Would you report offensive message in a group work chat?

[ChilliPB]

As the title says really. A pretty offensive meme sent as ‘banter’ (not funny and genuinely offensive). It was sent in a group chat - a non-official WhatsApp chat with over 50 people, used for social chat. We have a separate more official group chat for work related stuff.

Options are to pick it up individually with the person (who I don’t know and have never met). Or flag direct to HR. Or flag up to HR but not disclose what was said or who said it and hope they could send a stern but general reminder about behaviour and conduct and the individual wouldn’t actually be identified.

Appreciate its a non-official chat but even so. Really likely to offend some of the members there and also it’s the sort of job where if it came out it would look awful, and I’m worried those that don’t report it could also be in trouble as complicit.

What would you do?!

Can absolutely see how this could be used vexatiously, 'everyone at work is doing x to me, take their personal items away'!!
Although I can see workplaces eagerly getting involved with this, people being friends at work probably harms productivity, so keep everyone too scared to talk/engage with each other and it's a win!

There will be screenshots etc. Possibly multiple witnesses. If the accused don't feel that the screenshots fairly reflect the context, then they can choose to share more.

If people aren't in the habit of making discriminatory remarks, they really don't have anything to worry about.

Tres 1984

Imo your (a) and (b) are just daft. It is a very wide stretch to assume that the post in question had anything to do with children, or could be reasonably interpreted to apply to children, or that anyone would object to the author being immediately reported if they did say or imply that.

As for (c), I have no problem in saying that Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation and its members are therefore terrorists. Given that they have fired thousands of rockets into Israel in the past year, causing the displacement of many thousands of civilians, and their declared aim is the obliteration of the state of Israel, I don’t blame Israel for wanting to attack them, especially as the Israelis chose a way that was about as targeted as it could possibly be (though, regrettably, not perfect and of course I deplore the death or injury of any children or passers-by).

Peace and talks are always better than war and violence. But the big question is whether both sides are willing to take part honestly in peace talks. That would necessitate Hezbollah, for its part, discarding its prime aim of totally obliterating Israel. I hope I am wrong but I can’t see that happening any time soon.

Was it on personal or work phones?

But who decides if what's been said is discriminatory or not?
Look at this thread, pile on of posters agreeing with op that what was posted IS discriminatory, and they don't even know what it is!

Personal. They were told they didn’t have to hand them over but would be taken to disciplinary over it.

Is the investigation carried out by a proper forensic team (if that's the right word!) And not just Becky from HR unless she's had specific, intensive training.

Interesting, it seems like a massive overstepping and abuse of power on the part of the employer.

Agree,especially re Some people were sacked/ demoted based on what was found (in both the chat reported and others)
So they went through their entire phone, searching?
Were the 'other' things also work chats or just things the hr rep found they didn't like?

The only time I would find it normal if it was something illegal and police was going through the phones.
There was a case I read about where someone shared child porn on a parent whatsapp (to warn people about it, not to share actual porn for the fun) and someone reported it, and police later on confiscated all the phones and the trail where the clip came from etc etc.

Id never hand over my private phone to a busybody HR wanting to go through my private messages on my phone because we gossiped or someone shared a meme.

Ok so it was Islamaphobic. In that case you should go to HR. If it was just rude about an individual staff member in a generic way then I'd just confront the person. But if it's blatant racism etc then it's too serious not to go further up. Especially as you say you've no working relationship with the Islamaphobe personally. It's shocking that someone thinks sharing this is OK. I'd imagine they'd be disciplined at the very least. But screenshot the message and send to HR.

Where did op say it was Islamophobic?

Edit: my mistake, I looked back and Op said it’s an Islamophobia post about pagers in Lebanon.

So why start the thread?

I value the responses and have read many but don’t have time to read and reply to all 300 messages believe it or not!

Yeah fair enough op. I don’t think you have to reply to all, with some of the stuff being thrown about it would have been nice to have some clarification as to what the
meme was.

Taking piss out of terrorist group is not islamophobic automatically though... That would make hella lot of muslims around me islamophobic.

Just to add. That applies if ut was only taking piss out of Hezbollah not muslims in general. Adding just in case for clarity

Certainly you don’t need to reply to them all, but it seems ungrateful to me to start a thread and then not even bother to read all the responses you get.

Rubbish. 'The harasser'? She doesn't even know him.
Calling out an inappropriate and offensive post and asking that it be removed is exactly what should be done first. It also gives the OP an idea of 'who' else is in that group by their responses and whether she should even bother being part of it.
Depending on the response, HR may very well be the next step. But straight to HR, no. Yes to a screenshot though

@CJsGoldfish Nope. It is not OPs job to investigate, call people out, or figure out 'who else is in the group'. This is an HR matter.

I very much doubt that any business would support this. The procedure will be to report misconduct, not to confront colleagues yourself.

i would in an office. Especially as a young woman sharing with a man who thinks it's appropriate to make sure it's in my eyeline.

As a manager I'd be Having Words about workplace harassment with him and anyone else egging him on,

A 'grass'? 😂

FFS are you 10?

But WE DONT KNOW what the meme even was… just that the OP found it offensive.

Do you not see the problem with people ‘taking action’ because they’re offended by something? Who gets to decide what is offensive? It’s completely subjective - I may find something offensive that is water off a duck’s back to you or vice versa.
By all means tell someone to stop being a prick if they’re being one, reply to the text and express your view but actually reporting it to HR is completely unnecessary IMO.

It’s like that guy who got an actual prison sentence for posting something on Facebook. Did I agree with what he said?? Of course I fucking didn’t, in my opinion the guy was a complete moron. Do I think he should have gone to prison for saying it? Absolutely fucking not.

No, you completely misunderstand me.
If a bunch of people were freezing someone out in the workplace I would think they’re a bunch of immature pricks. I hate seeing people being singled out… BUT, those people should still have the right to not speak to someone they don’t want to speak to.
It’s like the old adage “I might not agree with what you’re saying but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
You just cannot go around trying to control people’s speech and behaviour (outside of the realms of which causes actual harm, of course) because it’s ‘offensive’

Exactly when the road is built don’t be surprised when it’s used. And it won’t just be used by who you currently favour.

Well it doesn't really matter does it? If HR don't think that it's racist or anything to worry about then nothing will happen.

Regardless, OP should report it if she thinks it is racist and offensive.