Chatbox spam detection negatively affects Deaf users
GHØSTQUEEN
For Deaf users, the chatbox is a primary communication method. Typing text is equivalent to voice chat for hearing users.
When typing at a normal conversational speed, the chatbox frequently triggers spam detection and applies a timeout. This occurs during regular back-and-forth conversation, not intentional spam.
As a result, Deaf users are temporarily prevented from communicating at all, because our primary communication tool becomes unavailable. This creates an accessibility barrier where none should exist. This is not an improvement, but a big step backward in accessibility for Deaf players. I do not use TTS, so chatbox access is essential.
Please excuse my English, as British Sign Language (BSL) is my first language.
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WubTheCaptain
External feedback/brigading on r/virtualreality and r/VRchat:
binna~
Please fix this. It is really fucked up. It happens so much at normal conversation speed.
GHØSTQUEEN
Last night at a meetup with friends, I experienced 11 chat timeouts in one world within less than an hour.
We actually had to create a group code so people would understand that I was not ignoring them, but being silenced by the timeout system.
At one point, I had to use the VRChat default “STOP” emoji just to show that I wanted to talk but could not because of TIMEOUT!! Otherwise, people thought I was AFK or leaving.
This is not a minor inconvenience. It directly stops Deaf users from communicating in real time. This is no longer something we can treat lightly.
People already have the option to mute someone’s mic or hide their chatbox if needed. That control already exists. Adding an automatic timeout feature on top of that creates unnecessary barriers, especially for accessibility users.
This issue has been up for several days now and is still not marked as tracked. Please take this accessibility impact seriously.
Maneki-Neko
as a medically mute user its abhorrent to me that im timed out while the voice users arent. you see how this looks right? this was done because of the OSC walking billboards just make the billboards a ToS violation already, to me its an abuse of an accessibility feature.
WubTheCaptain
Duplicate of a tracked bug report: https://feedback.vrchat.com/bug-reports/p/chat-timeout-sensitivity-too-high-after-recent-update
GHØSTQUEEN
WubTheCaptain Thanks. I know it’s related, but this report focuses on Deaf accessibility.
For Deaf users, chatbox is our main communication, not a backup. We are fully locked out of communication.
That impact is different.
WubTheCaptain
GHØSTQUEEN As a workaround, you can try disabling "Send Text Automatically".
GHØSTQUEEN
WubTheCaptain Thanks, but a workaround isn’t a real solution for accessibility.
Deaf users shouldn’t need extra steps just to communicate.
We shouldn’t have additional burden placed on us.