Modded Xbox Bans Prompt EFF Warning About Terms of Service

Last month we discussed news that Microsoft had banned hundreds of thousands of Xbox users for using modified consoles. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has now pointed to this round of bans as a prime example of the power given to providers of online services through 'Terms of Service' and other usage agreements. "No matter how much we rely on them to get on with our everyday lives, access to online services — like email, social networking sites, and (wait for it) online gaming — can never be guaranteed. ... he who writes the TOS makes the rules, and when it comes to enforcing them, the service provider often behaves as though it is also the judge, jury and executioner. ... While the mass ban provides a useful illustration of their danger, these terms can be found in nearly all TOS agreements for all kinds of services. There have been virtually no legal challenges to these kinds of arbitrary termination clauses, but we imagine this will be a growth area for lawyers."

Comments

Well..

[Renraku]

Microsoft's network, Microsoft's rules. They're 100% in the right for banning modded consoles. Basically you can play your pirated games or you can play on Live, but not both with the same console. Now what angers me is how they'll send out replacement consoles for warranty repairs that are already banned from Live, and tell the recipient that they must have a modded console and refuse them any recourse. What also angers me is how it would be easily within the law to ban for almost ANY reason, leaving the user with little to no recourse.

I applaud Microsoft's banning of modded consoles, but condemn Terms of Service in general because they're 99.999% in the favor of the writer. I mean, the company.

Re:Well..

[palegray.net]

I applaud Microsoft's banning of modded consoles, but condemn Terms of Service in general because they're 99.999% in the favor of the writer. I mean, the company.

I don't get it. You start out with "Microsoft's network, Microsoft's rules." Note that this isn't specific to Microsoft; you could replace them with any company that operates a network and it'd be the same concept. You then say you're against TOS policies as a blanket statement... what do you actually believe? Any company has the right to set terms of service for the use of their network, and it's up to the customer to decide if those terms are reasonable. If the customer doesn't think so, s/he can choose not to give that company money. It's very simple.

Re:Well..

[palegray.net]

That's pretty much my point. As long as the terms of service set forth by a company don't violate the law, the company absolutely has the right to enforce them. Those who complain about it seem to be taking a distinctly "think of the poor little guy who's getting beaten down" attitude, which I find amusing given the fact that nobody is going to die if they can't log on to some gaming network.

Re:Well..

[samurphy21]

I agree with the first statement. However, this recent round of bans has not only booted banned users from the microsoft network, but also reduced the OFFLINE capabilities of the console. The banning corrupts the NAND on the console, removing the ability to install games, purchased or otherwise, to the hard drive. Those who bought a large hard drive in order to install games to it to speed up load times (a function supported by the console, not something you get through modding) are now unable to do so.

I agree that kicking us off the network is WELL within their rights, but changing the capabilities of my console is not. I should be able to do what I want with my hardware, since I bought it. If I choose to mod it then, yes, I'm violating EULA and Microsoft no longer has to offer me support or access to their network, but they do not have the right to modify my hardware's offline capabilities.

Re:Well..Term limits.

[palegray.net]

Okay, seriously. They own and operate their network. Let's reverse this: what gives you the right to tell them how to operate it?

Re:Well..Term limits.

[palegray.net]

That doesn't pass for justification. You paid them money in exchange for access to their network according to their terms of service. If you want the right to dictate how they operate their company, you'll need to be a shareholder (minimal influence unless you've got a hell of a lot of shares), on the board of directors, or a C-level employee.

Re:Well..Term limits.

[mwvdlee]

Exactly.
And it's not like you don't have the choice to just connect your XBox 360 to another service provider, right?
Right?

Re:Ooo... now contracts must not matter to EFF

[DNS-and-BIND]

In no event shall Microsoft be liable for any damages whatsoever, even in the event of fault (including negligence).
-- Windows XP Professional license agreement

What kind of contract is this? And the same contract allows Microsoft to change the terms of the contract at any time, without notifying me? I would never agree to such a thing. But, Windows is required in order to work. So I say out loud, "I disagree with these terms" and click the button to continue. Microsoft, having had a chance to respond and remained silent, can only be assumed to have agreed with my deal, since it clearly is continuing with the software installation. Obviously the whole thing was just a bluff to get me to agree to some ridiculously one-sided terms.

Terms like these I would never, ever accept in any deal, business or otherwise. Including negligence! Imagine a lease or even a parking stub with such language on it. It's basically admitting that they're negligent before the deal even starts...who on Earth would do business voluntarily with a party who says up front that you can expect negligence on their part?

Re:Growth area for lawyers

[Anonymous Coward]

Any place someone with money feels (correctly or incorrectly) they've been treated wrongly, it is a place for lawyers to grow and make money.

fixed that for you.

Re:Growth area for lawyers

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, that's not fixed at all. Thanks to bar associations allowing lawyers to work solely on commission, even people without money can go to court, no money down.

What good would a warning do?

[abigsmurf]

"we have dectected you have a modded consoles, if you do not travel back in time to prevent yourself from modding your console, you will be banned."