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Facebook had to apologize on Wednesday after incorrectly flagging several posts that referred to a park in the south-west England seaside town of Plymouth Hoe.
The park area is often referred to by the abbreviation “The Hoe,” according to the BBC.
“Hoe” or “whore” in Norwegian is an insult that is often used in a derogatory way.
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Several users are also said to have had their posts removed after the platform assumed the abbreviation was the aforementioned insult.
According to The Guardian, the administrator of a local Facebook group came out and warned members of the group:
– Just a quick post for anyone who lives in Plymouth Hoe – don’t write it down in one word. Facebook believes it is harassment, the administrator wrote.
Now the platform promises to “take steps to correct the error.”
– These posts were mistakenly removed and we apologize to those affected. We are seeing what happened and will take steps to correct the error, says a Facebook spokesperson according to the channel.
They also promise that they will ensure that people can use the abbreviation when referring to the park area.
However, Facebook is said to have argued that some words can be offensive if used in certain contexts. However, they admitted that it was wrong to flag posts in this case.
