Tuesday, August 18, 2009



"Blacklisting" now a bad word in Britain

We read:
"The Citizens Advice service has banned staff from using the term ' blacklisting' over fears that it is offensive and 'fosters stereotypes'. The taxpayer- funded quango, which advises members of the public on consumer, legal and money issues, has instead replaced it with 'blocklisting' to avoid appearing 'prejudicial'.

The two terms are both used in IT to mean the same thing. They refer to what are effectively lists of computers or computer networks which have been identified as sending spam and enable mail servers to ban or flag up mail sent from them.

Emails to members of staff at the service say the move has been made to keep 'in line with aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service'. Critics branded it 'daft' and 'political correctness going over the top', but the Citizens Advice has refused to back down, even though critics say it renders everyday communications unintelligible...

The ban on blacklisting applies across the whole of Citizens Advice. A former volunteer said banning blacklisting was 'the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen' and has stopped helping at his local branch because of it. John Midgley, co-founder of the campaign against political correctness, said: 'This is just daft and another example of political correctness going over the top.'

Source

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ever notice how there are far too many people, who have much too much to say, about way too many things?

Anonymous said...

They have blacklisted the word blacklist?

Anonymous said...

I think the terms "black" and "white" to refer to people's ethnic background should be "blacklisted" as it has resulted in all this stupidity about replacing every term with "black" in it that simply refers to the mere color of something or lack of color (whether actual or metaphorical, as in dark, eg. "the black arts").

InFides said...

Hello Good Gentles All!

I wonder if they will also get rid of these terms:

"red tape"

"white noise"

"brown nose"

"yellow journalism"

Pax,

InFides

Chip Off The Old Block said...

For obvious reasons, I take offense!

Anonymous said...

Gee, i just stubbed my toe and now it's all, um,... er,... ----- & blue! Am i safe?

Anonymous said...

The exasperating thing is that there is a simple way to counter this sort of nonsense: simply ignore it. Instead of pontificating that it is "daft", or stopping helping at the local branch in protest, simply continue to use the word. Indeed, try to use it as often as possible. If anyone criticises you, laugh at them as if they are raving mad (as indeed they are). The PC brigade can't stand being laughed at. With a little bit of thought it should be possible to insert the word "black" a couple of times into any conversation. What, precisely, can "they" do about it?

Anonymous said...

The exasperating thing is that there is a simple way to counter this sort of nonsense: simply ignore it.

Except that if you work for the company, they have the right to tell you the terms you can use.

I agree that ignoring it is the best idea and course of action for the common citizen, but if you work for the company, you ignore it at your own risk.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:59, that's very good advise. The more people subscribe to political correctness, the stronger it will become. The best way to rid ourselves of this "virus" is to ignor it.

Anonymous said...

Who wants to volunteer to tell the Blackfeet indian tribe they are a racist bunch of redskins?