Explicitly banned words

[donquixotedelamancha]

I just had a post deleted which referenced (in a discussion about slurs) a nasty word for people of South Asian ethnicity. Another post starred some letters out but was also removed because that word was clearly meant. Neither post was remotely abusive or offensive.

My understanding was the MN bans abuse, not words.

For example, I thought we could refer to ourselves as a Terf (this one is fine) or quote rap lyrics with the N word in (playing safe) as part of a legitimate discussion but that any hint of those words being directed at people would be pulled.

From discussion with the mod it seems I'm wrong and there is a banned word list, but no reply to follow up question. Does anyone know what words are on it?

Followed you over and watching with interest....

Cunt, you can definitely say cunt in fact it is positively encouraged

They have those words filed in a file in a filing cabinet at MN Towers, if you ever go to MN Towers have a rifle through the cabinet.

Top Tip

The file is called Common Sense.

HTH

If there is a unacceptable word list then I'd be very surprised if it contained any swear words, I think it's for racist, homophobic language.

Thanks donquixote. I'll be interested to find out too.

The file is called Common Sense.

I think that is usually the approach, but when you can't even reference a word or quote the reference it means a discussion can turn to swiss cheese quickly.

I'm absolutely supportive of the mods need to establish standards, just curious that there seem to be a few specific words, regardless of context.

Cunt, you can definitely say cunt in fact it is positively encouraged

Should have known this would happen. Yes you absofuckinlutely can say cunt, twat and knob jockey. Without it this would just be netmums.

The file is called Common Sense

One of those irregular terms.

I have Common Sense
You are sometimes right
They are ridiculous.

If there is a list of banned words it should be made clear - I've always understood it was directing the term which was the key issue, not discussing for example how a word came to be a term of abuse (which is part of explaining why it may be a term of abuse).

OP: I saw that thread after it had been running for a while and I was surprised at the speed of a couple of the deletions. I have slightly different questions for @MNHQ after seeing that speed:

• is each deletion the result of individual complaints?
• is each deletion a manual delete by a human moderator?
• is MN now using automated mod software (including for deletions)

For clarity by "automated" i mean any process and software which makes moderating decisions, whether that be by post pattern matching, word lists and in particular anything responds to patterns across groups of posts and complaints.

Might just be down to a judgement call, though. And mods, being human, will not always make exactly the same call.

I certainly reported one of the posts that got deleted C8

Then one of mine was deleted

Any idea how quickly?

I'm used to seeing posts (on this subject at least) disappearing fairly quickly but one or two were so close to posting time it was hard to see a time gap sufficient to report then delete considering the steps involved.

Await mn towers saying TSSDNCOP.. 🤣

I reported, got a reply from a mod within minutes and then the deletions started.

I too reported the only abusive post.

My post, quoting yours bore, seemed to go near instantly.

My presumption is that the mod was pulling them herself and that this is just an unusual judgement call, but the reply to me explicitly said that the word you didn't actually post was not allowed on MN- hence my asking.

There was also a post pulled for referencing someone's posting history. I suppose that's close to trollhunting- which the post certainly wasn't doing.

What is the word ,?

DON'T SAY IT we might all die

Was it Meghan ? Sshhh.

Ah well, we shall see. You might want to report your OP don, just to draw MNHQ's attention (that's what I usually do when I post here)

AF

There was a word used by the Jeremy Clarkson person on one of his shows which we didn't even know existed (certainly not in that context anyway). Whenever the show is repeated, that bit is deleted. Apparently it's an offensive word for an Asian person. If I quoted it here, presumably this comment would be deleted too (if an admin knew what it was).

I can't see how there could be a need to use a word that is known to be a slur to a particular subsection of society, unless it's very specifically a post that says 'I was called a...'.

There is a reason that some words are socially unacceptable. They shouldn't be the subject of casual discussion.

You might want to report your OP don, just to draw MNHQ's attention

Yep, did so. No response so far to that or prior email.

There is a reason that some words are socially unacceptable. They shouldn't be the subject of casual discussion.

I don't agree with outright banning words, I think doing so limits the ability to explore areas of conflict.

I think (for example) the women who regularly get called Terf would not be happy if they could no longer discuss such abuse on here.

Of course it's MNs choice where they draw the line, but some clarity would be helpful.

As mentioned the word was starred out in a reference as part of a discussion on slurs. I can't see there was any way of reading either post as abusive, even obliquely.

A bit of a tangent, but I remember on a forum I used to go on years ago, they had an autmotatic swear filter thing that would automatically asterisk out swear words but it would find swear words within words as well, so you would get

Shorpe and Weighchers

Hi all,
Sorry to take a while getting to this one.

There’s no list of “banned words”, we try to use a common sense approach and although we work hard to be consistent, individuals have to make judgment calls.

We pretty much always delete racist terminology, even when used to illustrate a point rather than with malicious intent. Otherwise it sets the tone that it’s tolerated on the boards.

Really we're asking everyone to use common sense too, avoid being offensive (so if there is a way to express what you need to express without using language you know people find offensive please use it?) and if you see any posts that concern you, please do let us know.

There’s no list of “banned words”, we try to use a common sense approach and although we work hard to be consistent, individuals have to make judgment calls.

Thanks for the response Hope. I'll certainly try to be more circumspect if making similar point in future; but I'm pleased there isn't a change in approach.

Yes, me too. Thanks Hope.

No problem, thanks for the opportunity to clarify things!