Microsoft tests content filters for Xbox messages
Beginning today, Xbox Insiders can select filters to automatically block nasty messages.
The gaming community can be ruthless and often outright abusive. In an attempt to make Xbox more welcoming and inclusive, Microsoft is introducing new content filters. Beginning today, Xbox Insiders can select one of four filters that will automatically block abusive and offensive messages.
The filters include four levels: friendly, medium, mature and unfiltered. The friendly filter will be default for all child accounts -- though you can change it if you'd like -- and will hide as much potentially offensive language as possible. The medium filter blocks words meant to discriminate or bully but allows some friendly trash talk. The mature setting will only hide language that is almost always offensive, and if you'd prefer to see it all, you can select the unfiltered setting, which is pretty self explanatory. You'll also be able to set different settings for messages from friends versus message requests.
While the text filters are only available to Xbox Insiders today, Microsoft has plans to roll them out to all users later this fall. They'll be available on consoles, PC and mobile. To start, they support 21 languages. Microsoft has plans to bring similar filters to profiles, Looking For Group, Clubs and the Xbox activity feed, but it hasn't revealed a timeline for those changes.
