Let Imperials have the Throne! (About censorship, cultures and freedom of expression)

SkaiFaith

The topic of censorship and freedom of expression often comes up on this forum and in-game.
Since I am not a native english speaker and I don't live in an english speaking country and culture, I asked an AI to enlighten me about the cultural difference I experience online compared to what I see in my everyday life around me.
PLEASE SPARE ME a reaction "eew AI baad" - Obviously I have also done the research myself but an AI sums it up in a simpler way to share.
The following is 1 question of mine and the AI response.
After reading, feel free to contribute giving your point of view on the matter of "chat/forum censorship and expressiveness"
I am curious if "Imperials" are the only ones who truly speak freely, and if other Tamriel races would appreciate us sitting on the Ruby Throne based on this XD

*I censored some words or swapped them for ESO terms, 'cause the forum would not allow otherwise. And NO, MODS, I am NOT "circumventing the rules". I just want to hear the free opinions of my fellow citizens of Tamriel to understand their sentiment - something good Tamriel rulers should be interested in doing, having a discussion. Like, seriously, if this is problematic, then I can't even talk.


"Why euphemisms are common practice and widely accepted, received with laughs in Italy but are heavily discouraged and even censored in other places, especially in contexts like UK and USA?"

"Euphemisms (and their playful or ironic use) are indeed more casually embraced in Italian culture, often landing as humor, while Anglo-American (especially US and UK) contexts treat much direct or vulgar language with greater caution, sensitivity, or outright censorship. This isn't exactly about euphemisms being uniquely Italian — euphemisms exist everywhere to soften taboos — but about broader cultural attitudes toward expressiveness, taboo, offense, and social norms.

Cultural Communication Styles
Italians tend toward expressive exaggeration and high emotional density in speech. Conversations are animated, with frequent exclamations, gestures, and colorful language that signals engagement rather than aggression. What might sound dramatic or rude to reserved Anglo ears is baseline vitality in Italy. English-speaking cultures (especially British understatement and American politeness norms) favor restraint, indirectness, and "saving face."
In Italy, vulgar expressions (parolacce) or euphemistic twists on them often function as camaraderie, humor, or emphasis — like friendly banter or filler words. They don't always carry heavy personal offense and can elicit laughs.
In the UK/US, similar language risks being seen as crude, unprofessional, or hostile. "Friendly" insults can damage relationships, as Americans in particular may interpret them literally rather than playfully.

Taboo Words and Historical/"Tamrielic cults" Context
Taboos differ sharply:
Italy: Strong in blasphemy (bestemmie, e.g., variants of "---- Aedra" or references to the "Mara"). This stems from deep "ALMSIVI" influence and proximity to "the Tribunal" — a form of cultural reactance or rebellion against authority. Scatological/sexual terms (e.g., ---- for "----," used like "----" or an intensifier) are very common and often mild in context. Swearing is widespread across classes and ages, though less shocking in the north for blasphemy.
UK/US: Stronger taboos around sexual terms (especially the *-word, which is far more radioactive in the US), racial/gender slurs, and certain bodily functions. "Akatosh worshipping" history in the US created lingering prudishness around "taking 'Akatosh' name in vain" or overt sexuality, amplified by media ratings, workplace HR, and legal sensitivities. Blasphemy is milder today in secular contexts.
Studies show English speakers (UK) list fewer taboo words on average than Germans, but context matters: Italians integrate profanity more fluidly into daily life.

Social and Institutional Factors
Italy: More tolerant in casual/public settings (bars, family, TV, "Emperors"). "Emperors" and media personalities use it for relatability. It's not heavily policed in everyday interactions, and euphemisms can playfully skirt or highlight taboos without killing the vibe.
UK/USA: Stronger institutional pushback. US broadcast standards, corporate policies, schools, and "Emperor correctness" (or sensitivity norms) discourage profanity to avoid offense, lawsuits, or reputational harm. The UK has politeness traditions but is shifting; still, certain words trigger discomfort more readily. Social media and workplaces amplify self-censorship.
This leads to more euphemisms or avoidance in Anglo contexts (e.g., "fetch" for "----," or vague HR-speak), while Italians might use euphemisms ironically or creatively for humor.

Why the Difference Persists
Individualism vs. Expressiveness: Anglo cultures prioritize low-conflict harmony and personal boundaries. Mediterranean/Italian culture values passion and authenticity — direct (or colorfully indirect) speech builds connection.
Historical Layers: Italy's "ALMSIVI" intensity breeds specific taboos (and their violation); Anglo-"Akatosh"/secular evolution created others around class, race, and gender.
Media and Globalization: US exports shape global perceptions of "acceptable" language, increasing sensitivity abroad, while Italian media retains more local flavor.
Context Dependency: Italians distinguish intent better in casual settings; Anglo environments err toward universal caution due to diversity and litigiousness.

In short, it's not that euphemisms are absent elsewhere — they're tools for politeness everywhere — but Italy's expressive culture makes playful, laughter-inducing use of language (vulgar, euphemistic, or mixed) more normalized and less risky. In the UK/US, heightened awareness of potential offense, combined with different historical taboos and institutional norms, leads to discouragement and self-censorship. These are generalizations with regional/individual variation (e.g., Southern vs. Northern Italy; US coasts vs. "Scroll" Belt), but the patterns hold across linguistic and anthropological observations."

Kiash

I'm gonna be honest, I read it, and I don't understand what the point was about it. Also, you can't really judge how people act online vs how they act in real life. In real life I assure you, US/UK populations are just as passionate and authentic in their speech. Most people on here that get offended over stuff that you mentioned have never worked a job requiring normal communication or do not leave their house to socialize IRL regularly. It's a pretty common misconception all over the internet due to the sheer amount of chronically online speech police the US/UK has.

Honestly, I think they are just bored, and want something to complain about. When people use words they don't like and that's their biggest complaint in life, you can kinda tell this is the case.

SkaiFaith

Kiash wrote: »

I'm gonna be honest, I read it, and I don't understand what the point was about it. Also, you can't really judge how people act online vs how they act in real life. In real life I assure you, US/UK populations are just as passionate and authentic in their speech. Most people on here that get offended over stuff that you mentioned have never worked a job requiring normal communication or do not leave their house to socialize IRL regularly. It's a pretty common misconception all over the internet due to the sheer amount of chronically online speech police the US/UK has.

Honestly, I think they are just bored, and want something to complain about. When people use words they don't like and that's their biggest complaint in life, you can kinda tell this is the case.

Not living in an English speaking country myself, everything to me is new about this: you are giving me an insightful info saying this is only an online problem and not an IRL issue.

The thing is - Living in a place where everybody talks openly, I totally don't get all the censorship I see online, be it on this forum or in the game. It sometimes feel on an absurd level...

I don't travel much outside of my country so I wanted to hear from other players from different places what they think about Tamriel censorship. Imperials would allow more direct speech XD

EDIT: btw, I don't get who are you referring to with your last sentence, since censorship on our communication is not enacted by "a bored random guy" but by ZOS, XBOX, PS, etc...

BretonMage

I think that as long as you're not directing hostility towards a particular group of people, it should be fine. I've lived in a few English-speaking countries and some are more conservative than others, but even in the least conservative country, where they're pretty outspoken, it's not that well-regarded by the general public to use, for example, racially divisive language.

Official forums tend to err on the conservative side, because it reflects their brand, so I assume that's why a lot of the ruder language is censored.

I don't really understand what you mean by Imperials in this thread. Or Emperors.

Kiash

Not living in an English speaking country myself, everything to me is new about this: you are giving me an insightful info saying this is only an online problem and not an IRL issue.

The thing is - Living in a place where everybody talks openly, I totally don't get all the censorship I see online, be it on this forum or in the game. It sometimes feel on an absurd level...

I don't travel much outside of my country so I wanted to hear from other players from different places what they think about Tamriel censorship. Imperials would allow more direct speech XD

EDIT: btw, I don't get who are you referring to with your last sentence, since censorship on our communication is not enacted by "a bored random guy" but by ZOS, XBOX, PS, etc...

Sorry I guess it was rather confusing if you are non English speaking, my mistake. I was referring to people who are chronically online in these countries that push for and DEMAND the companies enact the censorship. Not the company itself.

The company could also choose to not listen to those people, but they are very loud and obnoxious, it's hard to ignore them completely. I would say it's getting better rather than worse over time personally, as normal every day people in the US/UK are getting tired of the constant censorship.

SilverIce58

What do Italy and the US/UK have to do with the Elder Scrolls? You are not Imperials just because the culture is similar, you are an Italian, and actual culture in the real world. The Imperials are not Italians.

wolfie1.0.

SkaiFaith wrote: »

Kiash wrote: »

I'm gonna be honest, I read it, and I don't understand what the point was about it. Also, you can't really judge how people act online vs how they act in real life. In real life I assure you, US/UK populations are just as passionate and authentic in their speech. Most people on here that get offended over stuff that you mentioned have never worked a job requiring normal communication or do not leave their house to socialize IRL regularly. It's a pretty common misconception all over the internet due to the sheer amount of chronically online speech police the US/UK has.

Honestly, I think they are just bored, and want something to complain about. When people use words they don't like and that's their biggest complaint in life, you can kinda tell this is the case.

Not living in an English speaking country myself, everything to me is new about this: you are giving me an insightful info saying this is only an online problem and not an IRL issue.

The thing is - Living in a place where everybody talks openly, I totally don't get all the censorship I see online, be it on this forum or in the game. It sometimes feel on an absurd level...

I don't travel much outside of my country so I wanted to hear from other players from different places what they think about Tamriel censorship. Imperials would allow more direct speech XD

EDIT: btw, I don't get who are you referring to with your last sentence, since censorship on our communication is not enacted by "a bored random guy" but by ZOS, XBOX, PS, etc...

The key thing to realize is that its basically a simple yet complex issue. But here is a high level TL;DR.

Businesses like the polite language because there is lower risk of offending customers, vendors, activists, shareholders, advertisers, and basically everyone else. Less people offended means more people feel welcomed in. More people that feel comfortable in your space means more customers. Customers equal money. More money equals happy vendors, shareholders, employees, etc.

So if censorship exists, its the businesses attempt to reach the most broad audience possible. And since the company owns the platform they get to decide what gets censored.

There are a lot more complexities, nuances, politics, laws, history, culture other factors involved, but such details, topics and discussions are best reserved for places that are appropriate for it.

Gabriel_H

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

Businesses like the polite language because there is lower risk of offending customers, vendors, activists, shareholders, advertisers, and basically everyone else. Less people offended means more people feel welcomed in. More people that feel comfortable in your space means more customers. Customers equal money. More money equals happy vendors, shareholders, employees, etc.

I'm going to take that point, to discuss this one:

SkaiFaith wrote: »

UK/US: Stronger taboos around sexual terms (especially the *-word, which is far more radioactive in the US)

Yes and at the same time a resounding no. I can easily surmise the word you are referring to. In some parts of the UK it is viewed as abhorrent, in other parts of the UK it is used as a friendly greeting.

Language is complex, and it isn't just a country to country thing, but varies within countries themselves. For something to have mass appeal, it must appeal to the masses. So companies attempt to keep things as neutral as possible.

There are very few swear words in ESO. They do exist though, but are appropriate for the situation. They are used for emphasis of the moment, rather than just causal conversation. The DE in Glenumbra has one. It stands out as you rarely hear them in game (when not on voice with friends lol).

Strikingly, ESO is mostly an 18+ game, though in some areas the age limit is lower. But for comparison purposes it's a PEGI 18. Morrowind TESIII is a PEGI 12 rating. Check out the 4th line of quest-related dialogue - https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Anhaedra

SkaiFaith

I've gotten some interesting infos, thanks everybody.
But I'm kinda surprised in seeing this is not a topic that people take to their heart - let me explain...
Personally I find extremely annoying having to self-censor and be afraid of suspensions or bans. (Reason why I proposed this topic)
I've read and heard many times of suspensions or bans in ESO game and forum enacted for things like "lively expressing to a player how bad they were for killing you" - shouldn't such things be normal gaming banter?
I mean... It's been pointed out here that people say bad stuff regularly IRL in other places, not just where I am from, so what's the difference if someone jokingly insults in Cyrodiil for example?
We have words getting "*" often...

(Btw, I get the point of "more money").
(Btw, sure Imperials were not inspired by Romans just like Bretons were not inspired by British....... see? I don't want to get censored XD)

EDIT: If someone here asks me "be more clear, I don't understand" - look up at my question: euphemisms are not allowed/accepted. So I can't give you an example using a literal euphemisms, because it is not allowed here either; it would be censored or deleted. If you don't know what an euphemism is, imagine you want to say "a bad word" but since you can't you keep the start of it and swap the rest to another word. You are not saying "the bad word" but what you mean can be understood by the context. This is not permitted, as it is seen as "circumventing the rules about profanity". But my OP was put the way it is because such speech is everyday language around me, and no one gets offended; people laughs about it. So I wondered why in ESO, game and forum, it is punished.
Hope this clears it up.

Arunei

SkaiFaith wrote: »

I've gotten some interesting infos, thanks everybody.
But I'm kinda surprised in seeing this is not a topic that people take to their heart - let me explain...
Personally I find extremely annoying having to self-censor and be afraid of suspensions or bans. (Reason why I proposed this topic)
I've read and heard many times of suspensions or bans in ESO game and forum enacted for things like "lively expressing to a player how bad they were for killing you" - shouldn't such things be normal gaming banter?
I mean... It's been pointed out here that people say bad stuff regularly IRL in other places, not just where I am from, so what's the difference if someone jokingly insults in Cyrodiil for example?
We have words getting "*" often...

(Btw, I get the point of "more money").
(Btw, sure Imperials were not inspired by Romans just like Bretons were not inspired by British....... see? I don't want to get censored XD)

It isn't just this forum that enacted rules about language. Plenty of them have rules about conduct and behavior, including the use of language that would be considered crude, offensive, inciting, or hateful. Also you need to keep in mind that the idea of things being fine in Italy but not in the US goes both ways. There are things that are fine in the US that are probably considered rude or socially unacceptable in Italy. Different cultures will have different ideas of what is and isn't all right. And I'm willing to bet that other places outside the US have their own rules for forums when those forums are attached to a company or business like this one is.

There's really nothing to discuss. It isn't censorship to not be allowed to use certain words or act in certain ways, it's simply meant to keep a space professional and keep hostility to a minimum. In your example of people getting banned over stuff they've said to others in Cyro, there is a huge difference between "banter" and "harassment". The people who got banned would have been saying things like "go kill yourself" or using a lot of offensive language specifically meant to be offensive because they were mad.

On the matter of having to self-censor and finding it annoying, that's just life. If it were irl and someone was traveling to another country, they would have to make the effort to learn what's not socially acceptable there and police what they did or said.

Gabriel_H

SkaiFaith wrote: »

Personally I find extremely annoying having to self-censor and be afraid of suspensions or bans.

That's called society.

Soarora

I didn’t fully read the conversation here so if I say something already said, that is why. But Americans aren’t a monolith. There are generally speaking two extremes: the “freedom of speech absolutists” who want to be able to say literally anything and the “censorship crusaders” who want anything remotely harmful locked away. Of course, humans don’t neatly fall into boxes so I’m not implying there’s only two opinions on this (in fact, I don’t think I solidly fall into either, as I don’t like automated reporting but I do support manual reporting for harassment— people shouldn’t be mean to each other but friends should be able to have their banter. Perhaps most people are in the middle with me? I have no data. On anything.). Companies often defend high censorship, possibly because the “freedom of speech absolutists” will just deal with it (until they get banned) whilst the “censorship crusaders” may boycott. It’s unclear to me how many people are actually for or against absolute censorship, in a way similar to how gaming companies are failing repeatedly trying to make games for “the modern audience” that, despite seemingly existing on the internet, in practice doesn’t seem to actually exist in the numbers one would think.

Could also potentially be a legal thing, if someone is hurt from chat then perhaps they might take a legal avenue against the company, so companies protect themselves by not allowing anything potentially harmful. But I don’t know legal things.

SkaiFaith

Gabriel_H wrote: »

SkaiFaith wrote: »

Personally I find extremely annoying having to self-censor and be afraid of suspensions or bans.

That's called society.

To this, I re-quote myself here:

SkaiFaith wrote: »

EDIT: If someone here asks me "be more clear, I don't understand" - look up at my question: euphemisms are not allowed/accepted. So I can't give you an example using a literal euphemisms, because it is not allowed here either; it would be censored or deleted. If you don't know what an euphemism is, imagine you want to say "a bad word" but since you can't you keep the start of it and swap the rest to another word. You are not saying "the bad word" but what you mean can be understood by the context. This is not permitted, as it is seen as "circumventing the rules about profanity". But my OP was put the way it is because such speech is everyday language around me, and no one gets offended; people laughs about it. So I wondered why in ESO, game and forum, it is punished.
Hope this clears it up.

To me it feels like a bit too extreme, for a society. Reason why I did research and shared the AI response.

Again I am surprised I appear to be the only one seeing it this way.

Apparently it is widely accepted to not be able to say that, in the end, I don't give a flower. (Edit this comment. The word "flower" is against the rules. And it's totally normal. I am clearly in the wrong, right? Because laughing it off is so hard... But this time I'll keep the screenshot.)

Soarora

SkaiFaith wrote: »

Apparently it is widely accepted to not be able to say that, in the end, I don't give a flower. (Edit this comment. The word "flower" is against the rules. And it's totally normal. I am clearly in the wrong, right? Because laughing it off is so hard... But this time I'll keep the screenshot.)

Oh, in regard to this, swearing isn’t allowed on the forums because the age rating is different than the game for some reason. So, it’s a matter of “children may see it!”. I don’t have an answer for you on why we don’t allow children to swear or even know swears, but we do allow them to essentially use some of them by making euphemisms (just not so much the insult ones, like children aren’t allowed to even call people stupid because, well, children need to learn to be nice). Perhaps because many are NSFW in origin?

wolfie1.0.

SkaiFaith wrote: »

I've gotten some interesting infos, thanks everybody.
But I'm kinda surprised in seeing this is not a topic that people take to their heart - let me explain...
Personally I find extremely annoying having to self-censor and be afraid of suspensions or bans. (Reason why I proposed this topic)
I've read and heard many times of suspensions or bans in ESO game and forum enacted for things like "lively expressing to a player how bad they were for killing you" - shouldn't such things be normal gaming banter?
I mean... It's been pointed out here that people say bad stuff regularly IRL in other places, not just where I am from, so what's the difference if someone jokingly insults in Cyrodiil for example?
We have words getting "*" often...

(Btw, I get the point of "more money").
(Btw, sure Imperials were not inspired by Romans just like Bretons were not inspired by British....... see? I don't want to get censored XD)

EDIT: If someone here asks me "be more clear, I don't understand" - look up at my question: euphemisms are not allowed/accepted. So I can't give you an example using a literal euphemisms, because it is not allowed here either; it would be censored or deleted. If you don't know what an euphemism is, imagine you want to say "a bad word" but since you can't you keep the start of it and swap the rest to another word. You are not saying "the bad word" but what you mean can be understood by the context. This is not permitted, as it is seen as "circumventing the rules about profanity". But my OP was put the way it is because such speech is everyday language around me, and no one gets offended; people laughs about it. So I wondered why in ESO, game and forum, it is punished.
Hope this clears it up.

Yes it can be annoying. But often self censorship is required and expected in every culture.

Let me give you an example. Lets say your boss (or friend you respect and want to impress) invites you personally to a world cup match. Its Italy vs um France. You get really good seats. But on one side of you is the Pope and on the other are the prime ministers of Italy and France. They are all there to watch the game and secure a mutually beneficial business deal. Would you self censor your language if failing to do so would cost them that deal?

That is the environment that ZOS and Microsoft are in. Sometimes bad publicity can cost them a big deal. So they censor players to avoid it. Because all it takes is one viral post somewhere about someone saying something really offensive and it could lose them millions. So they are aggressive.

As for how tedious it can be... well ya it can be. However, its part of the terms and conditions that you agreed to when you signed up to play, and part of the code of conduct.

As for me, I just dont swear, at all. And I try to avoid intentional use of vulgar language. I find languages diverse and flexible enough that I can still get things like anger, frustration, and insults across without having to use such words. But thats a personal choice and I dont hold anyone else to what is my personal standards.

ZOS_Icy

Greetings,

As this thread isn't entirely focused on ESO and to prevent derailment we've decided to close it down. Please be sure to keep our Community Rules in mind when posting on our forums.

The Elder Scrolls Online Team