2019 gets worse. Microsoft has recently released new standards to guide Xbox gamers on how to “properly” trash talk fellow gamers online in the Microsoft gaming community. The new standards are aimed at ensuring that trash talking among Xbox Live gamers won’t lead to actual “harassment”.
Gaming is very competitive and gamers are very passionate individuals. It’s not hard to be shocked when you read through the new terms that are literally telling adults how to behave and talk to each other – or else.
From the new standards:
Allowed:
Get destroyed. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level.
That was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. Try again, kid.
Cheap win. Come at me when you can actually drive without running cars off the road.
That sucked. Get good and then come back when your k/d’s over 1.
Not allowed:
Get <sexual threat>. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level.
Hey <profanity>, that was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked, trash.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. KYS, kid.
Cheap win. Totally expected from a <racial slur>.
You suck. Get out of my country—maybe they’ll let you back in when your k/d’s over 1.
Trash talks are common in the online gaming community and while it may be hard to ban them, Microsoft thinks the only way to control them is through regulation by way of setting standards.
That’s precisely what Microsoft did as it defines acceptable trash talk as a light-hearted banter or bragging that’s focused on the game. It also differentiates trash talk from harassment by defining the later as a negative behavior that is personalized, disruptive and likely to make another person unwelcome or unsafe.
Rolled out recently, the community standards also ensure “safe, welcoming and inclusive gaming” in the Xbox community. The guidelines on trash talks are listed under the “Keep your content clean” section of the Xbox community standards. Additionally, the said section also prohibits the uploading of graphic images, using “proactive religious comments, using hate group imagery, harassing other gamers sexually, and promoting controversial politics.”
Essentially, the said section in the Xbox community standards will “educate” gamers on how to behave in the gaming community as it enumerates that acceptable and not acceptable behavior. It also sets out ways on how a gamer can contribute positively to the Xbox community.
Microsoft said that the standards are not being implemented a new set of rules. These standards are a call to action aimed at “empowering gamers to evaluate their behavior” to become good members of the gaming community.
If gamers don’t follow the guidelines, Microsoft has corrective actions that players need to do to become an eligible member of the Xbox gaming community again. This action varies depending on the extent of violation that a gamer has committed. The worst a gamer could get is suspension from membership to the community.
