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Reporting and banning offensive emojis

Started by hiddensailor14 · · 👁 7 views · 44 replies

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Participants hiddensailor14Matthew Anderson4Jacob Foster11Austin Baker86wearyotter81Henry Gray14crimsonhound80steelskipper5Alex Cookhollowtrucker77shadowpilot8dustypuma5Lisa Hernandez3Jose White18James Chavez91John Thomas2John Hillferalmaker7redmarlin3Bradley Rivera6hiddenotter98darksailor2Bradley Patel2mellowlynx68
hiddensailor14 hiddensailor14 Active MemberOP
150 messages
joined Apr 2024
#1 ·
Since I ended up getting a warning just because of how I strategically placed my emojis, I’d like to ask the mods and admins to step in and set some clear, official guidelines regarding their use. I’m also hoping the rest of you users might weigh in with your own thoughts and suggestions.

So, basically, are we actually allowed to use all the different emojis available, like the more "aggressive" ones such as :2up: or :asshole:? 🙂

Or maybe 🙂 something that takes an insult to the next level...

Then there are the others—the relatively mild ones🤮, the chauvinistic types🙂, and so on...

Thanks to the forum leadership for any clarity you can provide.
Matthew Anderson4 Matthew Anderson4 Regular
598 messages
joined Jun 2013
#2 ·
If it's listed in the forum marketplace, you should be able to use it without any issues. If not, that’s just stupid—why even list it then?
hiddensailor14 hiddensailor14 Active MemberOP
150 messages
joined Apr 2024
#3 ·
Matthew Anderson4 said:If it's listed in the forum marketplace, you should be able to use it without any issues. If not, that’s just stupid—why even list it then?

Maybe, but if you drop an :asshole: on someone, you might end up getting flagged. I just wish there was one universal rule for the entire forum that was crystal clear, leaving absolutely no room for doubt...
Jacob Foster11 Jacob Foster11 Active Member
132 messages
joined Nov 2007
#4 ·
Matthew Anderson4 said:If it's listed in the forum marketplace, you should be able to use it without any issues. If not, that’s just stupid—why even list it then?

The marketplace also lists individual letters, yet certain combinations still trigger insults. Context is everything.

So, yes. Even a smiley face can be an insult if that's how it's being used.
Austin Baker86 Austin Baker86 Active Member
56 messages
joined Feb 2009
#5 ·
Irrelevant. What’s the actual context behind the middle finger emoji? Or to be more precise, what else is there? You can still stretch "Asshole" out a bit further.

By the way, hiddensailor14, 👍, I was actually planning on asking you the exact same thing.
Jacob Foster11 Jacob Foster11 Active Member
132 messages
joined Nov 2007
#6 ·
Austin Baker86 said:Irrelevant. What’s the actual context behind the middle finger emoji? Or to be more precise, what else is there? You can still stretch "Asshole" out a bit further.

By the way, hiddensailor14, 👍, I was actually planning on asking you the exact same thing.

Do I really have to list examples?

Have you ever told a friend, "man, you're an idiot" or "you're such a moron"? Not listing every example here. Are those insults? You can send those kinds of emojis if that's just how you talk to someone.

There are other cases. For instance: "Man, my boss at Starbucks totally drove me crazy today. Sent him to hell at 3 PM. :2up:"
That isn't an insult directed at a forum member either.

Honestly, wasting time inventing examples is pointless. Like I said. It depends on the context. Some people will always find it offensive, while others just talk like that.
Austin Baker86 Austin Baker86 Active Member
56 messages
joined Feb 2009
#7 ·
Jacob Foster11 said:Do I really have to list examples?

Have you ever told a friend, "man, you're an idiot" or "you're such a moron"? Not listing every example here. Are those insults? You can send those kinds of emojis if that's just how you talk to someone.

There are other cases. For instance: "Man, my boss at Starbucks totally drove me crazy today. Sent him to hell at 3 PM. :2up:"
That isn't an insult directed at a forum member either.

Honestly, wasting time inventing examples is pointless. Like I said. It depends on the context. Some people will always find it offensive, while others just talk like that.

Well, then. analogan I wouldn't be redundant, because this one:

Jacob Foster11 said:Do I really have to list examples?

Have you ever told a friend, "man, you're an idiot" or "you're such a moron"? Not listing every example here. Are those insults? You can send those kinds of emojis if that's just how you talk to someone.

There are other cases. For instance: "Man, my boss at Starbucks totally drove me crazy today. Sent him to hell at 3 PM. :2up:"
That isn't an insult directed at a forum member either.

Honestly, wasting time inventing examples is pointless. Like I said. It depends on the context. Some people will always find it offensive, while others just talk like that.

You're misreading me. My answer remains the same: yes, I am. But when I drop a :2up:, it’s a sign that I’m being dead serious. I don't talk to my actual friends like that. There is a massive distinction between calling someone a "clown" and using a :2up:. Just because a certain way of speaking is colloquially accepted doesn't mean it sounds pleasant. Have you ever actually spent time around people who swap out an "ummm" for a "f*** you"? That would be a much closer comparison to your "ridiculous" and "silly" labels.

It's not just me who can't see where the line is drawn; hiddensailor14 is proving that point right now.
Jacob Foster11 Jacob Foster11 Active Member
132 messages
joined Nov 2007
#8 ·
I’m tired of coming up with examples, but I could see myself using :2up: in a group chat with friends when we're arguing over something stupid—I wouldn't know what else to say, so I'd just drop :2up: (as a slightly more aggressive reaction than 😛).

Again, it all depends on context. In a serious conversation, it would definitely be offensive.
wearyotter81 wearyotter81 Member
28 messages
joined May 2015
#9 ·
Like, imagine if it actually rains on the day of the concert, for crying out loud! :2up:

Unless the Rain guy is some kind of forum regular 🤔

Anyway, you can basically throw that phrase into any context you want. 😬
Henry Gray14 Henry Gray14 Newcomer
7 messages
joined Jan 2009
#10 ·
hiddensailor14 said:Since I ended up getting a warning just because of how I strategically placed my emojis, I’d like to ask the mods and admins to step in and set some clear, official guidelines regarding their use. I’m also hoping the rest of you users might weigh in with your own thoughts and suggestions.

So, basically, are we actually allowed to use all the different emojis available, like the more "aggressive" ones such as :2up: or :asshole:? 🙂

Or maybe 🙂 something that takes an insult to the next level...

Then there are the others—the relatively mild ones🤮, the chauvinistic types🙂, and so on...

Thanks to the forum leadership for any clarity you can provide.

Personally, I’d say we should ban them—not because they’re offensive or anything, but just because they’re... well, they're a different kind of eyesore. Sort of like having bad teeth or something similar...
crimsonhound80 crimsonhound80 Active Member
175 messages
joined Mar 2008
#11 ·
Jacob Foster11 said:The marketplace also lists individual letters, yet certain combinations still trigger insults. Context is everything.

So, yes. Even a smiley face can be an insult if that's how it's being used.

nonsense

Why on earth do you think they even call them "smileys"!? :asshole:
steelskipper5 steelskipper5 Active Member
176 messages
joined Feb 2010
#12 ·
Jacob Foster11 said:The marketplace also lists individual letters, yet certain combinations still trigger insults. Context is everything.

So, yes. Even a smiley face can be an insult if that's how it's being used.

Basically, anything can be an insult if the person receiving the message takes it that way. It’s about intention—both from the sender and the receiver.

To give you an idea, look at that story Kishon told about when he traveled to Russia with a group from Israel. While they were sitting down to eat, some locals started shouting, "Jews! Jews!" at them.
When his host asked him if that was offensive, Kishon just replied, "Why would it be? We *are* Jews."

By the way, go check out some psychology studies on how much people actually hate smileys 🙂 and ☕ and just how insulting and passive-aggressive they can get.
Personally, I'd throw 👍 onto that list too.
Alex Cook Alex Cook Active Member
157 messages
joined May 2009
#13 ·
Look, as someone who uses way too many emojis—which has gotten me flagged for spamming and off-topic nonsense more times than I care to admit, not to mention catching a few bans myself (hey, hollowtrucker77 🙂🤣)—I’m telling you, a smiley can absolutely be an insult. It all comes down to context.
Misunderstandings usually happen during those weird, outlier situations where people from different corners of the site cross paths—users who don't hang out in the same subforums and don't really get how the other person talks or expresses themselves. What one person thinks is just a little joke... the other person sees as a straight-up slap in the face. 🤷
hollowtrucker77 hollowtrucker77 Regular
681 messages
joined Nov 2007
#14 ·
So you’ve got a chef's knife sitting in your kitchen drawer, right?
The thing is sharp, and its whole purpose in life is to slice through stuff.
I mean, if you aren't using it to cut things in the kitchen, then what is the point of having a kitchen or a sharp knife in the first place? It just doesn't make sense.
🙂
shadowpilot8 shadowpilot8 Active Member
97 messages
joined Jun 2010
#15 ·
Here is a perfect demonstration of how those emojis can be used without any consequences at all 🙂

Free gets heated over a single stock quite often, though that is irrelevant to the topic at hand 😁
My point is, unless it is directed at a specific user, an emoji is perfectly acceptable expression
dustypuma5 dustypuma5 Active Member
111 messages
joined Apr 2013
#16 ·
Insults are just like beauty, I guess... totally subjective...

Some people see a wire, while others snap a photo and post it online... It's all about how you look at it...

image
hiddensailor14 hiddensailor14 Active MemberOP
150 messages
joined Apr 2024
#17 ·
crimsonhound80 said:nonsense

Why on earth do you think they even call them "smileys"!? :asshole:

I actually reported you to the mods for insulting other users☕
shadowpilot8 said:Here is a perfect demonstration of how those emojis can be used without any consequences at all 🙂

Free gets heated over a single stock quite often, though that is irrelevant to the topic at hand 😁
My point is, unless it is directed at a specific user, an emoji is perfectly acceptable expression

The issue here isn't whether you're directing a smiley at a wall, a letter, or some deceased singer; it's about when it's aimed directly at another member.

How are we supposed to handle "offensive" smileys when they're aimed at politicians or other public figures? For instance, Suker:2up:
Suker🙂 Or would someone end up in the ban corner just for that?

And what about cynicism, sarcasm, and those other similar rhetorical devices?
Take this specific case: If I were to respond to the post
hollowtrucker77 said:you have kitchen knives at home, right?
A knife is sharp and meant for cutting
It’s perfectly fine to cut someone in a kitchen, because if it weren't, what would a sharp kitchen knife and a kitchen even be for??

I'd reply with a bit of text and 🙂 or maybe 🙂
Lisa Hernandez3 Lisa Hernandez3 Active Member
211 messages
joined Aug 2010
#18 ·
hollowtrucker77 said:So you’ve got a chef's knife sitting in your kitchen drawer, right?
The thing is sharp, and its whole purpose in life is to slice through stuff.
I mean, if you aren't using it to cut things in the kitchen, then what is the point of having a kitchen or a sharp knife in the first place? It just doesn't make sense.
🙂

Furthermore, I suppose it’s also fine to cook them or put them over a fire while you're already in the kitchen. 😳

A few impressions and potential ratings (based on contexts I've seen):

☕ is often used when someone is just trolling through topics—sending a message to provoke or being somewhat authoritarian, though less frequently; it can be quite irritating in that sense

🤦 is perhaps the greatest evil among emojis because it's so often (wrongly) used to automatically belittle or discredit an interlocutor—it's highly debatable in itself

😵 feels like an unnecessary display of disagreement, especially if the argument is already clear enough

🙂 directed at someone else, it's like a tiny death for dialogue; in certain contexts, it really doesn't require any further communication

🙂 this one is, unfortunately, a signature for some people, even though it can actually be quite charming

🙂 this one comes off as very arrogant, though maybe tolerable

🙂 is quite controversial, particularly among intellectuals of the opposite sex

I've mentioned some of these just in jest, since I've had my fair share of pleasant situations involving them. Determining whether an emoji-heavy post deserves a trip to the ban corner really depends on the overall meaning of the post regarding the topic at hand. I guess malice and the destruction of a discussion are usually visible through more data than just a single emoji. That said, jumping into a thread primarily with emoji-only posts is probably enough to qualify for a ban on its own. An Asshole emoji should, by rule, only be used in chat with someone you know well enough on the forum; that would be the easiest type to ban. The "gunshot" emojis we have here are actually quite benign, and they seem harder to misuse for actual vendettas against people with different opinions.
dustypuma5 dustypuma5 Active Member
111 messages
joined Apr 2013
#19 ·
So I was just sitting there ☕, then you show up and flash 🙂 like you're actually trying to get me into 🙂. I threw out 🤦 and 🙂 to make it look like I was 🙂 and just didn't care. Then you grabbed 🙂 and started 🧐, and I realized you'd probably even 🙂 if I didn't go along with it.

I just took 🙈 and said: fine, let's head to the bedroom.

I guess it’s all just about context. Honestly, we probably need a manual on how to use emojis properly. hehe
crimsonhound80 crimsonhound80 Active Member
175 messages
joined Mar 2008
#20 ·
hiddensailor14 said:I actually reported you to the mods for insulting other users☕

The issue here isn't whether you're directing a smiley at a wall, a letter, or some deceased singer; it's about when it's aimed directly at another member.

How are we supposed to handle "offensive" smileys when they're aimed at politicians or other public figures? For instance, Suker:2up:
Suker🙂 Or would someone end up in the ban corner just for that?

And what about cynicism, sarcasm, and those other similar rhetorical devices?
Take this specific case: If I were to respond to the post

I'd reply with a bit of text and 🙂 or maybe 🙂

Are you actually serious?

🙂

🙂

😢

😢

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