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I thought the 'Pepe the Frog' takedown was just hype until I saw a 2023 report from the ADL showing over 50,000 instances of its removal across platforms.
That massive number convinced me it's a real case of platforms overcorrecting on an old meme, which makes me wonder if we're losing the ability to separate ironic humor from actual hate speech.
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ruby_anderson2mo ago
Removing a meme that many people still use for jokes seems like a huge overreach.
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nathan5452mo ago
Honestly though, it's not an overreach at all. Some of those old jokes are just mean and don't age well. I mean, maybe it's just me, but letting stuff like that stick around can make a place feel pretty unwelcoming. Cleaning it up isn't about stopping fun, it's about keeping things from getting toxic. If a meme's main punchline is just hurting a group of people, maybe it's time to let it go.
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richardknight1mo ago
People have been joking with that meme for years without any real harm. It's just internet culture moving on like it always does. Remember when everyone made jokes about "rickrolling" or "all your base"? Those faded naturally without anyone policing them. Why can't we just let things run their course instead of treating every old joke like a big problem?
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