This new feature will be voluntarily implemented in the new “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III,” set for release on November 10th.
Call of Duty’s new voice chat moderation system utilizes ToxMod, the AI-Powered voice chat moderation technology from Modulate, to identify in real-time and enforce against toxic speech—including hate speech, discriminatory language, harassment and more.
This new development will bolster the ongoing moderation systems led by the Call of Duty anti-toxicity team, which includes text-based filtering across 14 languages for in-game text (chat and usernames) as well as a robust in-game player reporting system.
Teams across Call of Duty are dedicated to combating toxicity within our games. Utilizing new technology, developing critical partnerships, and evolving our methodologies is key in this ongoing commitment. As always, we look forward to working with our community to continue to make Call of Duty fair and fun for all.
The videogame’s website said in a blog post
Moreover, according to the game website’s FAQ page, this new AI monitoring bot is designed to help “focus on the fun.” The developer notes that “Players that do not wish to have their voice moderated can disable in-game voice chat in the settings menu.”
The development team clarifies that playful banter and competitive taunting is allowed, but “hate speech, discrimination, sexism, and other types of harmful language, as outlined in the Code of Conduct, will not be tolerated.”
The Code of Conduct page says, ‘We do not tolerate bullying or harassment, including derogatory comments based on race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, culture, faith, mental or physical abilities, or country of origin.’
As for enforcement, Call of Duty lists different tiers of punishment that range from a minor review, a minor offense, a temporary suspension that could last for a couple of days to two weeks, to all accounts being permanently banned across all Call of Duty titles.
In the meantime the company will trial the new system on two of their more recent additions to the franchise.
In previous games, the company already had “existing anti-toxicity moderation” in place to mitigate gamer’s speech, restricting “voice and/or text chat to over 1 million accounts detected to have violated the Call of Duty Code of Conduct,” the company noted.
In examining the data focused on previously announced enforcement, 20% of players did not reoffend after receiving a first warning. Those who did reoffend were met with account penalties, which include but are not limited to feature restrictions (such as voice and text chat bans) and temporary account restrictions.
This positive impact aligns with our strategy to work with players in providing clear feedback for their behavior.
The company added
This news comes several months after Microsoft debuted their AI detection and censorship tool Azure, that can be used by videogame companies to monitor chatrooms and live-chats online, among other things.
Also, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) recently revealed that they wish to implement facial recognition in games, so players can verify their adequate age level.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
This is another form of the censorship that is popping up left, right, and center. While I certainly am not endorsing CoD or videogames in general, I mention this because it is yet another way freedom of speech is being eroded. Because Call of Duty is so popular it is one of the Guinea pigs to start introducing AI speech policing, and most will tolerate it because they are addicted to and need their fix.
Call of Duty today, the whole industry tomorrow. Videogame chatrooms were one of the few places left where people could chat openly and not have any real threat of being taken down, but I guess the elites needed to get that sured up now too.
[25] How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? [26] Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? Job 6:25-26
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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