#1: Valerie Mates (valerie) on Oct 16, 2024

I took puzzle 38925 offline because several commenters and I thought it was offensive.

The puzzle was in a gray area, though. I haven't deleted it, just took it offline (so it could be put back online if that's where the discussion leads), because I wanted to ask for feedback about the intersection of "this puzzle is offensive" and "we value freedom of speech."

If you have not seen it, it was a small puzzle with an inscrutable image. When you solved it, the text from this link was shown:
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Period

Should the puzzle be put back online? Any advice about guidelines for when a puzzle is sort of offensive, and how to balance that with freedom of speech?

What do you think?

I think this link will get you to the puzzle's description and discussion. The puzzle itself isn't online, but it doesn't look like anything, so the image itself isn't offensive, it's just the description that is problematic.

https://webpbn.com/read.cgi?type=P&id=38925

There are people who very deliberately do things just to create controversy. In this instance it's more a matter bad taste than freedom of speech.

I hear what you are saying, but bad taste still is freedom of speech.

I don't think it's particularly shocking or outrageous, just not very nice.
This is an aspect of millennial humor, inculcated by TV shows like Family Guy and South Park and honed and polished by Gen Z social media on the internet.

I find the negative stereotype of the rage-driven PMS to be the bad part of this rather than the fact that periods have been mentioned.
Periods happen, and teen pregnancy is generally bad for outcomes. This points that out with humor that may be rough-and-ready, but I don't think it needs to go away because of it

Another way of looking at this is that it wouldn't be great for a user who is new to the site to find that puzzle and think that the whole site is like that. I also don't want to normalize that kind of wording and have anybody think that the whole site should be like that.

Though right now I am leaning toward just adding "may be offensive" to the title and putting the puzzle back online. That preserves free speech *and* marks it so that people can avoid an offensive puzzle (or seek it out) if that is what they would prefer. And it makes it clear that this is not the usual on this site.

Joe: I have a reply to your comment, but I'll go post it in the puzzle's discussion thread (which should still be able to be added to, even while the puzzle is offline).

I'm in favor of just adding "may be offensive" to the title. I thought it was in bad taste and immature, but it didn't cross into anything particularly dangerous.

I agree with the "may be offensive" in the title, so people can be forewarned before they start solving.

I couldn't see the image, so I can't speak to its offensiveness or otherwise. :)

I wonder if there's a culture difference here. Perhaps in seulki's society, frank discussions about certain aspects of biology aren't taboo ...?

I think the normalization argument is compelling. You, as site administrator, are just as entitled as anybody else to exercise YOUR right to platform or not platform speech. You are not the US government, and if you don't want to host certain kinds of speech on your own website, you shouldn't have to. I think there's more nuance to be asked for when a site revolves around discussion of touchy topics, but I don't think you should lose any sleep about not wanting to host content that is likely just meant to be shocking for shocking's sake.

Valerie: Have you written (or have you considered writing) seulki directly? They may prefer to edit or retract the puzzle once they understand your concerns. I think it's at least reasonable to offer them some agency in the process before you make a final decision.

Jyo - Unfortunately, the way Jan set up the site, there is often no way to contact a person directly. I haven't checked to see if Seulki entered contact info, but maybe! That is a good idea -- thanks!

Goto next topic

You must register and log in to be able to participate in this discussion.