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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Today, a new strike-based enforcement program is coming to Xbox. The system is meant to clear up confusion regarding how Xbox enforces its community standards and help players keep track of enforcement actions made on their accounts.

In an interview with The Verge, Xbox player services corporate vice president Dave McCarthy explained the new enforcement system and its place in Xbox’s overall community management strategy. “This is all about player transparency,” McCarthy said. “We didn’t have a way to show our players what their standing was in our community. And this makes it completely clear.”

In the new system, if a player violates the Xbox community standards, they’ll receive a strike. The severity of the violation determines the number of strikes and the length of the punishment. If a player receives a total of eight strikes, their account will be banned from using Xbox services like voice chat or multiplayer for a year. The strike program starts today with everyone on the platform getting a clean strike-less slate.

McCarthy shared that only about 1 percent of the Xbox player base receives any kind of enforcement action and that only a third of that 1 percent goes on to receive additional enforcement actions. Without any kind of standardized program in place, McCarthy said that players would express confusion as to why some enforcements earned daylong suspensions while others would ban a player for a week or a month.

In a blog posted to Xbox Wire outlining the new enforcement system, McCarthy wrote, “This revised system gives players a better understanding of enforcement severity and the cumulative effect of multiple enforcements.”

Xbox won’t be publishing a list of infractions and their corresponding number of strikes, but the blog announcing the new program will include a graphic that will give players an idea of how the number of strikes scales with escalating behavior. You can see the graphic here.

From the graphic, players can see that profanity is one strike, hate speech nets three, and so forth. The visual also explains how appeals work with the strike system and that strikes decay.

As with any enforcement action, players will be able to submit appeals, and upon a successful appeal, the applied strikes will be removed. Additionally, strikes don’t stay on a player’s record forever, falling off after six months.

Back in 2019, Xbox updated its community standards with rules on what kind of behavior was unacceptable as a part of an overall initiative to curtail abuse and toxicity on the platform. Last year, Xbox released its first-ever transparency report, detailing the actions it took to moderate content over a six-month period. Then, earlier this year, Xbox introduced the ability for players to record and submit voice clips for moderation. This new strike system is the latest part of this ongoing safety and inclusivity strategy.

“Our job here in managing a community where everyone feels welcome requires us to try a bunch of different tools and approaches,” McCarthy said. “I think if you’re going to have a healthy, vibrant player community, you sort of have to tackle it from all of these angles and you have to commit to regularly improving and investing in it.”

Though Xbox has introduced a wealth of new tools and programs to ensure players feel welcome and safe, one of the best tools McCarthy said is just for players themselves to get involved.

“I’d encourage all of our players to just continue to participate in our system,” he said. “Sometimes that involves reporting behavior, even [if that] behavior isn’t directed against you. And the more we can have our community standards spread out there, the more we can help people stand up for those in our community.”

Xbox introduces new strike system to curtail bad behavior

Strikes can be appealed and decay after six months.

www.theverge.com

 

[jshackles]

My old Xbox account is still banned for another 976 years. It must have a shit-ton of strikes lol

 

[Punished Miku]

My old Xbox account is still banned for another 976 years. It must have a shit-ton of strikes lol

What did you do lol?

 

[Kilau]

Hate speech 3 times worse offense than cheating, good job Xbox.

 

[havoc00]

I remember getting some bs warning or whatever on the 360 for telling someone I hope you get malaria mother fucker

 

[ManaByte]

My old Xbox account is still banned for another 976 years. It must have a shit-ton of strikes lol

This you?

 

[mitch1971]

XBOX 1984 edition.

 

[Hendrick's]

Hopefully my kids account doesn't impact mine.

 

[jshackles]

What did you do lol?

I've talked about this on GAF before, but the disc drive ID from my launch Xbox 360 was spoofed by a hacker and got added to their "bad console" database. When I signed in to that console the next day, my account was banned until 2999. I just now tried logging in, and I am still banned.

It took literally years for me to a) figure out what the hell had happened, and b) go through the legal channels to try and get satisfaction (hint: I never did). I had about $800 worth of content I had purchased on that account that was lost to the ether. My only consolation is that I'm sure I gave Microsoft's support and legal teams more than $800 worth of headache over the years.

In the end, after about a decade, I opened a new account and started over.

 

[Punished Miku]

I've talked about this on GAF before, but the disc drive ID from my launch Xbox 360 was spoofed by a hacker and got added to their "bad console" database. When I signed in to that console the next day, my account was banned until 2999. I just now tried logging in, and I am still banned.

It took literally years for me to a) figure out what the hell had happened, and b) go through the legal channels to try and get satisfaction (hint: I never did). I had about $800 worth of content I had purchased on that account that was lost to the ether. My only consolation is that I'm sure I gave Microsoft's support and legal teams more than $800 worth of headache over the years.

In the end, after about a decade, I opened a new account and started over.

Damn, that sounds awful.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

When corporations go to the playground basketball court and start kicking hoopers out for telling your momma jokes.

 

[Rossco EZ]

lol that will get abused by salty people

 

[DeepEnigma]

Maybe they'll institute a social credit system as well, if we're lucky.

 

[Sleepwalker]

I've talked about this on GAF before, but the disc drive ID from my launch Xbox 360 was spoofed by a hacker and got added to their "bad console" database. When I signed in to that console the next day, my account was banned until 2999. I just now tried logging in, and I am still banned.

It took literally years for me to a) figure out what the hell had happened, and b) go through the legal channels to try and get satisfaction (hint: I never did). I had about $800 worth of content I had purchased on that account that was lost to the ether. My only consolation is that I'm sure I gave Microsoft's support and legal teams more than $800 worth of headache over the years.

In the end, after about a decade, I opened a new account and started over.

As someone who has lost his library to a ban without the possiblity of recourse (also on xbox lol) I'm really sorry brother. It really changed my view on the whole physical vs digital debate, a console is more often than much easier to replace than a library.

 

[reinking]

Hopefully my kids account doesn't impact mine.

 

[FoxMcChief]

as a game pass ultimate subscriber, I should be able to report and ban any non subscriber for any reason.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I’m wondering how they will separate legitimate reports in regards to gameplay versus sore losers. I had big problems with my “Xbox reputation” thanks to games like Overwatch and DbD and I did nothing wrong, people just hate losing in those communities.

 

[SenkiDala]

Maybe they'll institute a social credit system as well, if we're lucky.

I mean I get why they're trying to do something, but this is overreacting. How can they ban you for a year ? For YEARS ? You paid for games that are meant to be played online (Forza, COD, Halo, Fortnite or whatever) and they ban you from playing those online games... online ? How the fuck is this even legal ?

Give the option (it's already here) to mute people, to ban people from your friend list / people that you can meet online list but not this. At most mute them for a year, but ban is ridiculous.

Also in those cases mistakes happens ALL the time, your account it hacked and it's barely possible to prove it, your friends can play on your console with your profile... All of this shit is wrong.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I’m wondering how they will separate legitimate reports in regards to gameplay versus sore losers. I had big problems with my “Xbox reputation” thanks to games like Overwatch and DbD and I did nothing wrong, people just hate losing in those communities.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Who cares about online cheaters, we NEED to fight hate speech. I'm more and more glad I don't care about online gaming or I'd have to resort to playing with friends only.

 

[Punished Miku]

lol that will get abused by salty people

All they're really doing differently here is making it transparent and drastically lowering the amount of time bans are active. Everyone has systems like this behind the scenes.

 

[Dacvak]

I wonder if people can get strikes from old DMs if they’re only just now reported. If so, I have quite a few strikes I could hand out from my Halo 3 days lol

 

[SenkiDala]

I've talked about this on GAF before, but the disc drive ID from my launch Xbox 360 was spoofed by a hacker and got added to their "bad console" database. When I signed in to that console the next day, my account was banned until 2999. I just now tried logging in, and I am still banned.

It took literally years for me to a) figure out what the hell had happened, and b) go through the legal channels to try and get satisfaction (hint: I never did). I had about $800 worth of content I had purchased on that account that was lost to the ether. My only consolation is that I'm sure I gave Microsoft's support and legal teams more than $800 worth of headache over the years.

In the end, after about a decade, I opened a new account and started over.

That's awful... As I said those situations happen all the time and it is quite impossible to prove your good faith.

How did you lose 800$ of games ? You couldn't even play them ? The games didn't launch ? If you connected this "banned" account to a new console you couldn't redownload all the games ? And then play them online on a 2nd account ?

 

[Lokaum D+]

and that's why voice chat is dead, 90% of people just use discord and the last 10% don't even bother to use voice chat.

the good old days of X360/PS3 voice chat is far gone , everything today is offensive and hurtfull, sad times

 

[Fermbiz]

I miss the Original Xbox days of shit talking and voice masking.

 

[Fuz]

In the end, after about a decade, I opened a new account and started over.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Eight strikes.

EIGHT?

Some can be an absolute toxic asshole for up to eight times with no repercussions? Even after that, it’s merely a one-year voice chat mute?

 

[DeepEnigma]

and that's why voice chat is dead, 90% of people just use discord and the last 10% don't even bother to use voice chat.

the good old days of X360/PS3 voice chat is far gone

You got a point. Was playing Fortnite with a good friend not that long ago, and both our voice chats were set to hear everyone. Out of tons and tons of matches, not a single person was heard. Even when I messed with Solo no build, not a peep.

Years ago all you would hear is people shit talking one another or randos playing some of the most shitty music you never knew existed over their mics (probably their personal Soundclouds). You can't force sanitation on games designed entirely around the competitive nature in humans. People will just find alternate methods of communication.

 

[jshackles]

Damn, that sounds awful.

Part of the problem in this scenario is that the ban happened back in 2006, and Microsoft's policies at the time were Draconian (banning an account for signing in to a suspected bad console, rather than just banning the console). Additionally, they have since added measures like the one in the OP to give user bans time to roll off naturally. For a while they had a system where you had to watch a PowerPoint and answer some questions - but again these measures weren't applied retroactively.

I did get some interesting insight into consumer law, and the legal system in general, since I took the matter to court. It's why all their terms of service now have phrases like "we have the right to revoke at any time..." and "you agree to non-binding arbitration..." It's also, I imagine, the reason that issues like this now result in either hardware bans or a bad account still having access to their purchased content (not able to purchase new stuff).

 

[Fuz]

Fuck this stupid always offended society we live in.

 

[jshackles]

How did you lose 800$ of games ? You couldn't even play them ? The games didn't launch ? If you connected this "banned" account to a new console you couldn't redownload all the games ? And then play them online on a 2nd account ?

The account itself got banned, and your purchases are tied to your account. So - no logging into a console or the web, no redownloading games, no ability to purchase new games. If I try to sign in to a new console with my old account, it acts similarly to having a bad password - literally prevented from signing in.

When it first happened, it was essentially like my console was in "offline" mode. I was able to play the games I had purchased (that were currently downloaded) for about a month before they stopped working and needed to be "re-authenticated" (which I couldn't do).

 

[SmokedMeat]

Gonna have to start visiting the Xbox subreddit, for the inevitable posts of innocent people who got banned after letting their cousin use their Xbox.

 

[Lokaum D+]

You got a point. Was playing Fortnite with a good friend not that long ago, and both our voice chats were set to hear everyone. Out of tons and tons of matches, not a single person was heard. Even when I messed with Solo no build, not a peep.

Years ago all you would hear is people shit talking one another or randos playing some of the most shitty music you never knew existed over their mics (probably their personal Soundclouds). You can't force sanitation on games designed entirely around the competitive nature in humans. People will just find alternate methods of communication.

there was a time that was possible to make friends playing online games, real friends ( i myself have gatter a few ones over the time ) nowadays the only game that i see ppl using voice chat is in Rust and even there 90% to the community is on discord private servers.

 

[Spyxos]

I’m wondering how they will separate legitimate reports in regards to gameplay versus sore losers. I had big problems with my “Xbox reputation” thanks to games like Overwatch and DbD and I did nothing wrong, people just hate losing in those communities.

When I was still playing a lot of Tekken. I was often insulted and even a death threat arrived. This new system will certainly work without problems when someone wants to piss on your leg because he lost in a stupid game....

 

[SportsFan581]

I’m wondering how they will separate legitimate reports in regards to gameplay versus sore losers. I had big problems with my “Xbox reputation” thanks to games like Overwatch and DbD and I did nothing wrong, people just hate losing in those communities.

I'm sure they apply some standardized logic to it. If it's something said in a message, they have a copy of it and I believe they now have an option where the reporting players can capture the live chat ( https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/07/12/xbox-voice-reporting-feature/#:~:text=Summary,minimizing impact to their gameplay. ). At that point it is just reviewing the information provided. Reports about chat activity without a capture probably won't be given the same weight as those with a capture.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

When I was still playing a lot of Tekken. I was often insulted and even a death threat arrived. This new system will certainly work without problems when someone wants to piss on your leg because he lost in a stupid game....

You can see plenty of videos of Street Fighter VI salt of people reporting and blocking Xbox users who beat them. Same thing that happened to me in DbD and Overwatch.

Idk if any of you have experience what a poor reputation used to do to you on Xbox, but eventually you’re blocked from matchmaking in most games and in some you only get matched with legitimate cheaters or griefers. You also get labeled on your profile as someone who has a poor or “needs work” reputation, which just makes others more likely to report you.

To fix it you had to play games with massive player base numbers for a few hours just to flush out the bullshit reports. So I’d load up Battlefield or Neverwinter Nights

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

This whole snowflake pussy attitude around "profanity" is just so fucking weak; sure moderate the racist and hate speech shit, but these 'community guidelines' have completely killed any kind of trash talking.
It probably stems from a combination of puritan, god fearing US FCC (they made hip hop completely unlistenable on the radio with all the trash censorship) and the idea that "video games are for children", video games where you violently kill people in all sorts of ways and where the characters themselves will talk shit.
Fucking ironic telling someone to fuck off there will get you banned, just ban the game itself then!

I mean I get why they're trying to do something, but this is overreacting. How can they ban you for a year ? For YEARS ? You paid for games that are meant to be played online (Forza, COD, Halo, Fortnite or whatever) and they ban you from playing those online games... online ? How the fuck is this even legal ?

They'll generally do communication bans first, I think you need to do something really badly to get an account ban.

 

[SenkiDala]

The account itself got banned, and your purchases are tied to your account. So - no logging into a console or the web, no redownloading games, no ability to purchase new games. If I try to sign in to a new console with my old account, it acts similarly to having a bad password - literally prevented from signing in.

When it first happened, it was essentially like my console was in "offline" mode. I was able to play the games I had purchased (that were currently downloaded) for about a month before they stopped working and needed to be "re-authenticated" (which I couldn't do).

What ? I didn't know all that. I thought when you're banned, you're banned to play online games and that's it...

But banning the whole account so you can't login anymore and redownload your purchases ? That is absolutely revolting. And I'm sure this shit is legal and must be written in the "littles lines" in the middles of 7000 other lines of "general terms of uses" (not sure how you say this in English).

I feel very sorry for you this is disgusting... And they don't even investigate... So if a weekend you've a little cousin coming home, doing shitty pranks online you can lose you hundreds games ? What a joke.

 

[Sleepwalker]

Part of the problem in this scenario is that the ban happened back in 2006, and Microsoft's policies at the time were Draconian (banning an account for signing in to a suspected bad console, rather than just banning the console). Additionally, they have since added measures like the one in the OP to give user bans time to roll off naturally. For a while they had a system where you had to watch a PowerPoint and answer some questions - but again these measures weren't applied retroactively.

I did get some interesting insight into consumer law, and the legal system in general, since I took the matter to court. It's why all their terms of service now have phrases like "we have the right to revoke at any time..." and "you agree to non-binding arbitration..." It's also, I imagine, the reason that issues like this now result in either hardware bans or a bad account still having access to their purchased content (not able to purchase new stuff).

They still ban all the accounts that were in contact with a "bad console" wether there was any infraction or not in them.

 

[MikeM]

So the toxic lobbies of the 360 days are gone? Those were damn good times.

How about an 18+ opt-in toggle? Don’t kill the trash talk!

 

[Knightime_X]

Eight strikes.

EIGHT?

Some can be an absolute toxic asshole for up to eight times with no repercussions? Even after that, it’s merely a one-year voice chat mute?

Every strike has its additional suspension time.
They'll get bored fast.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

You can't play Redfall and say how shit it is. Time to sign up more blue haired "xbox ambassadors"

 

[FearlessBelgian]

 

[SportsFan581]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a perfectly thrown strike, this just demonstrates the new cross-lane, double gutter, approach.

 

[gaming_again]

Eight strikes.

EIGHT?

Some can be an absolute toxic asshole for up to eight times with no repercussions? Even after that, it’s merely a one-year voice chat mute?

They should be able to do it an infinity number of times.

 

[semiconscious]

Eight strikes.

EIGHT?

Some can be an absolute toxic asshole for up to eight times with no repercussions? Even after that, it’s merely a one-year voice chat mute?

the good news? microsoft didn't invent baseball...

 

[Facism]

Imagine not just muting a mouth breather the first time he flaps his idiot gums

 

[AJUMP23]

Call of Duty players are in trouble.

 

[AJUMP23]

I want to see how they handle false reporting.

Also remember the Snitches get Stiches. You can mute, you don't have to report.

 

[Banjo64]

Sexually inappropriate and hate speech Cuckbox

Seems impossible that this is the platform that pioneered in game chat. Absolute fanny wipes.