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[IbizaPocholo]

Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is 'Not a Free Speech Platform' for Politics - IGN

Xbox chief Phil Spencer had some relatively firm words about how online platforms moderate (or fail to moderate) hate speech and toxic behavior, going so far as to say that Xbox is not a free speech platform.

www.ign.com

In a new, in-depth interview with The New York Times, Xbox Executive Vice President Phil Spencer was asked about the connection between gaming and the polarization of American politics. To which Spencer said that Xbox is "not a free speech platform" and is designed first and foremost for games and entertainment.

Spencer discussed the idea of political and social radicalization with the New York Times.

"We see all positives and negatives of the human condition. We have people who propose to each other and get married on Xbox Live," Spencer says about Xbox's online services. "We also have conversations about politics and other things that happen. One of the things we’ve stated about our social network is we’re not a free speech platform. We’re a platform around interactive entertainment and video games. And we’re not there to allow all kinds of social discourse to happen on our platform. That’s not why we exist."

"We're not there to allow any conversation to happen on our platform," Spencer says, and more than that Xbox Live is simply not designed for that kind of politicization. "It's very difficult to come to Xbox Live and say, Okay, I want to go create a political party on the platform.'"

"You could kind of twist the tools and try to get there, but it’s just not set up for general-purpose conversations or community," Spencer says but, "It’s really set up for community around interactive entertainment and the games that run on our platform. And that’s the way we invest."

 

[Billbofet]

Good! One place the vocal minority can't whine and ruin it for everyone. See Twitter for that shit.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

It's a private videogame company. Their rules, like in any other platform. No shock there.

 

[Hendrick's]

He basically said leave that shit on Twitter.

 

[Kuranghi]

My Green Party clan could be in danger.

 

[01011001]

how would you even go about doing anything politics related on an Xbox? lol? mass message people? xD

 

[IbizaPocholo]

how would you even go about doing anything politics related on an Xbox? lol? mass message people? xD

You could easily do it by creating a club.

 

[01011001]

You could easily do it by creating a club.

yeah sure, but still... that would be fucking weird lol

 

[GHG]

how would you even go about doing anything politics related on an Xbox? lol? mass message people? xD

Allow me to introduce you to Forza liveries.

 

[01011001]

Allow me to introduce you to Forza liveries.

well sure but they ban EVERYTHING... you can't even make fun of fucking north korea! even super mild shit like this KFC parody here

they even banned someone for having this one

which isn't political at all but just a bit of dark humor... they honestly go a bit hard on the people doing fun liveries, but I guess they need to do so for the age rating? not sure

 

[ManaByte]

Who the fuck

well sure but they ban EVERYTHING... you can't even make fun of fucking north korea! even super mild shit like this KFC parody here

they even banned someone for having this one

which isn't political at all but just a bit of dark humor... they honestly go a bit hard on the people doing fun liveries, but I guess they need to do so for the age rating? not sure

Pour one out for the General Lee.

 

[adamsapple]

He basically said leave that shit on Twitter.

Amen.

 

[DeepEnigma]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

 

[Mr Moose]

well sure but they ban EVERYTHING... you can't even make fun of fucking north korea! even super mild shit like this KFC parody here

they even banned someone for having this one

which isn't political at all but just a bit of dark humor... they honestly go a bit hard on the people doing fun liveries, but I guess they need to do so for the age rating? not sure

These are funny. People get banned for this?

 

[Kenpachii]

how would you even go about doing anything politics related on an Xbox? lol? mass message people? xD

Same thing people do with clans. they just name themselves infront of it.

So instead of nickname, its now liberalparty-nickname

 

[kingfey]

Good.
i was up there with politics from 2016-2020, and life was shit. Constant media interaction, garbage takes on both sides, and stupid shits.

Stopped reading anything about them after march 2020. Now my life is better. No stress about politics stuff. I ignore them all. Dont care what side is it, i just dont give a crap about it.

 

[Kev Kev]

good. and that should go for both sides of the aisle. keep it that way

 

[Unknown?]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

Nope, that's all ok. He's clearly talking about censoring anything against the narrative.

 

[01011001]

These are funny. People get banned for this?

yeah age rating issues and stuff for many and some are because having images of dictators if apparently against TOS no matter the context

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

Most likely. I hope this extends to the Right's version of this stuff, too. I'm frankly over it on both sides of the coin. Let games be games.

Nope, that's all ok. He's clearly talking about censoring anything against the narrative.

For some reason this probably has the unfortunate chance of happening. Leave the extremist politics of both sides in the dust, ban both types of it. That'd be the fair and balanced approach.

 

[KingGhidorah]

We'll have to see how they go about this

As long as he's neutral and take the woke shit out of the platform, I'm all for it!!!

But most of this media/platform, say shit like this, but they only come down hard on the conservative voices, and they let the social progressive voice run free.....if you want to be neutral, stay in the middle and come down hard on both sides

 

[Hayabusabruh]

Good. Does this mean they won't make anymore videos talking about their employees stupid ass pronouns?

 

[kingfey]

These are funny. People get banned for this?

Putting dictator images in games, in hopes of idolizing, or memeing them is just garbage act. These people have killed tons of people. We shouldn't make them famous in a funny way. People need to despise them, considering the inhumane act they have done.

 

[Banjo64]

No politics at all, left or right or even central is the only way. Stay in your lane as a video game specialist and make video games please.

 

[recursive]

Why are they asking this question? Fuck politics.

 

[Sosokrates]

Niether are the social media platforms.

 

[Sosokrates]

Why are they asking this question? Fuck politics.

Its from this
I dont like the woman that does this podcast but sometimes she will get good guests.

Google Podcasts is no longer available

podcasts.google.com

 

[Oddvintagechap]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

I cant say green crayons dont exist, but they can say green crayons exist?

damn politics.

 

[Corndog]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

I wish it actually was a no politics zone. Instead it’s a only one side political zone. I think these guys need to get out of their echo chambers.

 

[Kataploom]

Is this the same interview he said "There should be multiplatform bans"?

 

[Fake]

These are funny. People get banned for this?

 

[MR ARCADE FOREVER]

Resenutella cries

 

[Fbh]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

Well technically "we aren't a free speech platform for politics" doesn't mean "no politics allowed", it just means "we decide which politics are allowed".......so pretty much just the same as on almost any platform online.

 

[Captain Toad]

In other words, setting your profile pic to a BLM logo or a gay pride logo is cool. Set it to a MAGA logo, you need to be remove it as it isn't the place.

And this isn't just Xbox. I'm tired of seeing games recommended for me on PS5 because the protagonist is non-binary or some other nonsense.

 

[Ammogeddon]

This won’t go down well over at the other place.

 

[009EspadaSageJay]

These are funny. People get banned for this?

yep

 

[clintar]

Most likely. I hope this extends to the Right's version of this stuff, too. I'm frankly over it on both sides of the coin. Let games be games.



For some reason this probably has the unfortunate chance of happening. Leave the extremist politics of both sides in the dust, ban both types of it. That'd be the fair and balanced approach.

So you can get banned for saying black lives matter? How about all lives matter? How about police lives matter? How about dog lives matter? How about all dark matter? Where do we draw the line here?

 

[CatLady]

Most likely. I hope this extends to the Right's version of this stuff, too. I'm frankly over it on both sides of the coin. Let games be games.

I agree. I am so tired of SJWs, anti-SJWs and extremists on the Right and the Left. None of that crap belongs in gaming.

 

[old-parts]

I agree. I am so tired of SJWs, anti-SJWs and extremists on the Right and the Left. None of that crap belongs in gaming.

True but corporate America is much more sympathetic to one side of that and Xbox often proclaims its support for activist causes.

So what Phil Spencer is saying even if the Xbox social network is for games, only the political causes endorsed by Microsoft/Xbox are allowed run unopposed on Xbox social network.

He is not stating that Xbox is neutral platform that keeps politics out of games or its platform.

 

[Lognor]

Good! One place the vocal minority can't whine and ruin it for everyone. See Twitter for that shit.

Nor those fuck tard maga morons. I love that those idiots have been relegated to the backwater of the internet. The less you know about someone's political beliefs, the better.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Who is even talking about politics in game?

 

[kingfey]

Who is even talking about politics in game?

morons. even in mobile games, you have morons arguing about it.

 

[clintar]

Nor those fuck tard maga morons. I love that those idiots have been relegated to the backwater of the internet. The less you know about someone's political beliefs, the better.

Yeah, thanks whoever suppressed these people's speech. GJ Twitter. What have we started here!?

 

[Concern]

Ok how about leaving politics out of our fuckin games too?

 

[Shmunter]

I heard the next insurrection is being planned on gears of war horde mode

 

[digital_ghost]

how would you even go about doing anything politics related on an Xbox? lol? mass message people? xD

One party could rise up and have a mass effect on people.

 

[Dream-Knife]

Is that why no one uses in game chat anymore? Afraid of being banned?

 

[theclaw135]

Is this the same interview he said "There should be multiplatform bans"?

I wouldn't go that far per se. Different accounts are different accounts.
But most platforms should have more consistent rules. So a person who continues whatever got them banned, won't last very long elsewhere.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

And yet, this was on my dash.

 

[DryvBy]

So no politicized Pride, BLM, etc, then, right?

He means no room for your politics, not his. Can't have you making fun of the Chinese government for example.

Weird how we can't discuss politics but we can have games force feed the politics to us and be upset when Ubisoft takes a mutual stand.