Every now and then, you might see your Nintendo Switch get a message about a new system software update. These updates are vital to keeping your system stable online and making any quality-of-life changes that are necessary. Included in new updates are privacy and quality control things that can help make the user experience better, such as updating a list of banned terms that are blocked online. With the latest update for Nintendo Switch, the list of banned words that players can’t use has gotten bigger.
In lists like these, you can expect a lot of very offensive words or terms that Nintendo doesn’t want its players to throw around carelessly online. Anything from racial or sexual slurs, and other horrible phrases deemed offensive, are included in the list. These are banned from being used in Nintendo user names or game chats and messages. In more recent system updates to Nintendo Switch, the list of words included references to major tragedies and controversial topics that are often used to provoke players online. A report published on Kotaku back in February showed Nintendo having a list of banned words with references to incidents like Sandy Hook and other major tragedies and events.
But now in the latest update for Switch, terms like TERF and Titler have been added to the list. For those that don’t already know, TERF is a phrase that stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a term that is often used to label people and start arguments online related to trans rights and trans discussions. Titler is a modified variation of the name Hitler, which is used in a variety of ways online as both a reference to the historical figure and a way to provoke others.
The words were added in a system software update and were spotted by Switch data miner OatmealDome. On their own Twitter page, they mentioned how it was the only thing to come in the update. “A rebootless update for 16.0.3 is out. The sole changes are to the bad words lists. It appears Nintendo focused on blocking corruptions of the name Hitler (for example: “titler”, “hizzler”). Some other words like “TERF” were also blocked. The bad words lists shouldn’t be seen as just a list of slurs. It contains everything from “stoner” to “covid” to actual slurs. I would interpret it as “lists containing words related to controversial topics that aren’t appropriate for games that minors might play”
While it’s understandable that Nintendo would want to try to maintain a fun and safe environment online with their systems, this can be a difficult battle to engage in. The internet has a habit of finding ways around limitations and looking for new ways to troll or provoke people. The banned terms list will most certainly grow in time with other phrases that Nintendo hopes its players won’t be so quick to use.
What do you think of the banned words list that Nintendo has for Nintendo Switch online? Do you think this will continue to change and grow over time? Let us know your thoughts about everything in the comments!
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