Issue with rule standards.

AlexDresden87

I have a friend that has been playing this game for years and last we were aware of, freedom of speech is upheld here. I mean we all see the comments about how people view current day politics and people. My issue today is that my friend is in another country. They too have freedom of speech just as much as I do here in the U.S. However they weren't given that right when they received a warning about their comments in game. Last I checked, Canada and U.S. have both freedom of speech rights. Its a double standard if people of one country can speak about their politics but another country with same if not similar rights, isn't given the same treatment in the game. I would formally like the admins double check their rules and laws for people in other countries because this kind of treatment isn't legal.

VaranisArano

Last time I checked, your speech in game is first and foremost judged under the two agreements you checked off when you start playing the game, regardless of your country of origin.

Terms of Service: https://account.elderscrollsonline.com/terms-of-service

Code of Conduct: https://account.elderscrollsonline.com/code-of-conduct

If you friend feels their speech was acceptable under the TOS and the Code of Conduct, feel free to appeal by replying to the warning to further escalate that through Support.

Claiming "Free Speech" on the forums isnt going to help solve the issue. Not only can we posters not help you at all, but ZOS doesnt discuss disciplinary actions here for privacy reasons.

SidraWillowsky

"Freedom of speech" != "people can say whatever they want in game chat with zero retribution".

Can you provide some context re. what they were saying? I personally have zero tolerance for hate speech (n-word, c-word, referring to things as "gay") and will report players if they get OTT terrible. Normal politics talk... whatever. I'll even take the bait and argue a bit. But if it turns into a mud-slinging, offensive mess? Not ok IMO.

moses1763

Yes you do have the 'Freedom of Speech' but you also have the consequences that go along with it...

This is a private company and their rules are the only rules that truly matter in the end.

E7216

Bringing real-world politics to the ESO forums is against the forum rules.

"Inappropriate Content"

Also, freedom of speech has its borders, e.g. insulting people can be punished anyway.

UrQuan

Freedom of speech only applies to being free from the government restricting your speech (and in most countries there are limits to that as well - like in Canada anything classified as hate speech doesn't fall under freedom of speech, and can have severe legal consequences). Last I checked ZOS wasn't the government.

If you're using a company's platform to speak (whether that platform be a video game, a forum, a comments section, whatever) then that company has the right to restrict and censor what you say in any way that they see fit.

And of course freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences anyway. That also applies to how a company chooses to exercise their right to restrict speech on their platform: if they do it in a way that makes too many people upset then there will be negative consequences to that company (as is often seen when companies are caught deleting negative comments on their videos on Youtube for example). But frankly, they're going to have more people pissed off if they don't step in to restrict/address/censor controversial speech.

So many internet kids spout off about freedom of speech without understanding the first thing about what it does and doesn't mean.

NordSwordnBoard

Report the violation of your "rights" to the authorities so they can laugh at you as well as the forums.

[Deleted User]

Hello everyone,

With this thread going nowhere and discussing real-world politics and disciplinary actions, both being against the Forum Rules, we've decided to go ahead and close this thread down. For further posts please be sure to stay constructive with the rules in mind to avoid threads that derail quickly or action on one's own forum account.

Thank you for understanding.