Hate speech on boards.ie

10-01-2023 7:19pm #1

According to the Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989, the following applies as regards hate speech

Hate speech is any communication that is made in public with the intention or likelihood of being threatening or abusive and likely to stir up hatred against people because of their:

Race
Colour
Nationality
Religion
Ethnic or national origin
Membership of the traveler community
Sexual orientation

A 5 min trawl of the C&A forum shows threads, not just individual posts, over flowing with hateful posts against other nationalities, races, ethic origins etc.

A review of the boards.ie terms shows only the following term

You agree, through use of this service, NOT to use boards.ie to post any abusive, harmful, vulgar, obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, profane, inappropriate, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable Material, except where the content is appropriate to the content of the forum and you have been granted specific permission to do so and subject to our guidelines on said content

This is both broad enough to allow for anything to fall under it while also being vague enough to allow a lot to escape. Likely by design and I understand why its necessary to have that level of flexibility

That being said, I have 3 questions, specifically for @Boards.ie: Odhran or @Boards.ie: Mike

Have boards.ie any plans to align the terms of use of the site (and therefore moderation) with the Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989 to prevent hate speech as outlined in that act.
This act is under going update to expand the protected characteristics to include gender (including gender identity and expression) and disability as well as make it an offence to deny or trivialise genocide. Have boards.ie any plans to align with this legislation either after its enacted or even take proactive steps to prevent hate speech against gender (including gender identity and expression) and disability ahead of its implementation. Same question as regards the point on genocide
Lastly, if boards.ie does align the terms with the legislation (current and/or future), how will this be captured in terms of training of existing mods and/or onboarding of new mods into the future so they understand how to recognise hate speech

Note none of this is a dig at any mods, this is about what is acceptable per the terms, which can limit/guide the actions of mods when posts are flagged. One mod may currently find something acceptable while another may find it unacceptable. The same applies to posters

markodaly · 10-01-2023 7:20pm

Can you link some examples?

markodaly · 10-01-2023 7:24pm

Also, did you report these posts and what did the mods say when you contacted them by PM?

I am always weary of people categorising posts as 'hate speech' as often it's just that they disagree with the post and tone of them, rather then them being actual hate speech.

10-01-2023 7:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091255#Comment_120091255

This thread came from me reporting a post which was acted upon by a mod swiftly. I wanted to reference what it was in breach of in the terms when I was flagging it but when I reviewed the terms nothing was contained there, hence this thread.

Danzy · 10-01-2023 7:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091284#Comment_120091284

Unless a lot of people have reported your post, you should be ok. If it was really verging on incitement you would have received more reports and warnings it have it deleted.

It may be a salutary lesson to consider what you are posting in the future though.

Guess_Who · 10-01-2023 7:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091338#Comment_120091338

I'm confused. Was the op not the person who reported the post?

Danzy · 10-01-2023 7:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091363#Comment_120091363

Not sure to be honest.

Gatling · 10-01-2023 7:56pm

For Orc s sake

thegame983 · 10-01-2023 8:00pm

Imagine reporting someone.

EmmetSpiceland · 10-01-2023 8:03pm

If it could be contained within the “Current Affairs” forum it would be something, at least. Maybe add an addendum to the forum charter explaining that as long as it’s kept general then anything goes.

The problems arise when CA users start to infect other, more normal, forums with their odious opinions. I, personally, would “suggest” that if a user gets a ban from CA that this should extent to all forums in the ‘Social & Fun’ category.

In fact, any user with the “prison bars” slapped onto their avatar, never a good look, should have their “output” in this category massively restricted. As it stands, they don’t seem to be much of a deterrent.

Guess_Who · 10-01-2023 8:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091413#Comment_120091413

A little Draconian

Furze99 · 10-01-2023 8:18pm

Hmm.. I was listening again today to some politicians moaning about being lambasted on social media. When the same politicians LUV to use social media to promote their personal spin and agendas. They seemingly don't mind mild criticism but call for curbs on those who disagree with them more fundamentally. I'm thinking, maybe they should just get off social media?

Guess_Who · 10-01-2023 8:33pm

I really enjoy a heated conversation,as long as the participants are being honest and somewhat respectful.

What I can't stand is when someone accuses you of hatred because they don't agree with you.

Very easy way of shutting a conversation down.

Very dishonest too.

Gatling · 10-01-2023 8:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091413#Comment_120091413

Why not add shamed to their boards handle too

CalamariFritti · 10-01-2023 8:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091387#Comment_120091387

Funny you should find yourself here of all people. Thread title must have struck a note.

One of our resident hate speech experts one might say...

EmmetSpiceland · 10-01-2023 8:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091439#Comment_120091439

I don’t think so. If they’re given “free rein” in CA they should leave the rest of the site alone. If they, then, get a ban from CA they’ve proved that they cannot behave as required for any of the, more normal forums in ‘Social & Fun’.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091525#Comment_120091525

The bars should be shame enough, although I don’t think they show up on the “desktop” version of the site.

They are supposed to come with some “restrictions” but they don’t seem to curtail much.

You get a lot of these hate speech merchants always complaining about the moderators, and admins, having some sort of leftie WOKE(all caps) “bias”, or vendetta, against them. Surely, this lot would prefer to have a place where they could spit their bile in peace, as long as they could do it in a, somewhat, civil manner?

emo72 · 10-01-2023 9:02pm

"prison bars" on an avatar, on the internet. Oh the shame.

Weepsie · 10-01-2023 9:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091515#Comment_120091515

Better than relying on lies, or calling people woke/snowflakes or whatever is the term of the month

Padraig Mor · 10-01-2023 9:16pm

"Hate speech" = people hold views different to mine, and that shouldn't be allowed as I am virtuous, progressive person!

bucketybuck · 10-01-2023 9:21pm

There are pompous, sanctimonious bottom feeders posting in this thread that are far more damaging to the board than any of the people they claim are posting hate speech.

Gatling · 10-01-2023 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091540#Comment_120091540

Why ???

Deja Boo · 10-01-2023 9:51pm

How does the act feel about pronouns? If I use the wrong one, will I be imprisoned? .../s but... at this point it may be a valid question.

10-01-2023 9:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091805#Comment_120091805

No it’s definitely not a valid question and the mere notion is laughable at best.

Besides that ridiculous comment, the fact is boards.ie is not inciting hate speech or even encouraging it. It’s clear as day by now the mods haven’t got the manpower they need, so naturally more shite seeps through.

While there are some crazy and outright stupid posts about travellers, trans/gay people, etc none of them amount to hate speech as is defined by the act. Meaning, some vitriolic post is not terribly likely to incite a bunch of boards users to rise from their swivel chairs and march the streets towards the nearest halting site or LGBT meeting and abuse them or worse.

Namely because they’re all cowards who wouldn’t dare speak to someone like that in real life, but also because it’s by and large just trolling or they’re genuinely very stupid, but either way, I don’t expect it ventures far beyond their laptop screen.

Deja Boo · 10-01-2023 10:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091683#Comment_120091683

I see what you mean.

Akrasia · 10-01-2023 10:17pm

There used to be a 'dont be a dick' rule in the charter. That seemed to cover a lot

Recently the forum has been getting increasingly toxic

Lots of posters just looking to sh1t on others instead of pursuing engaging conversation

Count Dracula · 10-01-2023 10:19pm

I always thought that Sanctimonious was a type of passive aggressive Dinosaur, whose remains had never been discovered yet, but still held an almost deity like manifestation in the hearts and minds of people who you can't understand properly?

I always pictured it in a purply pinkly dulcete hue, that fitted well into the corners of prehistoric polarised diatribe.

Beasty · 10-01-2023 10:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091805#Comment_120091805

Niamh set out site policy here

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/110864714#Comment_110864714

We will use discretion. Maybe a 0 point warning initially simply advising posters that their terminology is not acceptable (assuming no other issue with a post), and their post deleted. If a poster repeats after receiving such a warning they can expect sanctions to escalate

CalamariFritti · 10-01-2023 10:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091696#Comment_120091696

I thought I remembered you as one of those guys all over the Russian sub-human orcs deserving all horrible deaths or so. Apologies if I confused you there.

Deja Boo · 10-01-2023 10:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091901#Comment_120091901

Off topic - I wish my hospital displayed equal sensitivity to all, trans or no. Staff weren't allowed to call me by my actual (and preferred) pronoun, everyone had to be a "they" all the way, regardless of preference. It didn't bother me either way, although they did bandy about alot of "hons" ...which irritated me no end.

Back on topic - I assume (at some point), boards may have to adopt a similar tactic, if warnings get out of control for mods to keep track of (sounds like it's adding more workload to limited mod numbers)

...or will Vanilla be adding a "preferred pronoun" option, under a users avatar, as some forums have? (edit: this may not be a bad idea, especially for those who prefer being referred to by a specific pronoun - it could alleviate misunderstandings, if ever the need arises for pronoun usage on post.)

Oscar_Madison · 10-01-2023 10:44pm

It's not so much hate speech that I've noticed but attacking the poster is rife in CA- i.e. idiot, you're this, you're that, oh you must do X or whatever- like you know me- just fck off you don't - or pointed unquoted posts calling out people indirectly - pathetic - we haven't even got to page 2 of this thread and you can already see it in action here.

I'm fcking sick of the baiting in CA and in some forums on boards.

Beasty · 10-01-2023 10:45pm

There is no need to be discussing another user at all except in exceptional circumstances. The issue really arises when discussing people outside the site. Deliberate misgendering is the main issue we have, and that attracts sanction

Hate speech on boards.ie

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