[Ads-l] The F-icon

[Baker, John]

FCC regulation of taboo language is based on Title 18, Section 1464 of the United States Code, which states in full:  "Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."

Note that broadcast television is a form of radio communication.  Cable television and the Internet, of course, are not, although I suppose the increasing use of Wi-Fi might put that in doubt.  I can appreciate a broadcaster's concern that a gesture such as the digitus impudicus might be viewed as an utterance of obscene or indecent language.

FCC administration of 18 U.S.C. § 1464 is governed by an FCC policy statement from 2001, available online at http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2001/fcc01090.html.   Connoisseurs of obscene, indecent, and profane language will appreciate the many full-text examples in the FCC statement.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Joel Berson
Sent: Sunday, April 26, 2015 5:20 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: The F-icon

When TV stations in the Boston area broadcast the video of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev raising his middle finger to the surveillance camera in his cell, the finger in question was bleeped.  Is it as impermissible to show the f-icon over public airwaves as it is to say the f-word?  How is the relevant FCC regulation worded?

The Internet, of course, is another story.  For example, see the following CNN story:http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/24/us/tsarnaev-trial-middle-finger-13th-juror/
Joel


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org