Poll: Youths jaded by online slurs

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Young people immersed in the online world are encountering racist and sexist slurs and other name-calling that probably would appall their parents and teachers. And most consider it no big deal, a new poll says.

Teens and twentysomethings say in an Associated Press-MTV poll that people feel freer to use hurtful language when texting on their cellphones or posting to sites such as Facebook than they would face to face. Half the young people regularly see discriminatory slang — including racial taunts and words such as “slut,” “fag” and “retard” — and the majority say they aren’t very offended by it.

Those surveyed are twice as likely to say biased slurs are used to be funny as they are to think that the user is expressing hateful feelings.