Cheese
Bitter lover
Hi all,
this might be somewhat controversial but oh well, let's go.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/12/twitter-data-french-antisemitic-tweets
Let me make it clear from the outset: Antisemitic messages are not a nice thing to write, especially not on Twitter where they reach thousands of average racist idiots in a few seconds. It is debatable whether Twitter's responsibility is engaged when the medium is used for criminal or racist purposes. I don't have the answer here.
Still, I struggle accepting the idea that Twitter now kind of got the order to analyse everything that passes through their servers, in order to charge potential racists. I presume that Jewish jokes will from now on be considered an offence. Again: some Jewish jokes are indeed plain stupid, but when a ten-year-old hears one at school and sends it on, it is certainly not an offence. The kid found it funny, and it would have been just as funny if it had involved gays, balds, priests, Arabs, blacks or Scots. Except that jokes about blacks will still be allowed, because blacks are - usually - just not Jewish.
I dread the time - which may well happen in a not so distant future - when our whole communication will be permanently scanned in order to preserve our oh so holy political correctness. Funny cases abound, like this junior hockey team youngster who reportedly twitted from some airport that they would 'destroy those Americans', and ended up at the local police station (I hope it's an urban legend). I don't want it to get any worse.
this might be somewhat controversial but oh well, let's go.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/12/twitter-data-french-antisemitic-tweets
Let me make it clear from the outset: Antisemitic messages are not a nice thing to write, especially not on Twitter where they reach thousands of average racist idiots in a few seconds. It is debatable whether Twitter's responsibility is engaged when the medium is used for criminal or racist purposes. I don't have the answer here.
Still, I struggle accepting the idea that Twitter now kind of got the order to analyse everything that passes through their servers, in order to charge potential racists. I presume that Jewish jokes will from now on be considered an offence. Again: some Jewish jokes are indeed plain stupid, but when a ten-year-old hears one at school and sends it on, it is certainly not an offence. The kid found it funny, and it would have been just as funny if it had involved gays, balds, priests, Arabs, blacks or Scots. Except that jokes about blacks will still be allowed, because blacks are - usually - just not Jewish.
I dread the time - which may well happen in a not so distant future - when our whole communication will be permanently scanned in order to preserve our oh so holy political correctness. Funny cases abound, like this junior hockey team youngster who reportedly twitted from some airport that they would 'destroy those Americans', and ended up at the local police station (I hope it's an urban legend). I don't want it to get any worse.