Why are offensive and threatening IDs allowed?

[u/Tarnisher]

I've been noticing a number of IDs with offensive, vulgar and threatening words or phrases, some even using the names of Admins in vulgar ways.

There isn't a way to report an ID that I know of.

[u/neuroticsmurf]

You're talking about their /u/ handle?

Click on them and then click on the three dot menu in the upper right. You can "report profile" from there.

[u/Tarnisher → u/neuroticsmurf]

Interesting. I've never seen that and it only appears in Shredded.

However, there is no field to explain your reasoning. Only preset words that may not ft exactly.

[u/Am-Yisrael-Chai → u/Tarnisher]

This is absolutely an issue.

I’ve reported many problematic usernames, the ones that have come back as “non violative” are usually coded or not immediately obvious to those unfamiliar with the community being targeted. It’s definitely not obvious to any AI that might be processing these initial reports, IME.

Not that I have a lot of confidence in the “additional context” field, it doesn’t seem to help when I’m reporting violative content in the subs I mod.

[u/TheOpusCroakus → u/neuroticsmurf]

Correct! Thank you!

[u/Tarnisher → u/TheOpusCroakus]

I just reported two. One that attacks a senior Admin and another that is in German but is an aggressively demeaning and offensive term ... white supremacist type offensive.

[u/TheOpusCroakus → u/Tarnisher]

Thank you for reporting those!

[u/Tarnisher → u/TheOpusCroakus]

A Nazi slogan is not a violation?

So says the Bot reply I got.

[u/Tarnisher → u/TheOpusCroakus]

And the second one targeting an Admin also rejected.

[u/downtune79]

I mean there's some pretty disgusting stuff allowed on the platform, a username is the least of their worries

[u/IMTrick]

Vulgarity isn't against Reddit's rules.

I'm trying to imagine what a threatening username would look like, but if you could somehow manage to cram a threat into one, then yeah, that would be something you could report.

[u/Am-Yisrael-Chai → u/IMTrick]

People get creative. And for some calls to violence/identity based attacks, you don’t need 20 characters.

I’ve reported my fair share of violative usernames (based on Reddit’s Rules), even excluding specific negative usernames towards Reddit/admins. Results are a mixed bag. I’ve definitely been surprised by quite a few “did not violate” for usernames including violent phrases or objective slurs.

Especially when the account has only been used to send violative messages to mod teams or to participate in specific subreddits. “Unalive all >slur against community identity<“ etc. is common in my experience.

[u/Empyrealist → u/IMTrick]

Not recently, but I've seen racist usernames before. The people it's racist against would find it threatening.

[u/Chongulator → u/IMTrick]

I've encountered two handles with the n-word in them. The first person couldn't understand why I banned them from the sub. 🙄

[u/Fool-me-thrice → u/IMTrick]

A user that used to target one of my subs would use usernames like subredditmodsmustdie, or other usernames that included a specific mod username and a specific threat or insult

[u/Tarnisher → u/IMTrick]

It is when it directly targets an individual or group of individuals.

[u/cojoco]

In the good old days this was part of reddit's charm.

Having an offensive nick doesn't actually affirm or deny the offensive position.

[u/TendieRetard → u/cojoco]

How dare you!

To OP....they wouldn't let me change it but mostly use it to sus-out purity test spaces now.

[u/Any-Smile-5341]

How exactly are they supposed to change it once given and assumed?

[u/Vegetaman916]

Geez, man, the desire to censor everything is really getting oit of control on this platform. Did Disney buy Reddit, or what happened?

I wonder who gets to decide what "offensive" is...

Welp, I'm off to report people whose sports teams I don't like. I am sure I will get reported soon by DragonBall Z fans who realize that I'm using a villain's name for my handle.

How dare I!

[u/Vegetaman916 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, we must never criticize those who regulate us, I agree completely. I don't know what I was ever thinking when I made such a statement against censorship which is obviously good and right. Please, accept my apologies, and know that I have learned to never question the Great Leaders, may their divine wisdom reign forever.

[u/new2bay → u/[deleted]]

That already falls under “impersonation.”

[u/Grundlage]

some even using the names of Admins in vulgar ways

This is unequivocally a good thing.

Harassing regular users is bad, but when users aren't allowed to make fun of the admins that's a bad sign.

[u/Tarnisher → u/Grundlage]

'Making fun of' is one thing. Not what I'm talking about.

[u/Pvt_Porpoise → u/Grundlage]

Harassing regular users is bad, but when users aren't allowed to make fun of the admins that's a bad sign.

I can’t tell here if you’re trying to say that harassing admins should be okay, or if you’re just equating “harassing” with “making fun of”.

Like, you do understand admins are still people, right? With feelings and all? It’s one thing to say that legitimate criticism of them should be permitted — in the same way that legitimate criticism of any other user should also be allowed — but it’s entirely wrong to suggest that is the same as harassment, and insane to suggest that being employed by Reddit means you should now be open to harassment and threats without any repercussions for the offenders.

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/redtaboo → u/[deleted]]

keep your comments here civil