I already know that not many others here on WordPress and other blogging site use Wattpad, too, but… well, I do, and I’m still gonna talk about it whether anyone else listens up or not.

So, I’m probably really behind on noticing this, but… recently, I read some comments on my stories that contained a few curse words and such, and then I noticed that they were each marked as ‘offensive’, like this:

At first I thought that someone had reported the comments, but after I seeing how many there were, I soon figured that Wattpad itself was automatically marking all comments containing any curses at all.

Now, this is only on the desktop site, and I haven’t experienced the same thing occurring on the app (then again, though, my app is never updated and only works with my 3G internet signal about 45% of the time), but… this is the first time I’ve noticed this, and I’ve encountered a lot of comments of the same nature on the desktop site… a lot, actually, in recent months.

So, now I’m wondering… well, just why?

I mean, I know Wattpad wants to make things safe and pleasant for their users and all… but I can’t help but feel this step is kind of… pointless? (Makes me sound more professional than dumb does, haha.)

Like, yes, a comment containing ‘foul language’ could definitely be offensive, given that it’s… oh, I don’t know, actually offensive.

People cuss all the time these days and, though it’s not like it wasn’t like that in the past, it’s likely on majority of webpages everywhere. As much as you might want to try, you just can’t get away from it. And Wattpad, a platform created for people who have ways with words, is no exception.

I can see that this may be an attempt of helping shield Wattpad’s younger audience from… dirty words and such, but, honestly, most of the ‘offensive posts’ are coming from the ones 13 and under themselves.

Oh, and yes, I know that Wattpad’s guidelines specifically state that users must be at least 13 years old to join the site… but, come on, we all know there’s a whole demographic of 8 to 12 year olds on there. I mean… even I joined when I was 12 years old, and I’m pretty sure back in those days the site was only for those 16+. Plus, it’s pretty obvious who’s 13 and up on the site and who isn’t.

Now, I’m not here to slam the young audience on the website, really. I was once in their shoes, too, not too awful long ago… and, actually, I still enter a different age than my own whenever I sign up for new websites and stuff, just out of habit, haha. But… let’s get back to the point.

Just because a comment contains a curse word or two does not mean it should automatically be marked or deemed as ‘offensive’. It really doesn’t make that much sense, actually, and I don’t get why this is happening now.

And, really, if a comment is actually offensive… there’s a report button right there next to it. 

So, Wattpad… what’s the point of screening and automatically marking comments like this, then? It’s not like it’s going to deter anyone from reading them; if anything, actually, it makes them even more intrigued to read them.

Maybe this rant is just pointless, though, I don’t know.

Let me know what you, fellow Wattpaders, think of this phenomenon… and if you even care about it at all or not!

Later homedogs.

-iKari