Skype “offensive language” ban will rely on user reporting, Microsoft says
Microsoft has added some clarification to its recent Skype rule changes, confirming that agents from the company will not be watching or listening to your Skype chats, and that infractions will instead be monitored via user reporting.
Yesterday we reported that Microsoft has updated its terms and conditions for Skype to ban the use of “offensive language” on the service, as well as the sharing of other “inappropriate content”.
This raised questions about how Microsoft was planning to police the new rule changes. Additionally, we were curious as to whether this would prevent consenting adults from having an adult video call between the two of them.
Related: Microsoft bans “offensive language” from Skype
Microsoft adds clarification
We got in contact with Microsoft to clarify these queries. A representative responded to say, “We are committed to providing our customers with safe and secure experiences while using our services. The recent changes to the Microsoft Service Agreement’s Code of Conduct provide transparency on how we respond to customer reports of inappropriate public content.” Emphasis our own.
Additionally, Microsoft clarified to us that inappropriate content would be flagged via user reporting rather than agents monitoring communications directly. It said that it may request evidence of inappropriate conduct before taking action.
Reading between the lines here, it sounds as though the rule changes are only really going to matter if the person you’re speaking to doesn’t consent to the type of conversation you’re having. For example, if you’re using Skype for a professional meeting and someone behaves inappropriately, you can screenshot this and send this to Microsoft to have action taken against them.
Meanwhile, if both parties are happy with the content of a private call, a customer report wouldn’t occur and there would be no prospect of action being taken. Microsoft isn’t going to be snooping on your calls.
So don’t panic, you can still use Skype for your dirty video calls without worrying about being banned from Xbox Live.
Are you still concerned about the rule changes? Let us know @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
