If you thought PlayStation users never really found out why their accounts were banned or suspended, you might now have a surprising insight into the inner workings of Sony's moderation system. PS5- and PS4-Players can now finally view the entire moderation history of their PSN account - and this is definitely a step in the right direction for more transparency. But why is this new feature so important, and how does it all work?
The new portal for account activities
In a recent update, Sony announced a new feature that allows players to check their PSN account's moderation history over the last six months. This means that users now have a centralized Visit "My account support portal" to see what bans, suspensions or other moderation actions have been taken against their account.
According to Sony, this new transparency offers users the opportunity to find out about the status of their account and any action taken. Many players who may have felt they were kicked off the network without explanation should now finally have the opportunity to understand what exactly happened. This is a step that many certainly see as overdue, because who hasn't wondered why his account was suddenly blockedwithout receiving a clear message from Sony?
How detailed is the portal?
At first glance, the portal appears to be quite useful. Those who have never violated the terms of use in the past will probably not make any exciting discoveries. In my own case, where no violations have occurred, I was able to browse the portal without any problems - there are no hidden surprises. But what about those who have already been banned or warned? How detailed is the information on the specific incidents? Unfortunately, I can't confirm this from personal experience, but I assume that Sony will at least provide some level of transparency in this area. Players who have been suspended should receive a clear explanation of the action taken.
The nudge function: another step towards control
But that's not all Sony has to offer in terms of moderation. In the fight against offensive content on the PlayStation Network, a new function has also been introduced: the so-called Nudge function for messages. From today, users can check messages in the PS app before they are sent to see whether they contain potentially harmful or offensive content. This works in a similar way to other social media: the message is scanned and if certain keywords or expressions are found, the sender receives a "nudge" to review the message and edit it if necessary.
A Nudge does not mean that the message is automatically blocked. The sender can continue to send the message as it is - but the notice is intended to help avoid mistakes before they happen. A clever approach that is primarily intended to prevent ill-considered messages from violating the code of conduct and thus resulting in unnecessary blocks or suspensions.
A step in the right direction
Overall, this new feature is a real benefit for the PlayStation community. The ability to review moderation history creates a greater level of transparency and ensures that players have more clarity when issues arise with their account. In addition, the Nudge function help to ensure that fewer users violate the Code of Conduct, as they have a chance to think about potentially problematic content before sending it.
It remains to be seen how these features will work in practice, but Sony seems to have taken an important step towards making the PlayStation Network safer and fairer. So the next time you receive a ban or suspension, rest assured that you can now at least understand why.
What do you think of this new feature?
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