Intrepid Joystiq reader Xyl (if that is his real name) has noticed that Xbox Live has an interesting interpretation of what words are and are not "inappropriate." Apparently, entering the word "Halo" as a motto for your Xbox Live account returns the message that "your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again."
In our tests, it didn't seem to matter if the word "Halo" was written alone or with other innocuous words -- the error message was ever-present. Variations like H4L0 and Ha|o also set off the profanity filter, but other variations like I-IALO and halo.sucks were OK, as were words like Mahalo. Interestingly, "Halo 2" and "Halo 3" set off the filter but "Halo2" and "Halo3" did not.
Other MS game names like Gears of War and Kameo did nothing to set off the filter, making it unlikely that Microsoft is simply trying to quash discussion of its products in user mottos. We suppose it's possible that the word Halo is profane in some other language, but it didn't turn up anything dirty in Google's translations. Anyone have an explanation for this odd artifact? Has anyone else stumbled across any other odd language filtering in the Xbox Live system?
[Picture: Potentially dirty Halo 3 vanity plates ordered by an Xbox.com forum-goer. Thanks subzero.]
Reader Comments (42)
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:11PM (Unverified) said
ummmmmm... wow. thats more than a bit odd.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:21PM (Unverified) said
well that filter was programmed by a person. maybe they were under the impression those names (halo 2) should not be accepted and should maybe be reserved...?
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:18PM Sloar said
This story lends itself to way too many comments on the "quality" (or lack thereof) of Halo. I can't wait to read all of the comments (undoubtedly laden with crass and profane language) about what words are synonymous with "Halo". I think that we can now label this entire story and subsequent thread NSFW. You were warned...
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:19PM Chacha Chaudhary said
I tried putting the PGR3 motto as my motto which is "Life Begins at 170" and that one gave the same error
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:23PM (Unverified) said
Perhaps possible religious undertones....It's a weak out, but it could work.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:28PM (Unverified) said
Isn't the word Halo slang for condom? At least it is in that one Sugar Ray song...
"Every morning when I wake up there's a HALO hanging from the the corner of girlfriends four post bed.".
But that is a pretty loose theory, expecially to only effect a XBL filter. Somebody see if "condom" is allowed in the motto.
"Every morning when I wake up there's a HALO hanging from the the corner of girlfriends four post bed.".
But that is a pretty loose theory, expecially to only effect a XBL filter. Somebody see if "condom" is allowed in the motto.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:38PM (Unverified) said
Try anything with the word Gates in it.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:34PM (Unverified) said
FYI, the word "bug" is also a no-no in the motto field.
Crazy!
Crazy!
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:41PM (Unverified) said
I think they don't want to get into a religious territory...
Halo as in angels.
What's my source? I tried to use as my motto "Deus Ex Machina" (God From the Machine) and it turned on the filter. Ex Machina works fine.
Halo as in angels.
What's my source? I tried to use as my motto "Deus Ex Machina" (God From the Machine) and it turned on the filter. Ex Machina works fine.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:39PM (Unverified) said
Gosh, don't overthink this. Halo is just being protected by them. H4lo and Ha|o qualify as 'leetspeak-equivalent' to the filter, but adding characters to the word makes it not equivalent.
Gears of War and Kameo just aren't or haven't yet been protected in the same way.
Gears of War and Kameo just aren't or haven't yet been protected in the same way.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 12:43PM (Unverified) said
Does Sloar mean the word 'Gaylo'?
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:00PM (Unverified) said
the word GOD is not allowed either!
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:05PM (Unverified) said
My wife wanted to use "Chairman Meow" as a motto, a nickname for our demanding cat. "Chairman" was an inappropriate word too.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:15PM (Unverified) said
@#11: "Does Sloar mean the word 'Gaylo'?"
Synonymous, which means 'has the same meaning', not homonym/homophone (sound alike).
Synonymous, which means 'has the same meaning', not homonym/homophone (sound alike).
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:31PM (Unverified) said
HALO-OH-OH-OH Face
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 3:28PM (Unverified) said
I tried adding this a couple months ago and it did not work. I called customer support and they told me that you cannot use the name of a game as your motto. Bill Gates also did not work.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:40PM (Unverified) said
Another word that MS doesn't allow: Linux.
A word that MS DOES allow: PlayStation.
Weird.
A word that MS DOES allow: PlayStation.
Weird.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:51PM (Unverified) said
Sounds like it's not going through because it's a "4 letter word". Someone said PGR3 also didn't work. Again, 4 letters. Maybe the programmer thought it would be quicker to not allow 4 letter words rather then going through and finding every inappropriate word.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:09PM (Unverified) said
I tried to use "Mad Genius" as my motto and was told "genius" is inappropriate. Someone on the forums said that "Support Our Troops" was also deemed to be unacceptable.
They *really* need to un-screw their filter...
They *really* need to un-screw their filter...
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:49PM (Unverified) said
I tried putting the name of a Thousand Foot Krutch song "Faith, Love and Happiness" and the words "Faith" and "Love" were not allowed either. This filter is pretty lame in my opinion. I understand the filtering of curse words and the like, but c'mon, all these examples of normal vocabulary being filtered is just retarded.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 1:58PM (Unverified) said
The "innapropriate" word list merely contains words they don't want you to use. Included on the list is Halo and Bungie.
Specifically they don't want you to appear as if you have authority on the service, when you don't.
Anything not on the list like GOW is only because they've not added it (yet).
Something like "Chairman" also implies some form of authority.
The filter does not block words based on length.
Specifically they don't want you to appear as if you have authority on the service, when you don't.
Anything not on the list like GOW is only because they've not added it (yet).
Something like "Chairman" also implies some form of authority.
The filter does not block words based on length.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:22PM beckerist said
So does the word "Loo" and I don't even know what it means! I was going to write "look at me!" and hit "Start" by mistake, and it came back saying it was vulgar!!!!!
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:23PM (Unverified) said
Well,
UrbanDictionary.com has 104 definitions for Halo, but at the top of the list is slang for Circle Jerk. Also, numerous times it is referenced as slang for a used condom, like Juicybytim said earlier.
Of course, to get to that you have to wade through several pages of the worst fanboy-antifanboy smack talk you've ever read in your life (h4l0 is the suxorz!!! oh noes!!111, etc...).
UrbanDictionary.com has 104 definitions for Halo, but at the top of the list is slang for Circle Jerk. Also, numerous times it is referenced as slang for a used condom, like Juicybytim said earlier.
Of course, to get to that you have to wade through several pages of the worst fanboy-antifanboy smack talk you've ever read in your life (h4l0 is the suxorz!!! oh noes!!111, etc...).
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:27PM (Unverified) said
Man you ever notice that if you say a word or read enough of a certain word in a short period of time it doesn't look like a word anymore? Thanks Joystiq now when I read the word halo on your site I am wondering if it is spelled correctly. :P
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:35PM (Unverified) said
I think some scumbaggy Christians might want to say "i have a halo and am better than u" as their motto!
wouldnt put it past them! lol
wouldnt put it past them! lol
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:45PM bullet618 said
I got the filter when using the words "kind of" and had to replace it with kinda. Try typing something like "Im kind of a big deal" and it wont work. Change it to "Im kinda a big deal" and theres no problem.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 2:46PM (Unverified) said
They let me put in "Duke Lacrosse" :P
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 3:37PM (Unverified) said
yeah...um....you dont want to know what halo is...trust me.
bash.org anyone?
bash.org anyone?
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 3:13PM (Unverified) said
the word JEW is not alowed.
JEW!!!
JEW!!!
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 3:59PM (Unverified) said
It really doesn't have any sexual or religious conotations that I know of, except for it being used as a glowing ring of light above an angels head, but even then, why filter it? If you want to see every possible definition for the word halo, look no further than
urbandictionary.com
I warn you though, enter with caution.
urbandictionary.com
I warn you though, enter with caution.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 5:53PM (Unverified) said
Does it allow you to use "Xbox 1.5" ?.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 4:32PM (Unverified) said
haha, this reminds me of msn messenger a few years back when you couldnt have the words such as 'email' 'msn' or 'microsoft' in your display name...I dont think you were allowed 'sucks' either as my name on many a night was 'M$N $ux!!'
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 6:36PM jayaldous said
The old MSN Messenger at one point disallowed names including words like Microsoft or Messenger. I forget which words specifically. But the idea was probably to prevent fraud and maybe "in name" criticism too.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 4:59PM (Unverified) said
Here is a list of 2692 offensive terms which cannot be used on Xbox Live.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JQZGLEQN
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JQZGLEQN
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 6:44PM (Unverified) said
Check out for the real reason: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=halo
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 6:47PM (Unverified) said
they also do not allow the word "shenanigan" either how stupid is that, microsoft is really pathetic with its censorship for your motto's on live.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 8:33PM (Unverified) said
I think that "Deus Ex Machina" is filtered because of the word that can be made of "Deu 'sEx' Machina". filters are bogus that way. The idea that these words are filtered, restricting any kind of false authority is pretty spot on.
Posted: Dec 20th 2006 11:08PM Firegrl said
That makes me want to sit in front of my 360 and see what other words are not accepted. I could think of some interesting things...
Posted: Dec 21st 2006 3:29AM (Unverified) said
#21: Loo is another name for toilet.
Not sure why it wouldn't be allowed but there you go
Not sure why it wouldn't be allowed but there you go
Posted: Dec 21st 2006 8:25AM (Unverified) said
John (#24): Two slang terms for used condoms in one post. Nice!!
I think the idea that they're trying to prevent anyone from claiming false authority rings true to me. Maybe words like "Halo" are restricted to MS or Bungie employees.
I think the idea that they're trying to prevent anyone from claiming false authority rings true to me. Maybe words like "Halo" are restricted to MS or Bungie employees.
Posted: Dec 21st 2006 10:32AM (Unverified) said
I'm not too sure about the idea of not being able to use game names. I changed my motto to "Kingdom Hearts 2 ;)" for about 2 weeks while I was trying to playing it, and ignoring my 360 in the process. No problems there...
Posted: Jan 4th 2007 2:36AM (Unverified) said
My hubby tried "I got $ in da bank" and it got filtered for "da". He finally decided to go with "C3n$0r$4/p is lame"
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