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Urban DictionaryUrban Dictionary is an online dictionary of slang whose definitions are contributed by users. Site features It has recently arranged its terms into categories in which people may search for terms. One of its main motives is to emphasise the defining of words how you want to define them, hence its slogan: "Define your world". Because of this, one word may return many definitions. Individual definitions can be voted on based upon a thumbs up/down scale, and a running tally of votes is kept for each definition. Visitors may also view a randomly chosen word to expand their urban vocabulary. Users can submit sounds of spoken words and images to give a clear, understandable feeling of a certain definition. This feature has been very helpful to some, although it has been sparingly used; many terms are unable to be visualized. Other recently-added features of the site include a "Word of the Day", where subscribers receive a daily email containing a select term, and a chatroom. Quality control In order to keep definitions accurate and non-offensive, a so-called "quality control" system was established. Should a user disapprove of a certain word, they are able to submit a complaint. The user is able to choose one of five general reasons for which the definition ought be deleted and to enter additional comments about the rationale justifying the definition's deletion. Deletion requests were added to a pool that is reviewed by users who choose to participate in quality control. Users participating in the "quality control" system made a judgement whether to keep the definitions on the website or to delete them by selecting for each one either "it stays" or "it goes". If the user was unsure, a "don't know" option is also selectable. However, the site's management did not believe that this concept was working as intended. Many people were not, in their eyes, using it to solely erase definitions from the site that were inappropriate according to its terms of service but to try to delete definitions with content they did not personally agree with or written by users that they did not approve of. Because of this, a many definitions that did not meet the site's criteria for deletion were removed from the website. As this was happening repeatedly, a new system has been established. Though complaints are still submitted, the quality control system is now invalid, with executive editors now determining whether a definition should remain on the website or not. Now, the site is offering free, non-executive editing positions. Users now determine whether a definition is appropriate for publication, and if not, the definition will not appear on the website. This system had, at its' inception what appeared to be several weeks worth of backlogs, and is still open to abuse despite the posted guidelines. More than just slang Urban Dictionary's content contains more than only slang. The names of many well-known figures, computer games, and other commonly-used terms exist. Also, because of Urban Dictionary's informality and anonymity and its popularity among teens, some people define their peers' names, usually to insult or profess their love for them. Many people believe that this does not ruin the site; they believe that the site has drifted away from being solely a slang dictionary, but instead a slang dictionary and a source from which people can learn more about the general conceptions that people have of certain things in everyday life. The urbanelite and the "ud terrorist" When authors submit thier definitions, they are permitted to include a name or pseudonym which appears underneath the definition. These names cannot presently be password protected, and some names are used by many authors (anonymous and unknown being primary examples), whilst other authors with unique handles gain some degree of notoriety from the number or popularity of thier definitions. The authors with the most notable contributions are sometimes known as the urbanelite and have intercommunicated with eachother via chatboard style back-and-forth definitions. This has led to an ocasional flame war. Disliked members of the urbanelite are often the victims of having extremely disagreeable definitions superimposed under thier nicknames by other authors to discredit them. This was first seen large scale happening to the inarticulate playstation fanboy "sonyroolz". Over time a group of users formed into a loosely organised attack group with the sole aim of comandeering the names of urbanelites and writing a plethora of definitions packed with explosive content. This usually includes but is not limited to openly racist statements, ofensive jokes, poems in support of necrophilia, zoophilia and child molestation as plenty of statements where the victim 'admits' to homosexual activity and hatred of non-white races; these claims are desultory and conflicting, as are most spatial attacks. One victimised author refered to the people behind these attacks as the 'urbandictionary terrorist', believing there to be just one culprit. The name ud terrorist stuck, and today many of the urbanelite authors that used to contribute to the site have disappeared. Some of these authors have had all thier definitions removed as thier continued presence was likely to spark another of the ud terrorist attacks. External links Compare also
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