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S***ks And Specks. Really? Identifying racism in cultural context

#1 gracer

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 03:51 PM

Come on Apple, let's not get ridiculous.

I'm referring here to iTunes deeming the Spicks and Specks app as too racist to show its title in full. Go on the app store and see for yourself. It reads: S****\ks and Specks.

Why?

In the US, the word 'spick' is a derogatory term for Latin Americans.

I'm all for stamping out racial slurs, but if we're looking at language and its connotations within a regional or cultural context, one rule should not apply to all.

There's not an ounce of racism in the word 'spick' here in Australia. More so, the ABC program and its app don't come anywhere close to discrimination, racial or otherwise.

Seems a bit far-fetched of Apple then to go ahead and slap a censored label all over it.

If I didn't know the reasoning behind the amended title, I would have no idea what offensive word was blotted out with a whole bunch of stars to inexplicably read 'S***ks'.

Thoughts?

G

#2 Stubzee

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 04:26 PM

Grace, just another case of political correctness going crazy. I stand corrected but wasn't a similar word used in the musical "West Side Story" when describing the war between two gangs.
Gordon

#3 Dave Bullard

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 04:53 PM

The Wog Boy kept its title in the US ...

Cheers
Dave

#4 klytia

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 05:07 PM

Just wait until "Swift & Sh*t" couriers hits the Apple store, oh sorry that was Swift & Shift couriers, they just had a wardrobe malfunction........That show brings tears to my eyes....

"Reality distortion field" mine is still distorted....

#5 Islandhead

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 05:31 PM

Dave Bullard, on 14 September 2011 - 05:53 PM, said:

The Wog Boy kept its title in the US ...

Cheers
Dave

Tough one to sort out due to the global nature of the Internet but I don't see why they can't change it for the Aussie app store.

Wog is more a UK bad word Dave. I know it means something completely different over here, but if you used that word on the streets of London you're looking to get stabbed

While we're on the subject... Coon cheese... Really?! Hahahahaha

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#6 Ken Gracey

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 07:10 PM

Apple playing big brother again, the have a problem with spicks, but they allow every body with half a brain, to release a fart app... Sheesh

Come on 20K

Ken

#7 Greumach

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Posted 16 September 2011 - 05:52 PM

Who cares anyway? The show is too stupid to watch on TV let alone having it on my phone.

Graham in Tassie

#8 TattooedMac

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Posted 06 November 2011 - 04:47 PM

Looks like times have changed.

Posted Image

Great show btw.

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#9 Ken Gracey

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Posted 06 November 2011 - 05:35 PM

Now that's funny, they actually backed down... That's got to be a first for apple.

Come on 20K

Ken

#10 Dave Bullard

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Posted 07 November 2011 - 06:29 PM

Thanks for the update, TattoedMac.

At a recent conference I learnt that the first Apple approval is done by bots, but the appeals process is handled by humans (or very highly trained apes if it's lunchtime).

A funny story: Our mates at Macworld US had their app rejected by Apple for copyright infringement, but Apple was forced to back down after IDG produced the original agreement to use the name between their founder and Steve Jobs. As far as I know, it's the only time Steve let anyone use one of his trademarks ...

Cheers
Dave