Xbox Live enforcement investigation protocols are flawed and need some serious reassessment

AvId Atlas · Jan 10, 2018

I had a player message me following a match in which he went around the map killing his own team. After being kicked for betrayals i started receiving several messages harassing me with lewd\and inappropriate messages verbally assaulting me I responded a
total of 3 times with a single of those messages being a single word and question mark followed by a casual lol. Another match started up and through the entire match and the following match i was non stop spammed by this player after i informed him i had
reported him, assuming maybe he would stop, but no avail it continued. I was then sent a message from xbox live stating that my account had been subject to "enforcement action". After reviewing an apparent email that was sent to me and being redirected to
the "enforcement team" I was shocked to see that a 2 day ban had been placed on my entire account. For "engaging in inappropriate communications. This activity may include harassment, abusive language, hate speech, profanity, disruptive or offensive language,
spamming, or other inappropriate uses of Xbox Live communications features." But wait that wasnt me?? I was the victim of said harassment?? Why was i being punished and deprived services for an act not at all of my own.

This "team" also has no way of contacting or disputing this issue because the ban was placed on the console itself. No offline play, no signing in on my phone to review that awesome snipe my buddy got last night in battlefield.

The entire system is flawed and I will include the entire text conversation between me and said player as it appears in my messages on xbox.com omitting any gamertags and fowl language, lets see what the community and the support team and hopefully someone
a little higher up in the chain of command have to say about it, excuse the minor text commentary which will be notated by a simple (*)

Player: RETARD *(First off that's offensive and not a good way to start a conversation but I digress)

Me: b****???? lol *(can we call confused playful banter on this one guys?)

Player: u g** a** h*** lill 5 year old f** *(wow ummm.... okay?)

Me: nailed it lmao

Me again knowing this is going no where fast: get reported scrub

Player: FIGHT MEH PUS *(literally the message exactly)

Player: right back at u

Player:THAT JUST PROVES U A LIL KID

Player: NOT TALKING STUFF NOW ARE U

Player: ACTING LIKE I SHOULD BE AFRAID OF YOU CAUSE U GONNA REPORT MEH

Player: YOU A NOOB TO YOU WAS ALL THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCORE CHART *(this guy clearly had the wrong person lol doubt 22 and 7 would be considered at the bottom)

Player: I COULD 1V1 U AND DESTROY U ALL DAY LONG IF I WANTED TO

Player....yes he's still going: STILL NOT TALKING LIL KID *(sir i am a grown man i just don't have time for you.)

Player...again: FIGHT ME!!! *(wow... just wow)

Player: THATS WHAT I THOUGHT U SCARED

Now this conversation finally stopped and he apparently found someone else to yell and shriek at but that isn't even the point. I filed a report against a player who was clearly harassing me and the outcome of that report was that my account got banned.
Now i'm not really sure the logic behind that, but i am pretty sure that's not intended. And I'm sorry Microsoft but you aren't Bethesda with the whole "Its not a bug, it's a feature," attitude, and upon further research this is a problem dating back till
from what i have seen first hand 2015. This is your fan base, your customers, for all intensive purposes your clients, why is this still an issue. Now I'm not naive in thinking every single post made about a false flag ban is legitimate but there is no doubt
in my mind that an abundance of false bans have been made. I'm am in that boat entirely here. Can we please do something about this because I for one don't appreciate paying for a service that is without a correct and functioning support outlet considering
the time and money invested. There has got to be a better method.

Thank you for your time and I bid you adue,

Just a humble gamer.

:)

HAZMAT RADIO · Jan 10, 2018

Xbox Live enforcement investigation protocols are flawed and need some serious reassessment

When you retaliate against someone as you did, you violated the Code of Conduct.

Your best bet next time is to file a complaint and block the player since you now know the results for what you did when you responded to him.

1) For account suspensions or bans sign in at this site with your account at
https://enforcement.xbox.com

2) No one here on the Xbox Forums or at Xbox Support can provide the reason or proof why you were banned.

3) No one here on the Xbox Forums or at Xbox Support can change the state of ANY suspension or ban.

4) Only an actual person from the Xbox Live Enforcement Team can impose or remove a suspension or ban on the account.

- "Despite what some may claim, Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement Team will never ever ban anyone “for no reason”. Suspensions always occur as a result of a specific Code of Conduct violation."

Xbox Enforcement | How Do I

5) A suspension or ban on the account is imposed when there has been a violation of the Code of Conduct or Terms of Use.

- Note: If the violation was significant, the account may face consecutive suspensions and the device could be suspended as well.

Code of Conduct -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/home/codeofconduct

Xbox.com Terms of Use -
https://www.xbox.com/en-US/Legal/XboxComTOU?xr=footnav

6) If you want to contact the Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement Team you can file a Case Review

- You can't file a Case Review if the suspension is less than 24 hours or you failed the questionnaire.

- Note: Currently, Xbox device bans are not eligible for Case Review.

Case Review -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/Home/HowTo#sub-topic0-6

7) If someone is making offensive remarks to you, do not reply back to them. Report and block them.

- If you're in a party chat and offensive remarks are being made. Your account may receive a suspension just for being in that party if the party is reported.

Submit a report on Xbox One -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/Home/HowTo#sub-topic2-0

8) It's your account and you're responsible for it. If you let a friend use your account and they violate they Code of Conduct or Terms of Use with your account, then it's your account that will be penalized.

AvId Atlas · Jan 10, 2018

Xbox Live enforcement investigation protocols are flawed and need some serious reassessment

I had a player message me following a match in which he went around the map killing his own team. After being kicked for betrayals i started receiving several messages harassing me with lewd\and inappropriate messages verbally assaulting me I responded a
total of 3 times with a single of those messages being a single word and question mark followed by a casual lol. Another match started up and through the entire match and the following match i was non stop spammed by this player after i informed him i had
reported him, assuming maybe he would stop, but no avail it continued. I was then sent a message from xbox live stating that my account had been subject to "enforcement action". After reviewing an apparent email that was sent to me and being redirected to
the "enforcement team" I was shocked to see that a 2 day ban had been placed on my entire account. For "engaging in inappropriate communications. This activity may include harassment, abusive language, hate speech, profanity, disruptive or offensive language,
spamming, or other inappropriate uses of Xbox Live communications features." But wait that wasnt me?? I was the victim of said harassment?? Why was i being punished and deprived services for an act not at all of my own.

This "team" also has no way of contacting or disputing this issue because the ban was placed on the console itself. No offline play, no signing in on my phone to review that awesome snipe my buddy got last night in battlefield.

The entire system is flawed and I will include the entire text conversation between me and said player as it appears in my messages on xbox.com omitting any gamertags and fowl language, lets see what the community and the support team and hopefully someone
a little higher up in the chain of command have to say about it, excuse the minor text commentary which will be notated by a simple (*)

Player: RETARD *(First off that's offensive and not a good way to start a conversation but I digress)

Me: b****???? lol *(can we call confused playful banter on this one guys?)

Player: u g** a** h*** lill 5 year old f** *(wow ummm.... okay?)

Me: nailed it lmao

Me again knowing this is going no where fast: get reported scrub

Player: FIGHT MEH PUS *(literally the message exactly)

Player: right back at u

Player:THAT JUST PROVES U A LIL KID

Player: NOT TALKING STUFF NOW ARE U

Player: ACTING LIKE I SHOULD BE AFRAID OF YOU CAUSE U GONNA REPORT MEH

Player: YOU A NOOB TO YOU WAS ALL THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCORE CHART *(this guy clearly had the wrong person lol doubt 22 and 7 would be considered at the bottom)

Player: I COULD 1V1 U AND DESTROY U ALL DAY LONG IF I WANTED TO

Player....yes he's still going: STILL NOT TALKING LIL KID *(sir i am a grown man i just don't have time for you.)

Player...again: FIGHT ME!!! *(wow... just wow)

Player: THATS WHAT I THOUGHT U SCARED

Now this conversation finally stopped and he apparently found someone else to yell and shriek at but that isn't even the point. I filed a report against a player who was clearly harassing me and the outcome of that report was that my account got banned.
Now i'm not really sure the logic behind that, but i am pretty sure that's not intended. And I'm sorry Microsoft but you aren't Bethesda with the whole "Its not a bug, it's a feature," attitude, and upon further research this is a problem dating back till
from what i have seen first hand 2015. This is your fan base, your customers, for all intensive purposes your clients, why is this still an issue. Now I'm not naive in thinking every single post made about a false flag ban is legitimate but there is no doubt
in my mind that an abundance of false bans have been made. I'm am in that boat entirely here. Can we please do something about this because I for one don't appreciate paying for a service that is without a correct and functioning support outlet considering
the time and money invested. There has got to be a better method.

Thank you for your time and I bid you adue,

Just a humble gamer

Smwutches · Jan 10, 2018

In situations like that, it's best to just file a complaint on the other person and block communications rather than respond. If you respond in a way that violates the code of conduct, which you did (Me: b****???? lol *(can we call confused playful banter
on this one guys?), you can be punished.

AvId Atlas · Nov 1, 2018

Precision
With authority comes great responsibility; we must be precise in our investigations, documentation, reporting, and application of enforcement policy.

Anybody who would have conducted a "precise" investigation would have seen the fallacy in the claim.

DANCE GAMING

yep cause i can just block someone in real life, or run to the cops and say someone said something mean to me, those dish it out yet when get it back im the bad guy makes zero sense. and ive been a member since org. xbox and never have i been banned over
this crap

HAZMAT RADIO

When you retaliate against someone as you did, you violated the Code of Conduct.

Your best bet next time is to file a complaint and block the player since you now know the results for what you did when you responded to him.

1) For account suspensions or bans sign in at this site with your account at
https://enforcement.xbox.com

2) No one here on the Xbox Forums or at Xbox Support can provide the reason or proof why you were banned.

3) No one here on the Xbox Forums or at Xbox Support can change the state of ANY suspension or ban.

4) Only an actual person from the Xbox Live Enforcement Team can impose or remove a suspension or ban on the account.

- "Despite what some may claim, Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement Team will never ever ban anyone “for no reason”. Suspensions always occur as a result of a specific Code of Conduct violation."

https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/Home/HowTo#sub-topic0-5

5) A suspension or ban on the account is imposed when there has been a violation of the Code of Conduct or Terms of Use.

- Note: If the violation was significant, the account may face consecutive suspensions and the device could be suspended as well.

Code of Conduct -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/home/codeofconduct

Xbox.com Terms of Use -
https://www.xbox.com/en-US/Legal/XboxComTOU?xr=footnav

6) If you want to contact the Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement Team you can file a Case Review

- You can't file a Case Review if the suspension is less than 24 hours or you failed the questionnaire.

- Note: Currently, Xbox device bans are not eligible for Case Review.

Case Review -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/Home/HowTo#sub-topic0-6

7) If someone is making offensive remarks to you, do not reply back to them. Report and block them.

- If you're in a party chat and offensive remarks are being made. Your account may receive a suspension just for being in that party if the party is reported.

Submit a report on Xbox One -
https://enforcement.xbox.com/en-US/Home/HowTo#sub-topic2-0

8) It's your account and you're responsible for it. If you let a friend use your account and they violate they Code of Conduct or Terms of Use with your account, then it's your account that will be penalized.

Smwutches

Not missing the point at all. There are a lot of people who get into the same sort of situation as you and post the same thing as you, but in the end, you are the only one to blame for your suspension.

Integrity
We are accountable for our actions; we must make consistent, unbiased decisions based on the best available evidence. *(Evidence would mean you had messages, video, voice recording or something OTHER than a report that popped up.) The enforcement team
has access to everything you do or say on Live. This is something you agreed to when you agreed to the terms of service. So they do investigate that evidence before issuing a ban.

Compassion
The policy is our guide. We must do what is right, not always just what is written. Context matters. *(Oh i agree 100% context does matter, and the constant reminder that your reputation score will be taken into account during an "investigation" must be
a joke considering mine is 3/4ths of a bar and all green buddy, I tell hyou hwaht.)
Rep has nothing to do with suspensions.

Precision
With authority comes great responsibility; we must be precise in our investigations, documentation, reporting, and application of enforcement policy. *(Here is the big one that gets me now these are in my mind everyday people, like you or myself so they
know right from wrong. I mean i would hope so, so during an investigation into an alleged report take mine for instance, where I was clearly the customer being harassed. How does an everyday person who takes pride in Integrity, Compassion, and Precision come
to a conclusion that the person being spammed by a clearly hostile player is the one in the wrong?) Regardless of what the other person did, and nobody is saying he is right either, YOU responded in a way that violated the code of conduct.

Each individual is critical to our success. Each is trusted and empowered to do what is right. We learn from mistakes and always try to improve. We care deeply about our customer’s experiences on Xbox Live and are dedicated as a team to make it a safe and
fun place to be! (Okay if that is truly the case then it is high time for some adjusting the way we communicate with your team and how we as a consumer "defend" ourselves. This is a problem and it needs to be addressed.) In a situation like yours, you
don't need to defend yourself. You clearly said something that was a violation. It would be a different situation if you did not respond to the other player and received a suspension.

I'm a member of the preview program and take pride in having the ability to voice my opinions and suggestions , as a consumer, for future updates/games and other features coming to xbox. I'm taking the same approach when it comes to this topic here. This
isn't about my ban getting lifted I work the next 2 days and its only a 2 day ban. What it is about though is finding a better way of communication and accountability with the people who step in and say "Okay you need a time out," A suspension is your time
out.

When you signed up for Live, you agreed to the code of conduct/terms of service. You are responsible for your actions. It doesn't matter what the other person did, you clearly violated the code when you responded. You are responsible for your actions. The
enforcement team would have been investigating the report on you, not both of you. Since you used profanity, you got a punishment. It's that simple. The other guy most likely also received a suspension or will receive one as well.

AvId Atlas

Precision
With authority comes great responsibility; we must be precise in our investigations, documentation, reporting, and application of enforcement policy.

Anybody who would have conducted a "precise" investigation would have seen the fallacy in the claim.

ngocphi

yep cause i can just block someone in real life, or run to the cops and say someone said something mean to me, those dish it out yet when get it back im the bad guy makes zero sense. and ive been a member since org. xbox and never have i been banned over
this crap

I'm sorry but Read the full text of the freedom of speech it will shock you

One it doesn't apply to private individuals because you CANNOT cause them harm in anyway with your freedom of speech

Any police officer you tell will shrug

If he's on public property you cannot report him unless you are harmed

Private property he will say it's his property and you have no rights on his property

And fyi if you had read the freedom of speech it's not a hammer you can swing around you cannot cause others harm or ignore others peace of mind

It is only for Congress cannot make laws preventing them

Xbox Live enforcement investigation protocols are flawed and need some serious reassessment