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Original poster

The "Hate Speech" button - really?

83 replies

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 10/09/2022 11:13

I just reported a post to MNHQ and one of the buttons is "hate speech".

This a disturbing and inflammatory way to classify posts. People can say stupid and ignorant things without "hate". What exactly is "hate speech"? What does MNHQ think it means?

"Hate speech" is not a crime but there is something called "hate speech where the police can be involved.

What happens if someone demands to know how many complaints there are about "hate speech" on MumsNet? There they are, all nicely classified.

How is this a good idea? How is it safe for anyone to post if other people can just click a button to claim their post is "hate speech"?

OP posts:
MrsGluck · 10/09/2022 11:35

People can report for any reason they like. It's still up to MN staff to decide whether or not to do anything about it.

What happens if somebody demands to know how many complaints there are about "hate speech"? Not much. MN is a private company and not subject to freedom of information rules.

KindOfInvisible · 10/09/2022 11:34

Are you worried that some of your posts will one day be flagged as hate speech?

Yarnosaur · 10/09/2022 11:27

I think you're over-reacting.

I assume (hope) it's used as a way to triage reports, and just because something is reported doesn't mean that MN consider it deletable.

PinkFrogss · 10/09/2022 11:26

Posts have always been able to be reported OP, why is that unsafe?

Im sure you understand really it’s meant for racist, homophobic, sexist posts etc. Is it really upsetting to you that those are reported and deleted?

If you want to feel safe posting those kind of comments perhaps find another forum that will welcome your views.

J0y · 10/09/2022 11:25

I agree, ''hate speech'' is very vague.

The sentence ''Her Penis'' as well as ''The sentence 'Her penis' makes no sense'' could both be reported for hate speech.

Antarcticant · 10/09/2022 11:25

I used it once when reporting a racist who had predictably turned up on one of those 'controversial opinions' threads within five minutes of it starting Sad

J0y · 10/09/2022 11:23

I think there should be a number of times a poster can report a post before they're banned.

I don't think I've ever reported anybody unless they just reported me, ha ha!
But on the occasion my post was reported I was so frustrated that mumsnet had just deleted it on autopilot. There was nothing wrong with what I'd said. The person who reported me simply didn't agree and didn't like the truth set out clearly.

CredibilityProblem · 10/09/2022 11:19

There are many times when I’ve reported something where a “hate speech” button would have saved time. Normally late at night when a flagrant troll has just come on and decided to spew racist or misogynistic abuse on thread after thread.

People will report what they want to report.