As a member of the Urban Dictionary team, I am incredibly frustrated and angry at the failure of political leaders to recommend masking to protect the immunocompromised and prevent the spread of long covid. Masking has been shown to be effective in preventing the spread of covid-19, yet many political leaders continue to ignore the evidence and put people’s well-being at risk. This is unacceptable. As an online-only web site, it may seem like the issue of covid-19 doesn’t directly affect us ..read more

The use of slang in court proceedings can be tricky, especially in criminal cases where an uncommon slang term used by a witness can make a difference in a case. New York Times tech reporter Leslie Kaufman and law professor Greg Lastowka talk about how judges and lawyers have turned to sites like Urban Dictionary to help define slang terms and the legal implications of the trend. — Why Urban Dictionary Comes In Handy On The Witness Stand | Talk of the Nation ..read more

Slang has always been a challenge for the courts in cases that involve vulgar or insulting language. Conventional dictionaries lag the spoken word by design. That has lawyers and judges turning to a more fluid source of definitions: Urban Dictionary, a crowdsourced collection of slang words on the Internet. — Urban Dictionary Finds a Place in the Courtroom - NYTimes.com ..read more

Since conventional dictionaries don’t always include the latest in slang terminology, lawyers and judges are looking to define language in court cases by turning to Urban Dictionary. — Law and Order and Urban Dictionary - Jen Doll - The Atlantic Wire ..read more

The site’s been used in cases ranging from a sexual harrassment lawsuit in Tennessee to a financial restitution case in Wisconsin, and it’s a trend that some legal minds don’t see reversing any time soon. — Courts are increasingly turning to Urban Dictionary to clarify modern slang language | The Verge ..read more

Watson, IBM’s supercomputer, memorized Urban Dictionary. Then it was taken away. Who the Hell Cares if IBM’s Watson Swears? (Slate ..read more

Once scholars agonised for years over additions to language. Now, online dictionaries enable instant updates — In praise of urban dictionaries | The Guardian ..read more

Almost perversely, Urban Dictionary avoids most of the standard dictionary apparatus. You won’t find information about parts of speech, etymologies or even standard spellings in it. Its sensibility, in fact, borders on the illiterate, which must be a first for a dictionary. — Street Smart - Urban Dictionary - NYTimes.com ..read more

But times have changed and now the Internet has become a teeming compendium of all the outre things that we are doing to one another. And, as the good people at Proximo Spirits found out to their dismay, before you give your product a name, you’d better check with the Urban Dictionary. — Urban Dictionary Presents New Challenge For Brand Marketers - Huffington Post ..read more

Last year we blogged about Urban Dictionary’s focus on content moderation. We knew that sustaining the unique spirit of Urban Dictionary would require big changes. Here’s what we’ve changed, and what we haven’t changed, so far. Definitions are no longer moderated by volunteers. Under the old system, a definition was published when a majority of volunteer moderators decided it was worth publishing. We appreciate our volunteer moderators’ work over the years ..read more