Profanity earns bans for Xbox One users

watch mouth xbox one may banned skype snap — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A handful of Xbox One users are claiming to have been banned from Skype and the Upload Studio apps simply for using bad language, according to a report from Eurogamer (as well as several commenters on the Xbox Forums). The bans range from 24 hours to one week, but the Skype bans appear to have been accidental.

As noted in Microsoft’s Terms of Service, there are several things that will get you banned, including “illegal activity,” “topics or content of a sexual nature,” and “hate speech.” Nothing really surprising there, but according to many of the users on the Microsoft Forums, the bans have come from saying words as seemingly innocuous as “plonker” and “crap” during a recorded video created via Upload Studio.

Other users say they still have no idea what exactly they did wrong, and claim they were given no warning or notification. When they turned on their Xbox One consoles and tried to load the app in question, either Upload Studio or Skype, they received a message that stated “Choose something else to play,” and that the ban was “Because of your past behavior.” Some forum users then posted that they spoke with Microsoft reps that confirmed the ban was for a week, while others said it was 24 hours.

At least one user alleges that their Skype ban came after they used profanity in a private video chat made using Skype. Both Skype and Microsoft strongly refute the notion that they monitor personal calls, and we recently spoke with Microsoft and can confirm that the Skype bans were the result of a glitch. The error has since been corrected, although some users report to still being locked out.

After reaching out to Microsoft, we were also sent the following press release credited to a Microsoft spokesperson:

To be clear, the Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement team does not monitor direct peer-to-peer communications like Skype chats and calls. We take Code of Conduct moderation via Upload Studio very seriously. The team reviews every clip that is uploaded to the service to help maintain a clean, safe and fun environment for all users.

Excessive profanity and other Code of Conduct violations will be enforced upon. On Xbox One, we have a more sophisticated system of enforcement. As a result, if someone misbehaves on the service, we may only suspend some of their privileges on Xbox Live such as access to certain apps or use of certain features. We remain committed to preserving and promoting a safe, secure and enjoyable experience for all of our Xbox Live members.

Update: This article has been updated to reflect new information given to DT.

Watch your mouth on the Xbox One or you may be banned

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