No more potty mouth on Microsoft Services!
No more swearing on Skype, in Outlook.com emails, in Office 365 documents, or on Xbox, Microsoft has told customers.
As of May 1, a new Microsoft Services Agreement will ban offensive language. Oh, and bestiality, too, plus a slew of other unsavory content types.
Here’s the new code of conduct:
Don’t publicly display or use the Services to share inappropriate content or material (involving, for example, nudity, bestiality, pornography, offensive language, graphic violence, or criminal activity).
The new offenses, which can get you kicked from services or lose you your Microsoft account, join the garden-variety evil villain ones: transmitting viruses, stalking, posting terrorist content, communicating hate speech, advocating violence against others, copyright infringement, and manipulating services to increase play count, among others.
What you’re up against if you violate the new terms:
…we may stop providing Services to you or we may close your Microsoft account. We may also block delivery of a communication (like email, file sharing or instant message) to or from the Services in an effort to enforce these Terms or we may remove or refuse to publish Your Content for any reason. When investigating alleged violations of these Terms, Microsoft reserves the right to review Your Content in order to resolve the issue. However, we cannot monitor the entire Services and make no attempt to do so.
The list of covered services includes:
- Skype
- Windows Live Mail
- Office 365
- Bing
- Cortana
- OneDrive.com
- OneDrive
- OneNote.com
- Outlook.com
- Xbox Live
No swearing or offensive language on Xbox Live? Well, hallelujah and good luck to you on that, Microsoft. Very young voices pipe up with very rude injunctions on the gaming platform’s chat features. Bullying and harassment run amok: it seems like shock-value is a game unto itself. So OK, good for Microsoft: now it’s got a policy to justify kicking off the jerkiest jerks. Microsoft has this code of conduct to spell out how Xbox Live customers are expected to behave.
With regards to Microsoft censors listening in on our Skype conversations for blue language or photos sent via email that are just way too sexy – or illegal – the company assured The Register that it doesn’t listen to Skype calls, and it’s not actively poking its nose into our stuff…
…as long as nobody complains, that is. Microsoft clarified that if it receives a complaint about a potential breach of the code of conduct, be it in a Skype chat, an email or whatever, it may examine private files and conversations.
So while Microsoft says it’s not actively policing content, you could still start blipping on its radar if somebody were to complain about, say, an Office 365 email stuffed full of profanity, or a nude selfie you sent them via Outlook.com, or using the Bing search engine to enter strings that insult someone.
Ian Dobson
So does that mean Skype conversations aren’t encrypted and completely private then?
Mahhn
Just like all free services, you are the product. So you are correct, it is not private.
FreedomISaMYTH
used xbox live since it came out back in the day… i honestly think it has got a lot better than it was a decade ago… maybe i just play games that more adults play.
thedrogsofwar
“or using the Bing search engine” LOL, thanks MS. I needed a good laugh this morning.
Kurt
I suppose that if you don’t like the new terms of service, you better take your potty mouth elsewhere. Don’t you reckon that the use of MS Services is always going to be “free” as in anarchy reigns? Just as actions have consequences, so do words be they verbal or written. Just ask anyone that has ever been in a flame war on Usenet.
Mark
Since when is Microsoft’s services free? I pay Microsoft quite a bit for my OneDrive storage, Office365, Windows OS, TechNet subscription and a variety of other services.
lucusloc
This may be technically true, but the war against all things not PC is getting really old. I hate how many companies are getting on board with the enforced morality bandwagon. Things like the first amendment may not technically apply to private entities, but the fact that they are totally fine with this kind of censorship should give chills to everyone who cares about such principles. Considering how prevalent outrage culture is it really is only a matter of time before everyone will have a valued topic censored. If that does not scare you I am afraid we just do not share the same values.
Mahhn
Just tested Bing, blocks all results for the F word, but the C word comes right up, and with an image. -100 points for MS attempt to censor people, and -10 points for doing a poor job of it.
Next month all references to sex, anger, protest against governments/corruption will have you blacklisted from ISPs. Since this will get ISP to block IPs that search for or transmit censored words, free wifi will vanish. Phones will be disconnected for the use of profanity during conversations. Welcome to the end of privacy, and free speech (unless it’s rainbows and unicorns). OMG this means Deadpool will be blocked, noooooooo.
Alexia and Siri might turn you in by Christmas if they hear you cursing in your own home – here come the thought police….. really, wtf….. George Carlin will be erased from history too, :(…..
ChiefBea
Don’t forget the novel, 1984. It makes me wonder if these were subliminal messages of things to come.
Mark
So we can no longer share links or article excerpts from 95% of today’s media stories/movies/music?
Habeas
Oh dear, really?
Another nail in the coffin of the Rule of Law, namely freedom of expression. Whom at Microsoft is going to act as the thought police on what is, or isn’t, offensive language? Everyone seems to be offended these days. I suppose there will be exemptions, the POTUS would otherwise be banned as he seemingly offends someone or some country every other day…..? (Don’t most world leaders?)
Socrates would be outraged at our lack of advancement in 2,500 years – no nudity in art, no expression and argument that doesn’t upset some poor soul? What the #@+% !
John
I think you have completely misinterpreted this. Nowhere does it say anything about swearing. When the code of conduct lists “offensive language” as a no-no, they’re talking about anything that’s not politically correct and might send the under-30 demographic running for their safe spaces. It’s stating that Microsoft reserves the right to censor anything they feel might be upsetting or might “offend” someone.
delayedthoughtengineering
I think interpretation is at the heart of the matter. “Offensive language” is a rather nebulous term, open to a wide variety of interpretations. Plus, its mention is merely as an example! There is nothing to keep them from interpreting it as including swearing. The interpretation will be subject to political and financial pressure. Just because they allow swearing today, doesn’t mean they won’t act on it tomorrow.
roleary
This is really the problem. If you’re surprised that PC terms like “Special needs” are used abusively then you’re officially old. Kids know how it’s done.
TechFlax
Everyone is tracking our conversation. Nothing is private on internet.
Anonymous
And this makes it okay? Fools believe things are inevitable
Anonymous
I find the term “Offensive Launguage” to be offensive. I suppose Mircosoft will have to ban themselves due to that and leave us the hell alone to say what we actually want now
Max
The mere fact that they want to look at my conversations or content of my emails will just make me stop using their services (outside of work anyway). Even if I was a saint who never used profanity or sent anything “offensive”, Microsoft has no business whatsoever looking at my content, if I haven’t made it public.
Anonymous
So basically users are going to allow Microsoft (and other companies) to cyberbully them into changing their behavior thus ending freedom of speech, expression, individuality, sexuality etc. To accomplish this they will be monitoring our voive chats, phone calls (Skype calls), emails and anything you would produce with a Microsoft product. That sounds a lot like China.
This is our community.
Are we really going to allow a Company to do what we don’t allow the NSA or our governments to do.
Sounds like it’s time to rage quit Microsoft.
Uncle Ron
I believe MS will take action ONLY if it receives a complaint–maybe even more than one. Anything between two “consenting” people, neither of whom complain to MS, will not be “monitored” even by algorithms. Anybody?