Depends on the context.

The last time i was given the finger was when i was attempting to alert another driver that they did not have any taillights on (this was at 5am).

Man showed me the finger and I will admit i was a bit offended since i was only trying to help.

Offence level 3/5.

Obviously 3, since its right in the middle.

4 because 00100₂ = 4₁₀

3

Context matters a lot. I wouldn’t flip off my mom, but with some friends it’s how we say hello. So I guess I put it in the whole range of 1-5

Now, about you seeing it censored, I always thought that was bizarre. You see it a lot in american media - but let’s be adults for a second. If they’ve censored somebody’s hand, there’s a very limited few reasons why that might be. It doesn’t take a genius to guess what the censored gesture is, and the blurring doesn’t really do anything to diminish the insult.

Honestly, I think it has a lot to do with the prudishness of american media. The gesture is symbolic of an erection, but I don’t know anybody who’d confuse a finger for a penis.

Interestingly, all cultures seem to have a gesture for this, even if it isn’t necessarily the middle finger. Some places it’s the thumbs-up that stands in for it, and others it might be gripping your elbow and pointing your fist.

I’d say it really depends on context so it can be anything. Sometimes it can even mean something positive if it’s with a friend group for example. But if I were to think about the offensive context specifically I would go with 3. Personally I interpret the gesture as silent “fuck you” or “fuck off” which in itself is not that offensive either because of popular usage.

Apparently pretty offensive. Bad drivers who insist in abusing their honk and endangering pedestrians seem to get pretty intense whenever I flip a finger at them. I might get punched for real one of those days. Only thing that saved my ass for now is the fact that they can’t really leave their car in the middle of the street to come assaulting me, with other excited assholes driving behind them… My luck should run short one of these days though. #fuckcars

0 for me. I just dont care

That depends. The reason the gesture exists is because people in antiquity caught on to the fact a raised middle finger looks like a full wang and balls, and so it became a sign of contempt and later something people could insult each other with. Which is funny because, if my younger self is anything to go by, I’d much rather moon someone. On the one hand, a middle finger carries a storm of testy implications, but on the other hand, it’s not a very elaborated-upon visual. So maybe a three.

Offensive? 2-ish

Vulgar? 4-ish

In the context of ad-supported algorithmic social media, offensive is the wrong question. It’s about brand damage.

Showing an ad next to something that actually offends people can damage a brand, but even something a little edgy might turn off customers of a brand with a more formal or conservative audience. The algorithm’s ultimate goal is to get people to watch ads, so something a little edgy might reduce the reach of that content. Censoring it prevents the algorithmic downrank.

1 - I grew up in Boston.

I think from about Salem through Newark it’s more of a greeting than anything else.

I didn’t grow up using it, but now as an adult I love it. I use it at least once a week with friends, family, and co-workers with intended offensive score of one or two. I have a friend that sends me pictures of clowns late at night when she knows I’m home alone. That’s pretty deserving of a middle finger or two.

I don’t find the middle finger offensive at all.

1 for me.