GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by PopeOfNope on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @02:00AM (#9966565)

Github is not a public service; they're a private company.

They're both. They're a private company that offers a public service. As such, they can't do whatever they want. For example, if they wanted to ban all repos written by black men, that would be illegal.

Nobody is suggesting that banning a repo for using a bad word is illegal. A breach of trust, a breach of ethics and a breach of reliability[0], but not illegal.

[0]: if I were a company, I would be thinking twice about trusting any of my business to Github. If a British employee commits a word that is commonplace in Britain but very offensive in America (like 'fag'), does that mean my repo goes away? Could I mess with another company by purposefully taking one of their commits out of context and creating an internet controversy over it on twitter?

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Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by iwwr on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @02:09AM (#9966600)

"They're both. They're a private company that offers a public service. As such, they can't do whatever they want."

Strictly from being a company that pursues profits, they can't do "whatever they want" because they want to maintain their userbase.

But, being a private company means they have a "right to do whatever they please" (property rights).

But having a right to do something doesn't mean people can't criticize those decisions or be right in those assessments.

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Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by dmansen on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @11:37AM (#9969314)

the context would be obvious. your hypothetical is a silly fiction

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Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by PopeOfNope on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @12:17PM (#9969643)

The silly fiction is not observing that this has already happened to twitter, facebook and reddit.

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Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by DanBC on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @02:26AM (#9966681)

> fag

Are you talking about cigarettes or gay men? It's pretty easy for github.

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Re:GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the ... by PopeOfNope on Wednesday July 29, 2015 @02:32AM (#9966699)

It's pretty easy to point and shriek at something out of context. It's also pretty easy to use the word fag in a seemingly offensive way until you consider the author of said code may himself be gay. It's pretty easy for anybody to tell the difference, but is that going to make a difference after it becomes a public controversy? Or will github just pull it to be safe?

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