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U.K. Treasury Pulls Interactive Site Due to Bizarre User Suggestions, Racist Rants
What began as a noble British endeavor has just come down in an inglorious blaze of abuse. As Reuters reports, the U.K.'s Treasury has decided to pull its interactive 'Spending Challenge' website, after users smeared the site with weird suggestions and tirades against ethnic minorities. The challenge, which was put in place by finance minister George Osborne, was created with the intent of soliciting voter opinion on budget cuts and fiscal policy. According to the Treasury, the site has received more than 60,000 proposals -- some funny, others not so much.One user, for example, suggested that the country generate electricity by having cats run on treadmills, while another thought the government should implement a windfall tax on anyone named Steve. Ultimately, though, the site was done in by the flood of bigotry and insensitive racial comments posted by users. The Treasury reportedly received several complaints from minority groups, which led officials to remove the interactive feature from the platform. Voters can still use the site to send suggestions or opinions to the U.K.'s fiscal overlords, but their comments will no longer be immediately posted.
In a message posted on the site, the Spending Challenge operators wrote, "As you may have noticed, the site has been the subject to a small number of malicious attacks so we have unfortunately had to pause on the interactive features for now, but we're still keen to hear any further ideas you have, which we may publish at a later date."
Thus far, there hasn't been any indication as to how long it would take for a user's non-racist comment to make it on to the site, and it remains unclear whether or not the department will use stricter criteria in assessing voter feedback. But no matter how you slice it, the Spending Challenge's demise is unfortunate. The site's moderators may not be able to control comments when they're posted immediately, but couldn't they implement some sort of time delay, a la the post-Janet Jackson Super Bowls? That way, users could still feel as if they're part of a conversation, and browse through other opinions in simulated 'real-time,' instead of just tossing their opinions into the abyss of a glorified suggestion box. [From: Reuters]
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Comments
34
Subscribe to commentsCooperJul 22nd 2010 2:27PM
A time-delay? Screw that. I'd like to read some unedited British racist comments! Probably hilarious.
pete staffJul 22nd 2010 3:37PM
Racist comment hilarious. I, do not know under what conditions , racist slurs could be funny. Must take some very twisted thinking. Sounds like something out of the twenties.
They're Not AloneJul 22nd 2010 3:16PM
Our neighbors across the pond seem to have discovered, as we have here, that there has been a gradual degeneration of the minds of the people who post negative comments. Believing they are free of all restraints, these crazies are trying to dominate the ethernet with ugliness and racism, betraying themselves for who they are. A pity.
Michael ProvencherJul 22nd 2010 3:35PM
greysent...Well YOUR comments certainly aren't racist. ALL minorities destroy their 'hood' in record time. To include Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Caribbs, Africans, Chineses, Scottish, Irish, Welsh...?
No, nothing racist about you: "based on prejudices and stereotypes related to race"-just one definition of Racist. You ARE aware that the U.K. is over 90% white? 92.1% as of the 2001 census and estimated at 91% in 2010.
Perhaps not all of the comments were negative toward minorities but based on demographics it seems likely that if people were making such statements that many were made against the small non-white population of the U.K. In any case, nowhere does this short article say that ALL the comments were negative toward minorities.
But if they were not, where are the complaints against comments directed at the people who make up over 90% of the population? You certainly complained and not only does this have nothing to do with you but you quite obviously know very little about the situation and even more obviously are incapable of effectively deploying what little knowledge you do have. Cheers.
Eddie Munster 2525Jul 22nd 2010 3:55PM
That's the problem. Nobody can laugh at themselves anymore. People have turned into walking piles of fear because the wrong words might offend someone else.
sdave7596Jul 22nd 2010 4:51PM
Depends on what those words are......
carolJul 22nd 2010 7:56PM
Unless those words are directed at you, your ethnicity, religion, or race.
ajschrodJul 22nd 2010 4:08PM
There was an op-ed article by the editor of the Buffalo News recently, in which she explained why there would be no more "unsigned" submissions. She bemoaned--as we do-- how badly the behavior and language of bloggers had deteriorated over the years, since it was once a matter of pride and honor to submit an article and have it accepted for print. Oh well, the world grows cruder!
philJul 22nd 2010 10:27PM
What kind of paper "EVER" accepted unsigned submissions? This policy begs for slander and crude comments from the ill educated. The Buffalo News needs to join the 20th century.
rhdad554Jul 22nd 2010 4:12PM
I didnt think there where all that many races in England. Except for the Irish!
BillJul 22nd 2010 4:53PM
A lot of muslims!
inmyopinionJul 22nd 2010 4:17PM
who cares?
BillJul 22nd 2010 4:31PM
I wonder if politics daily had anything to do with this?!?!?!
BillJul 22nd 2010 4:41PM
OMG! My comment about the muslims invading England got censored! Why is the truth being censored by politics daily and switched????
KenJul 22nd 2010 4:56PM
I guess when all you have to hang your hat on is to claim racial bias, you've really hit the bottom. Doesn't everybody think it's about time to get on with life as it is and quit crying and whinning about nothing? I'm tired of giving preferential treatment to the undeserving while overlooking the deserving.
BillJul 22nd 2010 4:57PM
Maybe the Brit govt. should pay attention to the posts and get the message that the people don't like what is happening there!
mikeJul 22nd 2010 5:22PM
Exactly. They hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.
If they had to say it to your face, they'd be embarrassed (hopefully, although the latest public displays of over the top, phony outrage isn't too encouraging for our nation, either!)
RonJul 22nd 2010 5:32PM
They probabl got their censorship idea - delay tactic from AOL News and Politics Daily. Can't say anything about the Current Administration, they won't tolerate it! Socialism at its finest!
jwosr98Jul 22nd 2010 5:43PM
Amen to that. if you don't agree with AOL's opinion you wont get posted
geeeberryJul 25th 2010 6:11AM
Hay, Its just like AOL They now Censor our comments , so not to be Politically HONEST. Only Liberal garbage is allowed on AOL. I guess an open and free internet comment line would cause to much HONESTY. Our Govt can not allow that.