It’s being reported that Sony is censoring NSFW tweets shared to social media using the PS5’s share functionality – by not allowing users to post tweets containing swear words.
Various players have found out that Sony will not allow posts to be made to Twitter from the PS5 if you use profanity within the text.
For example, if you wanted to share a clip of yourself being continuously stalked by Mr X in the Resident Evil 2 remake, you might want to add text like “Oh I wish Mr X would just F*** off!”.
Sure you might be using an “F” bomb, but it’s not really used in an offensive context, it’s just a mere use of everyday language to emphasise a situation often with humour. However, it seems it would still be a big NOPE from Sony, who would not allow such a tweet to be made from your PS5.
While this censoring mechanic might have the best of intentions (to protect users and keep the PS5-generated hashtags family friendly), it doesn’t seem to be going down well with many gamers.
A Reddit user posted on the forum investigating if there’s any way to turn this feature off, asking: “Is there a way to turn this off. It censors words and will not let you post until you delete said word.”
profanity filter when sharing clips to twitter from r/PS5
However while this censorship might pick-up on “swear” words there are reports that the console is trying to censor “profanity” when no actual profanity is being used in the post.
The Gamer investigated this censoring filter and, as far as they could tell, there was no way to turn this filter off.
In one sense I can see why Sony has implemented this filter because it is a way to stop severe profanity being shared online, and in some instances it might even stop a form of cyber bullying.
As an adult who considers myself to be somewhat responsible, at times I like to casually swear in my posts (not too often), but if it makes sense to make a point then I might. I can also see this logic of filtering profanity for a child via parental controls.
However it does concern me if Sony is casually censoring certain words with no way to customise or even turn off this feature.
Who’s to say that Sony is not testing the water with the best intentions of censoring certain words but might evolve one day into filtering fair criticism against a person or a company?
In my opinion, it may seem mild now, but it still asks questions in regards to the ethicality of this mild censorship and where it might lead.
What are your thoughts on this subject? We’d love to hear your opinions across our social media channels and don’t forget to react using our Emoji’s below.
Want to see more from GameByte?
- Manor Lords: The Rise of a New Indie Sensation
- Erling Haaland Joins Clash of Clans: A New Era for Gaming and Football
- Esports World Cup 2024: A New Era in Competitive Gaming
- Delta Emulator: Revolutionizing Retro Gaming on iPhone
- Abu Dhabi’s Pioneering Venture: The World’s First eSports Island
Featured Image Credit: Sony/Twitter