14 DAY TRIAL // One of the problems with a big number of online environments is that’s almost impossible to regulate content. The Xbox Live is notorious for the amount of inappropriate comments that it features and similar aspects are not lagging far behind. But all this could be coming to an end, as far as Microsoft is concerned.
As reported by Ars Technica, in 2004, Microsoft was not granted a patent from the US Patent and Trade Office for technology able to censor inappropriate language in audio streams in real time and without any interruption of the service. The patent details the fact that advanced tech will be used to detect swearing, while bleeps, noise or silence can be used to override all the unacceptable content. Microsoft is not saying whether the new system will be implemented when the Xbox Live Experience comes along on November 19 or the fact that it will be made available later to people who are interested in using it.
At the moment, you can report offensive behavior which takes place on Xbox Live and Microsoft has taken action, either suspending or banning some of the worst offenders. Nothing prevents people from registering again with Xbox Live and there are frequent reports of hostility and harassment on the service.
Microsoft is trying very hard to recast the Xbox 360 as a very family and kid friendly console. The new Xbox Live Experience is supposed to make the interface more easy to use and will also feature Avatars, which are basically Xbox 360 Mii's and a new game show channel. The price of the console has also been cut to 199 dollars and adding an audio content censorship tool will be interesting to some parents.
We'll probably see how Microsoft uses the new patent in the coming weeks.