QTweet
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atomheartother
Bot returns sexist and harassing fortunes
Summary: When a user replies to the bot, it responds with its prefix along with a "fortune" from the fortune-teller package. This package returns sexist and harassing messages, which the bot relays to user.
Trigger: Reply to the bot using the "Reply" feature in Discord. Message content varies, so it may take repeated attempts to obtain sexist or harassing messages.
Expected behaviour:
- Bot ignore user repyling; or
- Bot reply with its prefix without a fortune; or
- Bot reply with its its prefix and a fun but not hateful message
Actual behaviour: Bot replies with its prefix along with a "fortune", which often features sexist or harassing content directed at the user.
(Note: the fortune behaviour cannot be disabled without modifying source code)
Why this is a problem:
- Content of this nature violates the Discord ToS and may lead to bot suspension
- Many communities have codes of conduct or other policies prohibiting harassing or discriminatory language; this bot cannot be used in such communities
- Some jurisdictions make it unlawful to engage in sexual harassment, or discriminatory language. Liability may extent to bot operators, making the bot potentially unlawful to use.
- The bot may make users uncomfortable, even in the absense of law or policy prohibiting such language.
Relevant code: src/shard/discordEvents.js#L84
Possible resolution:
- Change the linked line to not include a fortune; or
- Replace the
fortune-tellerpackage with another that does not include hateful content, such asfortune-teller-safe(GitHub, NPM); or - Incorporate "fortune"-like content into QTweet itself
Examples of actual behaviour:
Pull request https://github.com/atomheartother/QTweet/pull/88 removes the fortune function, which would address this issue.
Alternatives could be considered if it is desired to keep similar functionality.
Leaning more towards allowing people to disable it per-guild. I'd rather make it a non-breaking change in the DB though so it'll take a little bit of work.
For a better indication of some of the content the fortune function returns, take a look at the fortunes/ subdirectory in williamfligor/fortune.
Much of the content goes much further than those included in the screenshot. There are dedicated files for racism, misogyny, hphobia (homophobia), etc. Some of these exist in an off/ subdirectory, which the package uses the same fashion as those in the parent directory.
Examples of more objectionable content are included below:
Sexist; advocating violence
A little bit of rape is good for a man's soul. -- Norman Mailer
Misogyny
Everyone has the right, without exception, to equal pay for equal work. Except for women.
Segregationist; racist
A racially integrated community is a chronological term timed from the entrance of the first black family to the exit of the last white family. -- Saul Alinsky
Homophobia
A genius is a queer who can whistle while he works. -- Bobby Knight
Homophobia; incitement to violence
You'll be a guest at a gay party that will have important consequences for you.
Anti-semitic; racist
Jews always know two things: suffering and where to find great Chinese food. -- From the movie "My Favorite Year".
Homophobia; incitement to violence
If God doesn't destroy San Francisco, He should apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Racism (islamophobia); Misogyny
Men are superior to women. -- The Koran
I, personally, would remove the fortune function -- doesn't seem pertinent to the bot's function. But a toggle command is also viable with a little reworking.
