Prohibited Words in ESO: Help Prevent Unintentional Bans

krayphysh · July 14

Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear:
If you don’t have anything constructive to contribute, I kindly ask that you refrain from participating in this discussion.
Please also avoid downvoting others simply because you disagree with their opinions. This is not a popularity contest — every respectful and relevant viewpoint is welcome.

Now, on to the purpose of this conversation:
Without encouraging anyone to share anything that might get them in trouble with the Elder Scrolls Online moderation team, I’d like us to come together and compile a list of words or phrases that are known to trigger bans — whether temporary (soft bans) or permanent.

This is intended as a resource for everyone. What might seem like common sense to one person may not be obvious to another. We also need to recognize that people process and interpret language differently — including players who are on the autism spectrum or who think in non-neurotypical ways.

My goal is to create a reference that clearly outlines what language is absolutely off-limits in ESO. That way, well-meaning players aren’t blindsided by penalties for using words they didn’t know were prohibited. I, myself, have experienced situations where I was penalized for language I didn’t believe was offensive — which is what led me to start this thread.

ESO should provide a clear, specific list of disallowed terms. It shouldn’t be left to guesswork.
This discussion is not an invitation to be offensive or inappropriate — and I know some may assume otherwise. But please remember: no two people think exactly alike. This effort is about helping each other stay informed and safe from unnecessary disciplinary actions.

If a single word can risk someone's account, that word deserves to be clearly identified in advance.

Let’s keep this respectful, helpful, and focused. Thank you.

spartaxoxo · July 14

We can't make such a list here because the forums doesn't allow that language either.

krayphysh · July 14

One of the main reasons I’m seeking clarification on which terms can result in account bans is because many players — especially in Cyrodiil — regularly use strong language or swear words without facing any consequences. When even the most obviously inappropriate terms seem to go unnoticed, it creates confusion about what’s actually allowed and what isn’t.

It’s important to keep in mind that people think and process information differently. What seems “obvious” to one person may not be obvious to someone else — especially when you consider the wide spectrum of cognitive and communication styles in the gaming community.

I understand this is a sensitive topic, but I ask that everyone approach it with respect and keep in mind the purpose of this discussion: to help players better understand the boundaries, avoid unintentional violations, and protect their accounts.

krayphysh · July 14

spartaxoxo wrote: »

We can't make such a list here because the forums doesn't allow that language either.

I agree, and I believe this topic should be approached with respect and care to avoid causing unnecessary conflict. While it may be a difficult conversation, it's far from impossible — and it’s an important one to have.

Please understand that I mean no offense to anyone. I'm not here to stir up conflict or make enemies. I hold no prejudice toward anyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other identity. My only goal is to foster a thoughtful, inclusive discussion that helps players better understand what language is and isn’t acceptable in-game.

Since ESO is designed for an adult audience, I believe it’s the responsibility of the developers to address this issue more clearly. Even though it's a sensitive subject, there should be a way to have this conversation in a safe and constructive manner — for the benefit of the entire community.

thorwyn · July 14

Not going to happen for two reasons.

1. Publishing such a list would imply that any word NOT on the list would be ok to use. And in reverse, any use of words on the list would be a violation, regardless of context.

2. Even if such a list existed, they would not publish it. They tend to be as vague as possible because elastic clauses leave them wiggle room to shift anything into the direction they want without making them vulnerable to arguments. The well known "bait" rule here on the forum is a good example.

krayphysh · July 14

It’s very late, but before I call it a night, I wanted to share an experience that I hope others can learn from.

Recently, I found out that a term I used in chat is considered unacceptable and offensive. I want to be clear: I have friends from all backgrounds and orientations, and I would never intentionally say anything to hurt or insult anyone. If I did, it was entirely unintentional — but I also understand that intentions don’t excuse the use of harmful language. The impact of a word is what truly matters.

Now, you might assume it’s common sense that the slang term often used to refer to transgender individuals — a term starting with “T” and ending in “Y” — is considered hate speech and is bannable. But not everyone grows up with the same experiences or understanding. In my case, I genuinely didn’t know it was classified as a slur. In a moment of poor judgment during a Cyrodiil zone chat — where a conversation had spiraled into crude humor about "female teabagging" and references to "females with ***" — I made the mistake of engaging and said, “That would be a Tr*nny.”

Is that word okay to use? Absolutely not. At the time, I didn’t think deeply about it. I wasn’t trying to attack or belittle anyone. In fact, the transgender friends I’ve known personally have always been mentally strong individuals who never expressed offense at that word — which, admittedly, may have led to my ignorance about its broader impact.

Still, that doesn’t make it acceptable. I now understand that the term is deeply offensive to many and falls under hate speech, regardless of intent. I accepted the 3-day ban without protest, because I recognize that I was in the wrong. I’m not sharing this to justify what I said or to gain sympathy — I’m sharing it so others can learn from my mistake.

This is how we responsibly talk about terms that are not allowed in-game — not to provoke or offend, but to educate and inform. I hope everyone here is mature enough to understand that our minds don’t all work the same way. We don’t all grow up in the same environments or learn the same things at the same pace. What may seem obviously offensive to one person might not even register to another — and that’s exactly why discussions like this matter.

What I wish, in hindsight, is that ESO’s customer support had provided more direct education when they issued the ban. A brief explanation could have prompted me to look deeper into why that term is harmful — and I absolutely would have. Of course, I now understand why I shouldn't have used it in the first place, but that doesn’t change the broader issue: there needs to be a clear, accessible source provided by ESO that outlines what language is considered unacceptable.

Many of us have been part of this game’s community for nearly a decade. We’ve invested years of time, money, and energy into our accounts. It’s only fair that the expectations around language and conduct be clearly communicated — not left to guesswork.

That’s all I wanted to say for now. Thanks for listening, and goodnight.

LukosCreyden · July 14

Typing all in bold isn't gonna make people more likely to read your post

ghastley · July 14

I'm old enough to remember when it was a type of portable radio.

In the frozen foods section at the market today, I found packs of pork meatballs that US usage considers gay. Is gay itself becoming one of those words?

Vulsahdaal · July 14

krayphysh wrote: »

....

Is that word okay to use? Absolutely not. ...

Don’t get me started on that. It happens to be a word Ive used quite often in the last 40 years, as it is a major component in most motor vehicles. And now suddenly it can not be said or typed, because someone may find it offensive? Context should be important here.

But to address your post, some words are downright confusing. I very recently received a 24 hour ‘time out’ from the game for something I typed in Cyrodiil chat.

Since ZOS couldn’t be bothered to send me a message as to what my offense was (maybe because it was less than a 3 day time out?), I can only make guesses.

I don’t use chat much in Cyro, so it isn’t hard to narrow down. Its either the reference to a certain playstyle in Cyro that I mentioned only once on that particular day as ‘tower hu mping’ , or multiple times that day (and other days as well) I referred to the DC faction as ‘bl oo’ or ‘bl oos’ , including just a few minutes prior to being suddenly kicked out of the game in the middle of a battle and having to wait a day to get back in. No warning, no explanation, that was it.

Now maybe someone found that offensive (wouldn’t surprise me as it seems there are some who spend their day just looking for something to be offended by) or it very well could be a horrifically vulgar word in another language, the thing is, I just don’t know.

I agree that a little communication might help here.

Juju_beans · July 14

It's also happening in other games.
I know of someone who got a time out for saying a cleaning product in chat, one that has been around since 1933.

Sp8c and Span is a real cleaning product, not a racist phrase.

These filters and AI use are affecting the atmosphere of an MMO in a very bad way IMHO

Destai · July 14

@ZOS_Kevin Feel like this should be obtainable from a quick email to CS Manager right?

Ingenon · July 14

Quick question may not be technically possible. Now that add-ons are available across all platforms, can an add-on filter your outgoing in-game text chat? If the answer is yes, then it might be possible for the add-on to replace one of more characters with something like "*" for example. I realize that coming up with a list of words is going to be a problem when ZOS apparently won't tell anyone outside ZOS.

wilykcat · July 14

There's no need to publish a list of naughty words here when one can simply ask Google.

Their game their rules.

L_Nici · July 14

Another thing, that doesn't got adressed here yet is different languages. For example some words mean something completely different in german than in english, are written the same, even pronounced the same, yet a german would never think of it as breaking ToS.

jaws343 · July 14

krayphysh wrote: »

One of the main reasons I’m seeking clarification on which terms can result in account bans is because many players — especially in Cyrodiil — regularly use strong language or swear words without facing any consequences. When even the most obviously inappropriate terms seem to go unnoticed, it creates confusion about what’s actually allowed and what isn’t.

The most likely reason that some words go by without consequence is because those players aren't being reported for what they are saying by other players in zone/area chat and players who are being banned for using offensive words are...

Renato90085 · July 14

There doesn't seem to be any ban in my language

ZOS_Icy · July 14

Greetings everyone,

If you ever have questions or concerns regarding our Terms of Service and Code of Conduct or wish to appeal a disciplinary action, we ask that you please contact customer support to do so. With that being said, we are going to go ahead and close this thread.

The Elder Scrolls Online Team