[{"content":{"text":"Greetings, Open Beta Crewmates!<\/p>We appreciate you taking the time to read through this ultra-long novel of a post\u2026 but we assure you, it\u2019s that important.<\/p><\/p>We are proud to announce <\/u>Among Us VR<\/u><\/em> will be implementing the ToxMod tool by Modulate, a leader in the fight against toxic online behavior.<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/p>Important: Please do not purposely try to test the new ToxMod feature. Bans that take place during the Open Beta will be carried over into the Live build.<\/strong><\/p>This tool, alongside the newly added in-game Bullying\/Harassment reporting option, will improve our ability to moderate toxic behavior in voice chats, a new feature that will be helpful for the entire community. We\u2019ve been working hard on implementing it and are excited to finally get this into the game for you all!<\/p>ToxMod will be integrated into the Open Beta build initially,<\/strong> so that our professional, wildly talented, and deviously beany QA team can make sure it\u2019s fine-tuned before launching in the Live build. Remember: we\u2019re a small team, so we\u2019re really counting on your numbers to help bring in the data they need \u2014 just be sure to play how you normally would: we don\u2019t need you to look for bugs or glitches!<\/strong><\/p>We know: This is a lot to take in. What is ToxMod? Moderating voice chat? You\u2019re going to be listening in? Lots and lots of questions, and we hope to have all the answers for you.<\/p>To help with that, we\u2019ve prepared some answers for questions we\u2019re pretty confident you\u2019ll have. This will also be a living and growing list of questions and answers, as you share your thoughts.<\/p><\/p>Okay. So\u2026 What IS ToxMod?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>ToxMod is a voice moderation tool, monitoring voice chats in both public and private lobbies. The tool\u2019s purpose is to flag if voice conversations get toxic, abusive, or otherwise go against our Code of Conduct.<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>Once the ToxMod voice moderation tool notifies us of these harms, those harmful words are shared with our human moderation staff to review and take appropriate action with the potential bad actor. This could result in a temporary ban for the day all the way through to a permanent ban.\u00a0<\/p>Please note:<\/em> <\/strong>These bans will carry over from the Open Beta to the Live game when the full update occurs \u2014 date to be announced. Additionally, the Open Beta will be used as a trial for us to establish, refine, and adjust the ban parameters.<\/p>Because ToxMod is simply a tool we\u2019re using to help ensure our Code of Conduct, we\u2019re currently implementing it into our Open Beta as a trial to make sure our settings are correct. It\u2019s important to note that we're rolling this out to support English to begin with and are looking to add other languages in the future.\u00a0<\/p><\/p>Will this be added to the Live Build?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>Yes. Hopefully sooner than later. We\u2019re currently hoping to get some testing done through the Open Beta to make sure our settings are correct before going live. Think of this as a trial run.\u00a0<\/p>Again (and we can\u2019t stress this enough), do not try to spew super toxic words to \u201ctest\u201d the tool \u2014 we want to ensure the tool is working in as natural an environment as possible \u2014 because these bans will be carried over from the beta into the Live build.<\/p><\/p>Wait. You\u2019re listening to all my audio now? What about my privacy?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>Your privacy is very<\/em> important to us, and we want to dispel any misconceptions that may be coming up about ToxMod\u2019s implementation. Modulate encrypts all data sent off-device and we never share your personal information with third-parties. Only audio data flagged by ToxMod is shared with Schell Games for the purpose of investigating a potential ban. Audio data will be permanently deleted after 35 days.<\/p>If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. As always, you can submit a report<\/a><\/u> <\/strong>with your questions, concerns, and feedback. We also have Support Beans who may be able to assist directly on our Among Us VR <\/a><\/u><\/em>Discord server.<\/a><\/u><\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>More information is available about ToxMod\u2019s processes, the steps taken to ensure the protection of your data, and their specific player privacy considerations on Modulate\u2019s website here.<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/p>What are you listening for? Am I going to be banned for swearing?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>We know that jump scares, accusations, and murderous language are all integral parts of being a Crewmate or Impostor. Being a game all about killing each other in space (and potentially being terrified), we know it\u2019s easy to get caught in the moment of deception, alarm, and sabotage. And we\u2019re not going to punish you for that.<\/p>Instead, we\u2019ll be targeting toxic behaviors like racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexually explicit language, harassment, predatory grooming, and excessively loud audio (i.e. disruptive screaming). This is all in an attempt to foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all beans to enjoy.\u00a0<\/p><\/p>What happens if I\u2019m reported while I\u2019m in the Open Beta?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>All reports during the Open Beta period will be treated like real reports \u2014 because they are just that: real. Meaning, if you\u2019re banned in the Open Beta, this will carry over once the update is integrated into the main build of the Live game.<\/p>This is another reminder that we do not expect (or want) you to use the Open Beta to \u201ctest\u201d features. We want you to behave and play as you normally would so we can get a true understanding of our players\u2019 needs.<\/p>If you think you have been banned in error and want to submit a Ban Appeal, you\u2019ll need to submit a report<\/a><\/u> <\/strong>with details (i.e. platform username and date of ban) so we can further investigate. At this time, we will only consider appeals for bans lasting more than three days. If your Ban Appeal expires in less than three days, we will be unable to take any action in regards to lifting your ban. Thank you for your understanding.\u00a0<\/p><\/p>Okay, great. But\u2026 Why are you implementing ToxMod, again?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>To close out this post, in implementing this partnership, we hope that this is a big first step towards a less-toxic environment in Among Us VR<\/em>. Using the ToxMod tool will allow us to take further action on unwanted behavior and bad players among us \u2014 helping us to prioritize the worst behavior quickly, and helping to ensure that we are using evidence to investigate player reports before banning a reported player. This tool gives our human moderation process important data to determine whether or not a ban is warranted and how to handle appeals. This is all to keep you as our top priority, Crewmates!<\/p>At this time, we are currently consulting with legal experts on the moderation of players under 13.\u00a0<\/p>And again, please do not purposely try to test the new ToxMod feature. Bans that take place during the Open Beta will be carried over into the Live build.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/p>Stay suspicious.<\/p>"},"id":"f56fb01a-1869-4fde-8f74-c04a77ba840c","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"}]
