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Microsoft To Ban 'Offensive Language' From Skype, Xbox, Office and Other Services (csoonline.com)

According to Microsoft's new Terms of Services agreement, you could get banned for "offensive language," resulting in the termination of your Gold Membership and/or any Microsoft account balances. The changes go into effect on May 1. CSO Online reports: [I]f you and a significant other are getting hot and heavy via Skype, you better watch your language and any nudity because that, too, can get you banned. The ban hammer could also fall if Cortana is listening at the wrong moment or if documents and files hosted on Microsoft services violate Microsoft's amended terms. But how would Microsoft even know if you had truly been "offensive?" Well, that part falls under Code of Conduct Enforcement, which states, "When investigating alleged violations of these Terms, Microsoft reserves the right to review Your Content in order to resolve the issue." Microsoft did add, "However, we cannot monitor the entire Services and make no attempt to do so." I'm not sure that will make you feel better, as another portion states that Microsoft "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."

9 of 317 comments (clear)

  1. Why else would anyone use these services? by Grog6 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The web was built on porn; remove it at your peril. :)

    --
    Truth isn't Truth - Guliani
  2. Corporate Suicide by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What business would risk putting their documents on One Drive / Office with these terms?

    No sane business would.

    Between Windows 10 and now this, Microsoft is over for the business world. Over.

    1. Re:Corporate Suicide by stephanruby · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually he is correct. If anyone of my employees attempted to propose a microsoft solution they would be fired on the spot.

      All your employees must be terrified of suggesting anything.

      At my workplace, if someone suggests something stupid, we may say "That's stupid", but we don't fire the guy.

  3. Offensive? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please define "Offensive".

    Audience matters. What offends one audience, won't offend another.

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  4. Encrrypted? by Jerry · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So, Microsoft is admitting that they can read or watch and listen to encrypted connections. Well, with "Legal Intercept" we knew that for some time. I banned Microsoft from my PC years ago in favor of Linux (KDE Neon on Btrfs). If you don't want MS to be your nanny then its time you moved to Linux as well.

    --

    Running with Linux for over 20 years!

  5. yet another reason... by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...not to bother with Cortana or use Microsoft cloud services.

    "Cortana listening at the wrong moment"?? That's so wrong on several levels.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  6. Re:Fuck that by Humbubba · · Score: 4, Funny
    jfdavis668 said

    Really, who uses offensive language on Skype?

    Depends. Offensive how? I once skyped, 'Now that Steve Job is dead, where will Microsoft get their killer ideas? Xerox PARC?' Had problems with them ever since.

  7. Re: Hmm by lgw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I remember when folks on Slashdot weren't convinced that every phone conversation in the US was recorded, translated to text, and the text indexed and searched for keywords in real-time. Snowden settled that argument. Seems a bit naive to assume that skype conversations don't get the same treatment - heck, if MS is doing it, it would just be part of the servers.

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  8. This more self censorship chilling effects from by waspleg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the "sex trafficking" laws. There are cam girls and whatnot that sell private shows, guess what some of them use? Yea. Microsoft's enemies (Facebook/Google/Apple) helped back this bill.

    There's a lot of "OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN@)(*#)$*" bullshit with this. This is how free speech dies, passing laws based on knee jerks that make people, or in this instance, platforms self-censor rather than repealing the 1st amendment.