Online auction service Trade Me has been rebuked for using the N-word in reference to an African American.
The Advertising Standards Authority ruled this word was found to be the second most offensive word in a survey, and the use of the word was offensive and breached advertising codes.
The issue had come up in reference to an antique money box that used the word in its title.
The person selling the item on Trade Me argued that the word was used in the real title of the object, and as such it was properly used to describe an historical artefact.
The seller said a complaint against this sale implied it was using hate speech and this was untrue.
But the Advertising Standards Authority rejected this argument and upheld the complaint.
