Are Twitter and Facebook's new "Hate Speech" rules fair?
In a timing coincidence, both Twitter [blog.twitter.com] and Facebook [washingtonpost.com] announced new censorship rules on what they define as "hate speech". Twitter says they are simply expanding their definition to include race and give examples such as "All [national origin] are cockroaches who live off welfare..." and "People who are [race] are leeches...". In a similar move, Facebook is changing their "hate speech" algorithms to depriortize hateful comments against Whites, men, and Americans. Does this perhaps signal that these groups are fair game for "hate"?
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40 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.The Facebook AI got on to me once and said I could not post the same things repeatedly the way I was doing. It was not allowed I was told. My protest response was that I am doing no more than they do daily and they left me alone after that. My activist posts and replies are probably generating them money.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
1
Wow.
The minute some people get told their behavior is no longer acceptable, they starting whining about how unfairly they're being treated.
Boo-fucking-hoo.
KKGator
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
11
Neither my racial identity, nor my masculinity, nor my nationality are delicate enough to feel threatened by this move.
skado
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
9
@Admin
People who have been marginalized and discriminated against and murdered for centuries due to a socially constructed prejudice based on a superficial physical appearance they have no control over are in a precarious position that I am not in. The very least I can do is set my egoic identity interests aside while using social media fer cryin out loud. I am heartened by the fact that some corporate heads voluntarily take risks on behalf of those who don't have a choice. Privilege is often invisible to the privileged.
I stay away from the septic tank called Facebook, it's a monolith of populist stupidity.
Plus they sell your personal information to anyone with $$.
I also avoid ALL right wing media for the same reason, but at least they're honest about being lying cheating MF ers.
Willow_Wisp
Level 8
Dec 3, 2020
7
They are? Those motherfuckers call themselves "fair and balanced"!
@JeffMurray They have to, or they wouldn’t be liars, this is like the first rule in “The Dark Side for Dummies”
I don't have a problem with them going after hate speech. Nor do I have a problem with them depioritizing speech against the privileged (whites, men, Americans). They are a private entity and set the rules as they please. If you don't agree you are welcome to not use them. I see social media venues as a "private party", your host says "this is how we all will behave or you will be asked to leave". Agree or go home.
And for all the people who do not understand the Constitution... the "free speech" line is only for "not" being persecuted by the gov for your words. It doesn't cover anything else, so please don't throw that down.
Leelu
Level 7
Dec 3, 2020
9
Trump and most politician's speeches are full of hate. The constitution is not being complied with.
It's their site. They choose the rules, you have to live by them.
If you don't like their rules, stop using FB and tweetcentral
Edited to add:
my ability to respond to replies on this topic has been turned off. I wonder why?
AtheistInNC
Level 7
Dec 4, 2020
4
And would you condone them inciting revolution, sharia law, an American killing fields - murder of every educated person over 35?
@TheMiddleWay I didn't vote for it.
@TheMiddleWay the fbuk & twitr rule changes. It's not democratic.
@TheMiddleWay exactly, If you agree with f/b twitter instagram etc. you join and use it. This is your vote. You don't use it, that is also your vote.
@AmmaRE007 it is an wide source of information to be enjoyed or used to further your aims.
It is SO unfair to ban white supremacist social media posts that incite violence against black and brown people and to simultaneously allow criticism of white supremacy. I mean, can you imagine if newspapers banned advertisements and editorials calling slaves inferior, and offering bounties and lynchings of escaped slaves, but allowed abolitionists to rally a nation for all black people to be free? It is despicable to think about it!!!!
sarcasm
Bobbyzen
Level 8
Dec 3, 2020
8
Except that it is true. Isn't American justice run on monetary lines? The bounty system is heavily employed resulting in a profession of bounty hunters? Don't black & coloured people comprise the majority of prison inmates? Therefore it can be said that they are discriminated against & so will posting of the fact be banned as a hate crime?
@Admin Whataboutism is a silly game. Moreover, it cannot be reversed for it would be untrue. If you consider some of the statements, for example that white people are superior at colonizing, then reverse it as you suggest...well it can’t really be reversed, can it? Black people did not colonize America or Africa or the Middle East etc. etc.
@Admin This link is blacked out. When I try to follow it, it says my device is no longer supported. Can you post the link instead of just the video?
Hate speech needs to be banned from social media and forums. I believe in freedom of speech as long as it isn't hate filled.
xenoview
Level 8
Dec 3, 2020
6
There's where it gets thorny. Who gets to decide what's ''hate'' speech? Take a look at twitter....hateful remarks dripping from more posts than not...encouraged by the "fool on the hill."
@LucyLoohoo "Who gets to decide" -- there is no legal restriction for private entities (FB et. al.) to restrict whatever they want.
@Admin Citation please.
But soft brains interpret sound advice as criticism and therefore hateful exposure of them.
Next we will not be allowed to call proven killers murderers & manslaughterers!
@Admin If FB truly says that, why won't you indicate where so we can view it in context?
@Admin Positive discrimination - it happened 30+ years ago to supposedly lift/prevent discrimination against women. In Australia it resulted in female university academics claiming & having it accepted that women could not be perpetrators of violence.
After having a woman try to murder me 30+ years ago by slashing my jugular I was advised by the desk sergeant at the third most corrupt police station in the state to either go home & forget about it or be thrown in a cell overnight & charged next day with domestic violence against a woman. And you are not given a lawyer.
I still use Facebook and I use it often. No one deletes any of my posts and when I get a troll I just block them.
Guidelines are going to be very hard for Facebook to actually enforce equally because they're relying on individuals to do the enforcement. I'm sure they have some algorithms to catch keywords but I'm pretty sure a real person decides whether or not it's used inappropriately. I am actually thankful that they are trying to moderate the hate.
Just like government any business without rules and regulations will be inundated with a buttload of misuse.
Lorajay
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
4
Nope. I got silenced for 7 days for using this: 
At an anti-masker who literally said “fuck the mask mandates” My emoji got me suspended while their language passed. You can’t convince me Facebook and Twitter aren’t staunch Trump supporters.
RobinGray
Level 6
Dec 3, 2020
4
Yeah, I can't see how anyone could argue that with a straight face. For 5 fucking years Trump has been saying shit that would get anyone else banned.
Recently l had a warning on Facebook before I could make my post. It was a political post, but the sentence.in question was "you're a dirty beyatch" not even the word bitch. It said I had violated community standards and offered me to edit before I posted. I removed the nasty line and cleaned up the comments before I posted. My opinions weren't scrutinized, my nasty wording was. I shouldn't talk that way, but it freaked me out that big brother in the form of an algorithm bot was watching. I'm not sure what to think.
I like this site and slug because I've never been reprimanded by admin. I've pushed the envelope a few times, more so I've gotten flamed cursed at, called a commie, a fascist, a racist, an Islamaphobe, a libtard a freeloader on the public dole. None of which are true. I've been told to go f#ck myself, and worse. I try if I'm going to be mean to anybody, to word it properly so as to not be provable. I've never reported anybody. I just block them if I can't take it anymore. Facebook kind of sucks. Twitter doesn't appear to use algorithm, the rely on reporting posts. I like the way you run these sites.
barjoe
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
4
@Fred_Snerd I only block people who just won't leave it alone. I don't want to argue for days at a time with the same person. If they think I'm wrong, fine. Tell me to go fuck myself and go on with your business. If they are pressing me that life is too short, I might have to block them. Yes slug is Admin's version of Parler.
LovinLarge
Level 8
Dec 3, 2020
2
@VeronicaAnn And her racist profile is allowed to stand on this website while its administrator complains about other platforms taking responsible actions on racism.
People should be allowed to say whatever they want, however ignorant, dumb, and hateful they may be. This undesirable figure of speech is a risk we run in a free society, and it's not Twitter or Facebook's responsibility to infringe on this liberty of free speech. If I'm hateful or ignorant, unfriend me. Just as I would unfriend them. Outside of flagging dangerously wrong or false information from news or bloggers, nothing more should be censored. The onus is on us to be intelligent and civil to one another. If we can't we can;t, but we should go down in that fight with liberty wrapped in our hands.
KevinMR
Level 7
Dec 4, 2020
2
People can say whatever they want. They have freedom of speech. If you say something on Facebook, does an agent of the government come and arrest you? No? Then you have freedom of speech. Have you ever been to a bar and been such an annoying sod they throw you out? Did you cry about freedom of speech then? Or, did you realize you had violated their standards and they chucked you to the curb. You do not have freedom of repercussions.
I gave up on "Suckerbook", aka Facebook, years ago since imo it is all about mostly mindless drivel, etc, etc and appeasing the snowflake minorities and Trolls that infest it.
At least with Agnostics.com we CAN speak our minds, Trolls may exist there in disguise at times BUT we can insults, ridicule and deride them at our pleasure as part of our RIGHT to Free Speech and Expression.
Triphid
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
1
Freedom of speech, in the USA, is only guaranteed from the government. Individuals don't have to give that leeway to others. And one thing we know about corporations from FEC v. Citizens United is that corporations are people too, able to enjoy the rights afforded to all people.
PadraicM
Level 7
Dec 3, 2020
2
@Dyl1983 PadraicM is talking about the US Constitution. What are you talking about?
@Dyl1983 I also do that. Too often. But I was actually asking about your take on the subject. Sorry if it came off harsh. This is a weird thread.
@Triphid "Freedom of speech" has nothing to do with guaranteeing no consequences. If you walk into your bosses office and tell him he is a stupid fuck and his wife is fat and ugly, the state will do absolutely nothing to you because you have broken no law. You will however be looking for another job. Consequences.
I have been banned 5 times in the last few months by FB. I commented on racist and anti-Semitic. posts calling them "white trash". FB protects white supremists!!!!???? They were all white and looked trashy.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
3
me too for various reasons some I knew might be bad some I did not think were bad I think im out of jail now and I haven't been back
I think it's a little bit of both...
It depends on what they would deem to be Hate Speech...
Yes, It would be Beneficial to have Hate Speech Removed, But it's also taking away people's right to Free Speech(Most of the time it's Speech that do get Challenged) Half of the Hate Speech is Rhetoric that has been Regurgitated from someone with a Platform to do so. That's where I think it can be Beneficial...
Now where it gets Tricky is, Sometimes Memes that my Friends Share get taken down and Most of it doesn't have any Hate Speech, But just because of One Word that's not even hateful, Social media can take it down and Suspend...
I Honestly Hope they have someone Monitor "Hate Speech". To me, No one with that kind of Mindset should have a Platform... JS
Bigtank9401
Level 5
Dec 3, 2020
2
The "free speech" 'censorship' restrictions apply ONLY to the government, not private entities.
Ridiculous.
You cannot litigate personal views and rhetoric.
bigpawbullets
Level 9
Dec 3, 2020
2
Or as now happens write out of history things that actually happened.
It was done in at least one state here were it was legislated that the expression "pom" to describe an English born person is illegal. My view is that it is as hateful as the word "nigger".
To block hate speech is only going to drive it somewhere else, that's what the block button is for!
BillF
Level 7
Dec 4, 2020
2
Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.
seems like a supposedly intelligent company like Facebook would understand that all hate speech, no matter who it is against is not good, and why can't they make their algorithms apply across the board?
lerlo
Level 8
Dec 4, 2020
1
Their algorithms are meant to do exactly one thing: keep people on Facebook as long as they can to give away as much of their personal information as they are willing.
Having been permanently banned by Twitter for pointing the ludicrous assertions of God Mobsters, I am no position to comment.
anglophone
Level 9
Dec 4, 2020
1
Why the fuck is anyone still using Facebook after everything we've learned? Oh, I guess it's because people are fucking stupid.
ChestRockfield
Level 8
Dec 3, 2020
1
you two are assholes some of us get to see pics of grands and great grands that we might not see as often and we can keep up on the tards in our families ..... so nice of you to label
@whiskywoman You don't have text, or email, or Google shared folders, or Google duo, or Zoom, or Skype, or FaceTime, or a mailbox, or a telephone, or or or or or...
Did you just call us assholes and some of your family members 'tards?? I don't know that I can take an insult or a compliment from you seriously.
Jeff, I have no problem with Facebook. I belong to groups that are very informative and entertaining. I just block out or pass over the stuff l don't want to see. I have met some nice people there and have reconnected with people I lost track of years ago. Because you don't like FB is no reason to call the rest of us stupid. Just like on FB, if and when I get tired of your shit I will block you. I have blocked over 170 people here and you would be just one more. 
@Sticks48 amen to that
@Sticks48, @JeffMurray most of that no not at all and i do like face book and i don't and i did call you an asshole as i suspect many do i love some of the groups that have funny memes and can spend hours laughing i pick and choose what i follow or even read on there and i see my great grands that are far away and get pics i didn't get on calls
@whiskywoman Is there a group on Facebook that teaches punctuation?
@Sticks48 It's not because "I don't like it". Are you really not aware of all of the negative effects of Facebook use??
@JeffMurray Are you aware l don't give a FUCK! All social media has a negative effect. Most everything in life has a trade off. FB is just one more.
@JeffMurray You should find the group that teaches you manners. 
@JeffMurray im a teacher
@TheMiddleWay For starters: "You Really Should Stop Using Facebook -- Here's Why" [cheatsheet.com]
@TheMiddleWay Even if they don't matter to each individual, aggregates of the issues (like echo chambers- which members here are admitting to actively cultivating, and other forms of thought and behavior control, targeted misinformation/foreign interference, etc.) can be tremendously detrimental. If only people who would suffer very little from Facebook use, like you, used Facebook, it wouldn't be worth being on it because of how few people were there.
@TheMiddleWay Strongly disagree FB > Myspace. That aside, none of that was really my point.