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We're not blowing anyone's minds when we say that some people can be dicks online. Racism, sexism, homophobia – often the internet feels like it brings out the worst in people, even if there are many pieces of evidence to counter that point. Still, Brazil is looking to change people's online actions for the better, by shaming internet racists with billboards quoting them, shown near their home.
The campaign, titled “Virtual racism, real consequences,” uses location tags from Facebook posts to find the rough location of where a user lives. Their racist comment is then printed on a billboard in their local area for all to see. While the photo and name of the individual is blurred, presumably it would be recognised by the original poster and perhaps family and friends.
The cited translation is: “I arrived home smelling [of] black people.” Source: Virtual Racism, real consequences campaign.
Some comments have been quite general, but some have been more specific as part of a larger campaign too. After racist comments were made online towards the first black weather forecaster in Brazil, Maria Júlia Coutinho, many of those were screen-grabbed and placed on billboards. Thus began the campaign.
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KitGuru Says: I can get behind this. A bit of naming and shaming of internet commentary is much more applicable to the ‘crime' than police action. Society changes prejudice far more than the courts ever have.
so the only people who would know would be people who know the profile picture enough to recognize it through the blur….. which are probably the people who have already seen the comment…. yeah those are some real consequences -_-
so the only people who would know would be people who know the profile picture enough to recognize it through the blur….. which are probably the people who have already seen the comment…. yeah those are some real consequences -_-
Yes what a pointless waste of money. Maybe next time spend it on poverty, just a suggestion.
Yes what a pointless waste of money. Maybe next time spend it on poverty, just a suggestion.
This attitude is absolutely reprehensible. Anyone with any sense, that hasn’t been swept up the hysterical modern civil liberties movement, will know that online racism is not a threat to society. At all. What is a threat is the growing attitude of smug self-justified online vigilanteism, where anyone with a keyboard or social platform can choose to “improve society (presumably up to ‘their own level’)” by punishing those who have views that do not conform to their own.
As distasteful as I do find racism, in the modern day, a racist should be able to live their life in what I would believe to be ignorance, unmolested by the wider community. Because that is their basic civil right – the right to enjoy a free and private life, and hold whatever views they choose to. And if they decide to have that view, then – as long as they do not try to hurt anyone because of it – I have no problem them doing so. There is nothing wrong with that. What IS, indisputably, wrong though, is deciding to deliberately spite or attack someone, based on nothing more than a different opinion. It is not our place to selectively “punish” people at will, that is what we have laws for.
In this world, there is no such thing as “right” or ‘wrong” – there is simply harmony, or discordance. And if people with the ability to inflict pain or punishment on others decide that the only path to harmony is by forcing others to conform to their own views, or standards, then no-one will ever be happy in the company of anyone but themselves.
This attitude is absolutely reprehensible. Anyone with any sense, that hasn’t been swept up the hysterical modern civil liberties movement, will know that online racism is not a threat to society. At all. What is a threat is the growing attitude of smug self-justified online vigilanteism, where anyone with a keyboard or social platform can choose to “improve society (presumably up to ‘their own level’)” by punishing those who have views that do not conform to their own.
As distasteful as I do find racism, in the modern day, a racist should be able to live their life in what I would believe to be ignorance, unmolested by the wider community. Because that is their basic civil right – the right to enjoy a free and private life, and hold whatever views they choose to. And if they decide to have that view, then – as long as they do not try to hurt anyone because of it – I have no problem them doing so. There is nothing wrong with that. What IS, indisputably, wrong though, is deciding to deliberately spite or attack someone, based on nothing more than a different opinion. It is not our place to selectively “punish” people at will, that is what we have laws for.
In this world, there is no such thing as “right” or ‘wrong” – there is simply harmony, or discordance. And if decide that the only path to harmony, is by forcing others to conform to our own views, or standards, then no-one will ever be happy in the company of anyone but themselves.
So what?
So what?
I believe it’s the right of people to shame others for doing what is perceived as a wrong thing to the majority , but it’s also the right of those being shamed to defend their actions with strong , coherent arguments. Violence against those people doing the perceived wrong is not ok though , not unless that perceived wrong is violent in nature towards those who do not hold that same view or opinion , then it’s self defense.
It’s a right of all people to drive out evil in their respective societies through actions such as shame. If it’s simply having a different religion ( peaceful ) or political view then it’s not the right of people unless that political view has been found to be violent in nature and only found to be this way by studies done on the political view and it’s side effects.
Racism can lead to violence , look throughout history and you will find that Racism has been the spark that made atrocities possible , given this information we can safely say it’s a right of the people to drive out anything that may cause loss of life or violence towards another Individual. Just like we have police to prevent crime we also have people to fight against harmful ideas. It’s a natural process , people have attempted to drive people and ideologies out of their lands or society before , while often for misguided reasons it still was their right as a society to use shame and other nonviolent ways to drive it out , using violence of any kind is overstepping the rights they have though and people have taken this right past it’s acceptable ranges many times.
We as a culture and society and as a race must learn these rules to self governance and refine them quickly so that we may refine ourselves into better people.
I believe it’s the right of people to shame others for doing what is perceived as a wrong thing to the majority , but it’s also the right of those being shamed to defend their actions with strong , coherent arguments. Violence against those people doing the perceived wrong is not ok though , not unless that perceived wrong is violent in nature towards those who do not hold that same view or opinion , then it’s self defense.
It’s a right of all people to drive out evil in their respective societies through actions such as shame. If it’s simply having a different religion ( peaceful ) or political view then it’s not the right of people unless that political view has been found to be violent in nature and only found to be this way by studies done on the political view and it’s side effects.
Racism can lead to violence , look throughout history and you will find that Racism has been the spark that made atrocities possible , given this information we can safely say it’s a right of the people to drive out anything that may cause loss of life or violence towards another Individual. Just like we have police to prevent crime we also have people to fight against harmful ideas. It’s a natural process , people have attempted to drive people and ideologies out of their lands or society before , while often for misguided reasons it still was their right as a society to use shame and other nonviolent ways to drive it out , using violence of any kind is overstepping the rights they have though and people have taken this right past it’s acceptable ranges many times.
We as a culture and society and as a race must learn these rules to self governance and refine them quickly so that we may refine ourselves into better people.
i love how its accepted as reasonable to shame people accused of shaming… was always told growing up that two wrongs dont make a right, guess that isn’t true here huh?
i love how its accepted as reasonable to shame people accused of shaming… was always told growing up that two wrongs dont make a right, guess that isn’t true here huh?
tho this particular way is useless and accomplishes nothing. the blurs that keep this neat and clean also remove any consequences to the original person. the only ones who will find out are people who know the profile picture VERY well, all of which would likely know the persons views already. other than them if the target is someone in particular it’s just spreading the hateful comments about some person even faster(unless those names are blurred as well)
the person would probably just laugh and tell his friends that he got put up on the “stupid comment billboard”. this is a complete waste of a reasonable amount of money
unrelated side note, screw asetek.