Has Facebook introduced a “No Swearing” campaign? Fact Check
Different rumours online assert that the social networking website Facebook is to introduce a “No Swearing” campaign that will prohibit their users from using profanity on the platform.
Various messages claim that Facebook will introduce a “No Swearing” campaign and that anyone using profanity will have their accounts suspended. Many variants of this rumour quote section 182 paragraph 34b.)
The messages are hoaxes. While Facebook does have various guidelines that include prohibiting hate speech, the use of profanity on Facebook is <em<allowed
and the site has not made any such statement supporting any kind of “No Swearing” campaign.The 2018 version of this hoax is below –
No Swearing Campaign
As of April 1, 2018, we at Facebook will be launching a “No Swearing” campaign. Anyone caught using profanity after this date will have their account suspeneded[sic] pending investigation. This is due to the new laws issued by our legal department (section 182 paragraph 34b) new advertisers have petitioned for a “cleaner family-friendly social network.
If a user continues to use profanity their account will be shut down, and a permanent ban will be placed into effect immediatelyy[sic].
The following message is often disseminated in image format, and contains a number of spelling and grammar errors, which should be enough to dismiss this nonsense away. (Note the date in the rumour is April Fools Day.)
Facebook has made no such announcement, and since most studies indicate that a large percentage of their users regularly engage in the use of profanity, prohibiting it would be no such easy feat. However Facebook has introduced tools to help page admins block content that contains profanity to help reduce cursing on certain areas of Facebook where it may be less appropriate.
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This isn’t the first time this hoax has spread. A 2014 version of the same hoax also contains glaring spelling errors …
No Swearing Campain
As of March 20/2014 we at Facebook will be launching a “No Swearing” Campain, Anyone caught using profanity will have their account locked further a pending investigation.
This due to the new laws issued by our legal department (section 182 P34b) as new advertisers have petitioned for a “cleaner” family friendly social network.
If a user continues to use profanity the account will be shut down and a permanent ban will be placed into effect immediately.
– Mark Zuckberg
This is a hoax, and we don’t recommend spreading it.