Hate Speech

Last Updated: August 1, 2023

At Nevix, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, safe, and included. We recognize the potential harm that can arise from hate speech and are committed to ensuring that such content does not find a place within our community. We value freedom of expression but believe it should not infringe upon the rights, safety, and dignity of others.

Rationale

We firmly believe that individuals are more likely to express themselves and connect freely when they don't feel attacked based on their identity. Hate speech fosters an atmosphere of intimidation, exclusion, and in some cases, can promote real-world violence.

We define hate speech as a direct attack against individuals—rather than concepts or institutions—based on what we categorize as protected characteristics. These include race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, and serious disease. We perceive attacks as violent or dehumanizing speech, harmful stereotypes, statements of inferiority, expressions of contempt, disgust, or dismissal, cursing, and calls for exclusion or segregation.

Moreover, we prohibit the use of harmful stereotypes—dehumanizing comparisons that have historically been used to attack, intimidate, or exclude specific groups, and that are often linked with real-world violence. We also provide some protections for characteristics like occupation, refugees, migrants, immigrants, and asylum seekers.

Prohibited Content

We have categorized prohibited content into three tiers, with each tier defining a different level of hate speech severity. Content falling under any of these tiers will be removed from Nevix.

Tier 1

Content targeting a person or group of people (excluding those described as having carried out violent crimes or sexual offenses) based on their protected characteristic(s) with:

• Violent or dehumanizing speech, imagery, harmful stereotypes, or unqualified behavioral statements.
• Statements denying existence.
• Mocking the concept, events, or victims of hate crimes even if no real person is depicted.

Tier 2

Content targeting a person or group of people based on their protected characteristic(s) with:

• Generalizations that state inferiority physically, mentally, and morally.
• Expressions of contempt, dismissal, hate, and disgust.
• Cursing, except certain gender-based cursing in a romantic break-up context.

Tier 3

Content targeting a person or group of people on the basis of their protected characteristic(s) advocating for segregation or exclusion in political, economic, social, and explicit forms. Also, content that negatively targets people with slurs, which create an atmosphere of exclusion and intimidation.

Content Requiring Additional Context

Certain types of content require additional information or context to make a fair and informed decision about whether it violates our community standards. This includes:

• Content explicitly providing or offering to provide products or services that aim to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Content attacking concepts, institutions, ideas, practices, or beliefs associated with protected characteristics, which are likely to contribute to imminent physical harm, intimidation, or discrimination against the people associated with that protected characteristic.
• Content targeting a person or group of people on the basis of their protected characteristic(s) with claims that they have or spread novel diseases or mocking them for having or experiencing such diseases.
• In certain cases, we will allow content that may otherwise violate the Community Guidelines when it is determined that the content is satirical and is intended to mock or criticize.

We are committed to ensuring that Nevix remains a safe and inclusive environment for all. Understanding and adhering to these guidelines will help maintain a respectful and welcoming atmosphere for every member of our community.