Hate Speech
Overview
There are two primary aims for this policy, the first, and paramount goal, is to prevent harm to individuals resulting from content that has been posted to the UNPRESS platform. The second is to ensure that UNPRESS remains a safe environment where people feel comfortable creating, sharing, and engaging. We strive to balance the needs of free speech with conduct that may endanger our users.
We recognize that there are challenges to defining what Hate speech is, and so we choose to define it directly below as it applies to the use of the UNPRESS platform. Hate speech is speech that:
Attacks people or groups of people directly
Targets protected classes, which includes: race, ethnicity, skin color, religion or creed, national origin, sex - including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or serious disease, veteran status, genetic information or citizenship. To these classes, we add: refugee status, caste, and social class.
We consider age as a targeted protected class when referenced in conjunction with another protected class.
We define attacks as follows when applied to the scope of the previous definition of hate speech:
Violent or dehumanizing speech, including slurs that are not used self-referentially
Harmful stereotypes that dehumanize and have historically been used to attack, intimidate, or exclude groups of people and that are often linked to violence
Statements of inferiority
Cursing at or calls for exclusion or segregation
We may permit content to be shared that includes hate speech if it is newsworthy and either condemns it or raises awareness of it in the public interest.
We understand that people use hyperbole and can become passionate in expression, which leads to statements that may come close to our definition of hate speech but have no real intent to cause harm. We try to consider context in distinguishing between casual statements and legitimate risks. Words have power, and we must all be responsible and accountable for what we say.
What happens if you violate these standards?
We will reduce platform functionality, remove content, or disable accounts commensurate with the degree to which these standards have been violated. Where necessary, we will also collaborate with the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
When we reduce platform functionality, we may do this by temporarily barring you from posting additional content either in the form of comments, perspectives, messages, or stories. We may also remove you from any group/community memberships as necessary.
For more information, see our page: Enforcement Approach
What is in violation of these standards?
Any behavior that can be construed as an attack on a protected class as we have defined it above.
What is not in violation of these standards?
Statements
of hyperbole or speech where it is clear that there is no abusive or violent intent
is commentary or criticism of an organization or government policy
includes slurs that are considered empowering and are self-referential
Content that
is newsworthy coverage of events that fall under the descriptions of this section but does not itself repeat, promote or advocate for the hate speech or the objectives which may motivate the hate speech