Twitch declares that “Zionist” is a slur, will issue bans for criticizing “individuals” based on their “religious beliefs or background” (genocide, settler colonialism)

https://archive.ph/qwX4r

Implications for leftist streamers like HasanAbi

azan

potentially establishing precedents for mass removal and censorship of anti-genocide organizing and education on other major social media platforms

[News mega comment thread: https://hexbear.net/comment/5640369]

  • alcoholicorn
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    8 hours ago

    https://safety.twitch.tv/s/article/An-Update-to-How-We-Enforce-Our-Hateful-Conduct-Policy?language=en_US

    using the term “Zionist” to attack or demean another individual or group of people on the basis of their background or religious belief is against our rules. We recognize that “Zionist” and “Zionism” also refer to a political movement. Using the term to refer to the political movement, whether in a supportive or critical way, does not violate our Hateful Conduct policy.

    The way it’s written suggests they intend to use it to go after antisemites who use zionist to mean jew, but the total opaqueness of twitch moderation and the context of the ADL trying to silence antizionists on twitch makes me think they’re going to go after anyone who doesn’t support the genocide in gaza, namely Hasan instead.

    Actually they’re certainly going to do both, but mostly the latter, given how integral the settler colonial project is to Israeli identity.

    We prohibit the use of terms that may not be harmful or abusive in isolation, but can be used as a slur or to denigrate others in certain contexts. Similar to other terms that may be used as a proxy for a protected group, we treat “Zionists” as a proxy for Jews or Israelis if the word is used in a context to promote harm or violence, or when used to make dehumanizing comparisons or perpetuate antisemitic stereotypes. Comments regarding Zionism that are about the political movement, including criticisms, do not violate our Hateful Conduct Policy. Comments that call for violence against Zionism as a political movement, or comments that would otherwise violate our policies, are not allowed.

    Prohibited example: Zionist [name of animal].

    Allowed example: Zionist settlers keep encroaching Palestinian borders.

    • uherbs [none/use name]@hexbear.netOP
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      8 hours ago

      I agree, it’s a recuperation of liberal anti hate-speech rhetoric to buttress collapsing public support for imperialism and genocide. Maddening open hypocrisy that they’re citing anti-semitism while platforming and algorithmically promoting Nazis and other fascists as the top twitch streamers (with the exception of Hassan).

    • sewer_rat_420 [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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      7 hours ago

      So does this mean if I have a Pro-Israel account and I say “Zionist Dove” or some shit I can be banned as well?

      Is it allowed to say “Zionism, the ideology, should be punishable by death”

      • alcoholicorn
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        7 hours ago

        So does this mean if I have a Pro-Israel account and I say “Zionist Dove” or some shit I can be banned as well?

        Probably not.

        Is it allowed to say “Zionism, the ideology, should be punishable by death”

        When twitch bans you, they tell you what rule you broke, but they don’t tell you how it was broken or when. So in practice, you would never be able to say “I was banned for saying X which isn’t against the rules”.