Chat Suspensions for Swearing

Question

I just got 2 back-to-back 30-minute suspensions for "inappropriate content" for using the F-word. I usually don't use that word that often but for whatever reason people felt the need to bad me for it. The two messages were approximately:

fireworks are legitimately an invention from hell. people are setting off fireworks and it's so f***ing loud I couldn't sleep if I wanted to

what the f*** I just got flagged for swearing?

I don't get it...

I really don't.

Yes, every character in that is a link.

Unless they have something against me insulting fireworks? I don't know. I know an hour isn't really much, but I don't want this to stack to me becoming another one of the year-banned people just for using a word that has been used over 600 times in our chat room with no problem.

Note:

I apologize for my language choice; I'll try to watch it better, I was just rather annoyed at the time and didn't think it would be a problem given the 613 other messages containing the word. However, I do not believe I deserved the 2x30 minute suspensions and I also don't want excessive punishment (week-/month-/year-bans) for something other people never got punished for.

Answer 1

Different people find different things offensive. While I personally don't mind some mild swearing, others might. Remember that it takes only six users (or less, if one is a mod) out of all SE users who see the first flag to get you a 30 minute suspension.

Now, while I wouldn't have flagged the first message, I'm not so sure about the second one. You spelled out OMFG, which is bound to offend at least some people.

Finally, swearing as a reaction to the first flag won't gather you any sympathy from flag reviewers.

Answer 2

If this is a rule, it needs to be enforced more consistently

I don't think it should be a rule anyways, at least not for chat. I feel that swearing itself is fine, as long as you Be Nice, Don't Be Disruptive, and Don't Make Noise.

• Were you Being Nice? You weren't insulting anybody in particular, just expressing frustration. The section says not to use "inappropriate language," but inappropriate means different things to different people: I personally think that this should encompass only offensive racist and/or bigoted words rather than merely a curse.
• Were you Being Disruptive? I don't think you were "doing anything that prevents, impedes, or discourages other users from using The Nineteenth Byte for its intended purpose." I certainly wouldn't have felt prevented, impeded, or discouraged by your comment.
• Were you Making Noise? Perhaps. I'm not sure how relevant your message might be to the other users of the room.

Ultimately, a user's impression of what's appropriate for a chat room comes from what they observe in the chatroom, not just Chatiquette. Unless we plan on deleting all 613 messages now, users will continue to take that as an example of what is appropriate. So we need to either delete those messages as to not set an example or just remove that rule.

In any case, chat flags shouldn't be used for Chatiquette violations. They are broadcast to the entire SE network, including to other sites with users and moderators that may not understand our room culture. Those messages shouldn't have been flagged, and the users who flagged them are in violation of the Chatiquette.

Ideally, you should have been politely warned that you were in violation of the Chatiquette, obviating the need for the second message.