SW Londoner reporter Natasha Barr looks into how far too far actually is in the social media world
Facebook are refusing to remove a group, which some people think trivialises rape. How far is too far when it comes to freedom of expression in the social media world?
The group in question “You know shes playing hard to get when your chasing her down an alleyway”, currently has 197,000 likes and the number keeps growing.
Does the group trivialise rape? I’m not too sure. I think it simply pokes fun at the desperation of some men out there.
I understand why rape support groups have spoken out as these groups have responsibilities to represent the views of people who may find it offensive and there is slight innuendo.
I also understand why big companies want their adverts taken off the page. It’s fair enough they don’t want to be associated with anything controversial.
But it’s equally fair that Facebook have said they will not take the page down because it’s not breaking their rules. Humour is subjective.
With over 10% of the world’s population on Facebook, all from different cultures, how can Facebook possibly judge what is offensive?
Go and see Frankie Boyle or Jimmy Carr and they will show you that some people find controversial topics funny. People find humour in dark places because often if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
It would be wrong to think people will share the same sense of humour but the group does not infringe Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.
It says: “You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.”
However after user Laura Connett left a message on the group wall admitting she was a rape victim and she disagreed with the group she received this reply:
“A girl barely wearing anything deserves everything she gets. She dresses for the attention she wants, and the attention she gets. Her fault period. Rape jokes are HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!! You guys are the dumbfucks who were with rapists’…enough said, your fault. So shut the f***up.”
It is the language on this group which is most shocking. This is what Facebook should be monitoring. The technology exists to do it. It would be a big job but that is where their responsibility lies.
Those at Facebook HQ have enough common sense to determine when comments become personal attacks.
It’s quite simple. If someone swears or is rude to another user they should be thrown off.
On another note in addition to their language issues the group has criminal grammatical problems. You know she’s playing hard to get when you’re chasing her down an alleyway.
