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How come Twitch allows people to use "gay" and "autism" so casually?
- Thread starter subpar spatula
- Start date
Yea they are different but you know what? If your ass ain't autistic shut the fuck up and don't call people autistic in anyway that is derogatory.
Same reason Era occasionally allows jokes against mentally disabled people: Mocking people on the spectrum still isn't seen as negatively as treating other minority groups like shit.
Yeah..twitch favoritism isn't anything new.(Who was that one guy who worked at twitch and like..made his boyfriend into a global emote? Then he eventually quit or got fired?)
Especially when it comes to someone like Sodapoppin or even Dr. Disrespect, they kinda bend over.
The fact that we are even at the point where we debate if those terms are offensive to begin with is absurd. Of fucking course they are. The question should be if we want corporations deciding what can and can't be said. In this case I don't know if Twitch is to the point where it is at the level of almost public utility that say something like Facebook is, and even if they weren't there isn't much value in allowing people to say those words other than on an absolute free speech principle which like I said I would only apply to services that are essentially monopolies. So if they want to put in community guidelines that curb speech it's probably fine.
Look up the "Euphemism treadmill".
Words introduced to more accurately describe a thing and remove stigma or pejorative associations eventually find themselves becoming a pejorative term.
It is nothing to do with free speech, it is a "don't be an asshole issue" and corporations should have no problem enforcing this as a general rule.
1. Did the person say something because they were being an asshole?
If yes, kick them off. If no, go about your day.
Pretty basic stuff.
I'm going to say something a little risky here, but keep in mind that this is just my own personal observation.
In my 37 years of living on this planet, I've been gaming for 30 of those (since the days of Atari). From where I'm sitting, Twitch is a plague upon my life-long hobby, and it is filled with parasites.
Just my two pennies.
In my 37 years of living on this planet, I've been gaming for 30 of those (since the days of Atari). From where I'm sitting, Twitch is a plague upon my life-long hobby, and it is filled with parasites.
Just my two pennies.
Teens, Middle school, and younger make up the majority of the audience to let's players/streamers. This is the humor of kids as they have not learned yet. Streamers use the humor their audience likes. If calling something Gay like a 4th grader puts a car in the garage, a roof over your head, and food on the table, they probably don't think twice about it. It's not right but if companies did what was right most of them wouldn't be in business.
It's really just been cemented for a while that they're just another way to insult someone, separate from the other meaning of the words, generally. I never understood that, though, and even when I was 12 years old, ladder stalling, 360 throwing knife, no-scoping fools in cod I didn't use them, because the words don't only affect people the way you want them to, because people come from all walks of life.
Like, you're not clowing them by calling them gay, you're clowning them by calling them lame using a word used against gay people (I dun get y) but it doesn't make someone wrong for being put off by it.
Like, you're not clowing them by calling them gay, you're clowning them by calling them lame using a word used against gay people (I dun get y) but it doesn't make someone wrong for being put off by it.
The humor of kids. That's a big one.
This is the reason I stay far away from the big streamers. Not only is the chat extremely toxic in most cases, but the streamers themselves are usually not any better. The best streamers tend to have less than 400 people watching them.
Am I wrong in assuming the new thing with streamers/youtubers and their audience using reeeeee is a thing they do to mock the mentally handicap? I honestly don't know but I feel like it is. If I'm wrong or use the wrong terms I apologize.
Just because someone uses a slur doesn't mean they're alt-right.
The hyperbole on this forum I swear.
It's not about breaking laws, but the terms of service being lax in this blatant exclusionary discourse.
Why would anyone in the spectrum watching feel welcome there or part of the fun rather than the butt of a joke?
No the moderation and corporation behind twitter are clearly fine with this type of discourse.
Today I learned that all of ERA is just over 100 years off of being communally banned for disparaging the differently abled through usage of words like "idiot".
Why do you get to dictate what direction the thread takes? If the only answers you'll accept is "this is not acceptable", why bother making the thread in the first place. I think its reasonable to point out that worse behaviours are tolerated as it helps to explain why the behaviours you pointed out aren't clamped down on.
Isn't "Reeeee" used to mock people who spend their lives on 4chan? Like the "M'lady" redditor, or whatever else.
as some posters have already replied earlier in this thread --
quite frankly most of the world doesn't care about the term "autistic" and don't get offended at it. ERA does not represent what most people are like, this is a bubble due to moderation (which has pros and cons)
now the term "gay" I think is steadily becoming an outdated one. That was extremely common growing up as a kid in the 1980s and 1990s, but personally I stopped using it 15+ years ago
maybe the same will eventually happen with "autistic" but that's certainly not the case yet today
quite frankly most of the world doesn't care about the term "autistic" and don't get offended at it. ERA does not represent what most people are like, this is a bubble due to moderation (which has pros and cons)
now the term "gay" I think is steadily becoming an outdated one. That was extremely common growing up as a kid in the 1980s and 1990s, but personally I stopped using it 15+ years ago
maybe the same will eventually happen with "autistic" but that's certainly not the case yet today
OP
OP
Because the thread isn't about how bad Forsen is. Also, the conspiracies about how Twitch is run isn't needed also. There's no need to enter an argument mostly based in incel logic about why women get a "free pass" at Twitch.
It isn't about who or who isn't offended.
It is about if the person using it is or isn't trying to be an asshole. In almost all cases? They are.
Since you mentioned growing up in the 80s and 90s you'll recall there was no internet. If you were an asshole? You'd probably get punched in the face by someone. Certainly when you got a bit older and tried to pull shit like that at a pub you would cop it.
So of course you wouldn't say or do shit like that (until drunk), because you wouldn't want to get punched in the face.
This was a good system for a very long time, but of course falls apart on the internet. In this space people are free to be assholes, get a taste for it and then get very "offended" when they find that they can't do the same thing in the real world.
Luckily the real world, outside parts of America at least, isn't going to change just to be a safer space for people to be complete assholes. So it is up to the powers that be of the internet to bring their patch of turf into line.
If twitch did the equivalent of slapping people for getting out of line, the internet too would be a better place.
I'm not sure where this thread has to go then. What are the possible reasons why they let this type of language go? Poor policing of content, don't want to affect revenue from popular channels? Maybe a lot of people see it as harmless? It's all speculation as well. The thread title should be "Lets speculate about why this is allowed?". Because nobody other than the people that run twitch can answer. Why don't you reach out to twitch for a response and report back?
It's not because they don't care. It's because autism awareness is still in infancy for the majority. It is insensitive and demeaning to anybody with autism that may be watching whether an actual person with autism is "offended" or not.
It's the same with referring to someone as "downsy" or the N-word. It's dehumanizing a subset of the population to try and be "funny."
Your mentality is why this shit still persists. Knowing not to use "gay" should be enough to inform yourself you should continue to be the change you want to see in the world. Letting this sort of exclusionary name-calling or "self-deprecation" go unchallenged is damaging to those that aren't able to speak out for themselves or are such a minority their voices aren't heard.
they didn't say every person there is alt-right.
That kind of language is freely used among the alt-right. And communities that are not heavily moderated and allow this kind of language attract those kinds of people.
Yes it is. They don't care enough or they'd discover these things like those who do care discover them.
That person was simply stating why this happens, not taking a side. Unless they've said things earlier in the thread, you read them wrong.
It's fascinating how censorship is something people on this forum ask for but at the same time complain about.
And I'm not saying it's okay to call things gay or autistic. I'm saying I wouldn't ban someone just because they use those words.
And I'm not saying it's okay to call things gay or autistic. I'm saying I wouldn't ban someone just because they use those words.
except in the 1980s and 1990s, saying "gay" was extremely common amongst kids so that was not considered being an asshole at all. it was normal. so no one got punched in the face for using that term lol
(I mean by using "gay" to describe something as stupid, not as a personal sexual orientation insult)
wait hold on... are you somehow implying that only America are complete assholes?? or am I misunderstanding you?
I'm about to go to sleep, so in case I don't see your reply I'll say a follow-up:
The other two largest countries on earth, Russia and China, both have very toxic internet environments just like America. You ever follow any esports where there are lots of Russian and Chinese teams/fans??
It's perfectly okay to censor hate speech.
Words used this way are a form of that when used knowingly.
The average person would probably self-censor once awareness has been raised.
For that term? No, I would have used it myself as I didn't know any better. However I still knew plenty of other ways to be an asshole.
The intent is the problem, not the word itself.
No, I'm saying that in modern times those areas are regressing politically. You are correct that other areas of the world are a long way behind the times, but at least they are somewhat consistent.
I mean yes, but the joke is that they're autistic basement dwellers.
I really thought it was supposed to be autistic screaming/screeching. I could be wrong and hope I am.
Slight whataboutism, but how many people in these posts suffer from real OCD?
https://www.resetera.com/search/173139/?q=ocd&o=date
In no way do I condone the use of the words mentioned by OP (and I also don't use them myself), especially in today's climate. But some people are just a bunch of hypocrites.
https://www.resetera.com/search/173139/?q=ocd&o=date
In no way do I condone the use of the words mentioned by OP (and I also don't use them myself), especially in today's climate. But some people are just a bunch of hypocrites.
I'm honestly not sure how Twitch can moderate their chat platform. The user base is extremely high and the majority of chats are a mess and impossible to follow. I suppose they could look at a profanity filter, but that itself is across the board censorship which I am not a fan off.
The other problem is the user base is predominantly kids/teens and they don't really understand why someone may find it offensive. Or, care.
The other problem is the user base is predominantly kids/teens and they don't really understand why someone may find it offensive. Or, care.
But again, the hyperbole on this forum to just throw out "alt-right" is ridiculous. Era has turned into just as much of an echo chamber as Gaf did.
Alt-right on this forum seems to be a go to dig to seem higher, more important and just overall better than somebody else. I'm all for progressiveness, but things like this don't need to be breaking news all the time. There's way more important things out there than somebody saying something is autistic.
No it hasn't and the irony of your own hyperbole is not unnoticed.
Some people do this, plenty of people talk against it.
There is 100% no echo chamber here just because we're more socially minded than most places on the net. Don't believe everything you read on Gaf.
The alt-right is a growing movement, and it is very prominent in gaming. Just look at GG and any subject that arises surrounding social progress in games.
This kind of toxicity is what the alt-right thrive on, it attracts them and they help nurture it.
Denying this is foolish.
Your lack of empathy is showing, tbh. This is a very relevant part of the conversation that NEEDS highlighting.
Using the N-word is bannable on Twitch, as is the F-word. TriHex got a 30 day ban for saying the F-word even though he immediately apologize profusely right after saying it. On the other hand, Alinity said the N-word, claiming it was okay because she "is 10% black", and received no punishment. Twitch is extremely inconsistent and not transparent with how they handle these things and it's a big problem. As for twitch chat, I think they leave it up to streamers to moderate it, though I know certain streamers were told to curb their communities and make certain words bannable.
That's why I think it's silly Blizzard wanting to link people's Bnet accounts to twitch to combat toxicity. They should go after streamers that encourage toxic behaviour in the first place. The toxicity saw on events streams is just an extent of what happens on big streamers chat rooms.
You mean those gaming companies who's customers those people using those words are? Probably still nothing is going to happen.
Twitch is same with YouTube. They don't have competition.
It involves more investment to do that than, say, racial slurs. "Gay" and "autistic" can also be neutral descriptions. The issue is when you start using the words as pejoratives, because there's a certain implication when you start treating some kind of minority group's identity as equivalent to "asshole" or the like.
How else do you teach people that saying or doing certain things have consequences? I know calling things "gay" has been normalized by now for most people, and maybe one day that word will mean just that. But right now it also means being homossexual, and using "gay" as a pejorative (even if for inanimate objects or actions) is basically the same as saying that being homossexual is bad, or weird, or wrong. Maybe what Twitch should do is ban streamers that do that until they write an essay explaining why that's wrong. If Twitch cared at all.
Ohhh. So you need moderation in every stream. Okay yeah that makes it more difficult.
Yeah.
The words obviously have legitimacy in certain usages, unlike racial epithets.
Anyway. Anyone defending the use of these words as harmless when used as an insult clearly don't understand why this should have zero tolerance just like more overt usage of epithets.
The implication that Gay = bad thing is homophobia. The implication that calling something or someone autistic as a negative is ableism. It may be "low level" but Twitch can and should be actioning against discrimination of all forms.
So you're ok with the normalisation of homophobia? Or continued negative stereotypes against people with autism? Because standing by and allowing harmful behaviour will legitimise that behaviour.
Free speech does not mean speech with no cost. If your words cause harm, you must pay for it, otherwise the people doing the harm profit at the expense of others.
User Banned (1 Week): Inflammatory generalizations and antagonizing other members
I don't read Gaf, I think like a lot of members here, they moved from Gaf to this site. But yes, this is an echo-chamber and your ignorance of that helps prove my point. Era throws out these accusations and words that are one, not factually correct and two hyperbolic.
I see what you're saying with the irony there, but I believe there's irony on both sides here. Your comments are also coming across that way.
And lastly, it's not that I'm lacking empathy, maybe I'm not as empathetic as you are but this doesn't mean I lack it. I understand these points are needed for discussion but just because someone said some comments does not make them alt-right or worthy of a social media storm against them. These actions are just as toxic as the originator. Where is the line here? Hence Era is an echo-chamber that's on a high horse.
Again these are the comments I see a lot on area. If somebody has a differing of opinion from an alt-left opinion (because let's face it, Era is alt-left) then it's wrong no matter how you convey it.
There's plenty of instances where you tubers, journalists, game devs have their own opinions and they are completely valid and hurt no one, yet some Era members (and let's face it quite a lot - atleast when a thread is started) like to shit on them...
There's damage being done on both sides here.