?

        So, to answer the question: WTF is Panty Waist?

    2. Tom 35

      Re: WTF?

      A boy of man who is seen as timid, effeminate, ineffectual.

      Most often used by people who think they are rough, burly, tough.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: WTF?

      Pantywaist:

      See Puddle jumper or "one whom is good with colours".

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: WTF?

      That is a euphemism for someone who is easily offended, probably raised with too much self esteem and can't seem to defend themselves but always finds a need to get Mommy to fight his battles for him cuz he's "Too precious".

  15. Grogan Silver badge

    Fuck off, Microsoft. People are dropping their Xbox Live Gold memberships in droves.

    Since installing hostile updates that force an account confirmation, with account lockouts if you don't comply (or succeed) and email confirmation codes that DON'T WORK, many people are simply reverting the last system update (with hard disk selected under Storage in System Settings, press this sequence of buttons twice: LB, LB, X) disconnecting their Xbox 360 units from the Internet (so they can still play their games and access their local saves) and cursing and vowing that they will NEVER buy an Xbox One and when the time comes, will be purchasing a Sony Playstation 4. Does Microsoft really think that their meddling, consumer hostile policies are going to convince people that it will be less hassle to just go and buy a new console? Yes, that's right, they hate Microsoft even more right now than they hate Sony.

    They've pissed off the majority of the PC user base, hardware vendors and now gamers.

    So, brilliant move, Microsoft. Trying to tell gamers that they can't use swear words? I don't think I have ever been on any kind of game server where people haven't sworn. Take your arrogant, authoritarian, anti-consumer policies and go smoke a turd in Hell.

    1. Grogan Silver badge

      I just realized I made a mistake in my post. While it was only mentioned incidentally, what if someone wastes their time trying that and doesn't realize it's not working only because it's wrong. All I can do now is reply to it with the correct info.

      The sequence of button presses was supposed to be LB, RB, X, LB, RB, X to revert a System Update on Xbox 360.

      That's go to System Settings, and in Storage highlight your XBox 360 hard disk and press LB, RB, X twice (Left bumper, Right bumper, X button, Left bumper Right bumper X button)

  16. as2003

    Technology?

    Are they using automatic voice recognition, or are they doing this manually / relying on community members to flag stuff up?

    1. Quinnicus

      Re: Technology?

      No, Microsoft outsourced this profanity checker to the NSA, considering that they are already tapped into everyones Xbone anyhow.

    2. Lottie

      Re: Technology?

      Oh god, can you imagine how soul destroying that job would be? 8 hours a day of listening to shouty xbox live feeds?

      I hope they have recognition software.

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