ChatWatch is a software suite that Jagex has implemented to automatically detect rule-breaking phrases in chat, and to issue automatic mutes to players who type them. It was originally implemented as a check against real-world trading; it would watch for advertising bots and mute them. ChatWatch is constantly being updated with new phrases that can temporarily or permanently mute depending on the flagged phrase. Unlike BotWatch, ChatWatch does not ban players.
ChatWatch was released prior to ClusterFlutterer, the first bot nuke, in September or October 2011. Not long before the anti-gambling update on 18 March 2013, ChatWatch was expanded to automatically mute players who used certain phrases commonly used by hosts to advertise their games.
Sometime before 6 June 2013, ChatWatch had begun to be employed against players who use seriously offensive language. On the High Level forums, Mod Lyon had stated that ChatWatch is intended to rid RuneScape of the sort of language that Jagex believes has no place in the game, regardless of whether it takes place in public, clan, friends or private chat. The aim of ChatWatch is to "make RuneScape a nicer and more enjoyable place to be."
The use of ChatWatch against offensive language is controversial for a number of reasons. Automatic mutes for offensive language is believed by some to be an overreach of the ChatWatch system. Players have expressed confusion and frustration about the mutes themselves, which are often categorized under "Website Advertising - Minor" or "Item Scamming." According to Mod Lyon, this is because of the way that ChatWatch is being adjusted to target offensive language as well as website advertising.
Players have complained that they cannot view the evidence for the mutes, and that appeals remain pending and unresolved for long periods of time. Players have also questioned the use of automatic mutes against offensive language considering the existence of the profanity filter. Furthermore, players have complained that ChatWatch does not differentiate between private conversations between friends and public conversations with strangers; Mod Lyon has replied that offensive language has no place in RuneScape regardless of the medium in which it takes place. Despite the controversy, Jagex has said that they are happy with the system as it is and have no plans to change it.
A new system was introduced on 14 April 2014 that detects inappropriate behaviour. It's a separate system that can warn, temporarily mute, permanently mute, and ban players. This system does not appear for using intermittent seriously offensive language as it's meant to remove violence and solicitation from the game. Selecting "Read" on the message will bring players to the Player Behaviour article on the Game Guide. One example of ChatWatch is that if you say "rswalmart" in-game, then log out and in, you will be muted for 48 hours.
Jagex Monitoring Software | |
|---|---|
| Anti-macro | |
| Chat monitoring |
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