Author Topic: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter  (Read 2943 times)

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Offline VirtualStranger

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New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« on: September 28, 2012, 01:39:55 am »
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/27/nohomophobes-website-homophobic-language-twitter_n_1919268.html

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Canadian university officials say they hope their new, web-based initiative will act as a "social mirror" reflecting the "pervasive and damaging" issue of casual homophobia on the Internet.

The site, called NoHomophobes.com, reportedly measures the number of instances several commonly-used anti-gay terms -- including "faggot" and "dyke" -- are used daily, weekly and yearly on Twitter. The tally of numbers is indeed staggering: for instance, the term "so gay" was mentioned in a total of 800,000 tweets since July, though the most common was undoubtedly "faggot" (used 2.4 million times in the Twittersphere), according to the site.

NoHomophobes.com

Watching those posts scroll by in real time will certainly make you lose whatever faith in humanity you have left.

Offline RavynousHunter

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2012, 02:49:55 am »
Do their heuristics account for people using the non-pejorative definition of the term "faggot?"  Not that it'd change much...just curious.
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Offline Random Gal

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2012, 03:03:43 am »
I doubt it, but I also doubt there's anyone who uses "faggot" in any kind of socially-redeeming context.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2012, 03:07:19 am by Random Guy »

Offline Sylvana

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2012, 03:41:02 am »
I doubt it, but I also doubt there's anyone who uses "faggot" in any kind of socially-redeeming context.

Well people from the UK still do use the term fag to refer to cigarettes. So things like "I am popping out for a fag" would be an entirely innocent statement and reasonably common in chats. However, given how twitter is not really chatting, but more posting statements and status updates, I doubt it would be used much.

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2012, 03:42:51 am »
I doubt it, but I also doubt there's anyone who uses "faggot" in any kind of socially-redeeming context.

Well people from the UK still do use the term fag to refer to cigarettes. So things like "I am popping out for a fag" would be an entirely innocent statement and reasonably common in chats. However, given how twitter is not really chatting, but more posting statements and status updates, I doubt it would be used much.

Fun fact: The expression "bum a fag" does not in fact have anything to do with buttsex.

Offline largeham

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2012, 04:51:26 am »
Hah, I frequently use the phrase just to annoy my homophobic manager.

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Offline Atheissimo

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2012, 07:54:47 pm »
I doubt it, but I also doubt there's anyone who uses "faggot" in any kind of socially-redeeming context.

In the UK I could go own to the shops right now and buy a pack of Mr. Brain's Pork Faggots. What if I wanted to discuss how vile they are via social media?
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Offline VirtualStranger

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2012, 08:07:00 pm »
Did you guys pay any attention to the actual posts being highlighted? The number of people who are using the word in that context is statistically insignificant.

Offline Random Gal

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2012, 09:48:11 pm »
Sorry, didn't realize the term was still being used for cigarettes.

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2012, 10:00:53 pm »
So many people trying to get on the site on purpose. [facepalm]

Art Vandelay

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2012, 10:03:15 pm »
So many people trying to get on the site on purpose. [facepalm]
It's what I'd do if I had a Twitter account.

Offline RavynousHunter

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2012, 03:04:48 am »
Did you guys pay any attention to the actual posts being highlighted? The number of people who are using the word in that context is statistically insignificant.

Of course, we're not stupid.  Its called "fun," brother.  You should try it some time.
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Offline Old Viking

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2012, 02:41:23 pm »
The site seems like a waste of time and effort.  It's like going into a sewer and noting in detail how much it stinks.
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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #13 on: September 29, 2012, 08:35:18 pm »
So many people trying to get on the site on purpose. [facepalm]
It's what I'd do if I had a Twitter account.
It was pretty much my first thought when I read this too. Thankfully I may have forgotten my twitter password.

Offline Sylvana

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Re: New website tracks casual homophobia on Twitter
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2012, 02:55:17 am »
The site seems like a waste of time and effort.  It's like going into a sewer and noting in detail how much it stinks.
This is probably the most accurate assessment of the whole thing. Social media is a wretched hive of scum and villainy.