Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey spoke on Wednesday about his company’s decision last week to ban President Trump from his platform.
“I don’t celebrate or feel proud that we have to ban @realDonaldTrump, or how we got here,” Dorsey started a long topic on Twitter. “After a clear warning that we would take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical security on and off Twitter. Was that correct?
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“I believe that was the right decision for Twitter,” continued Dorsey. “We face an extraordinary and unsustainable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public security. The offline damage as a result of online speech is proven to be real and what drives our policy and enforcement above all.
“That said, having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications. Although there are clear and obvious exceptions, I think a ban is our failure to promote healthy conversation. And a time to reflect on our operations and the environments around us. “continued the CEO.
Dorsey acknowledged that these actions “fragment public conversation”, “divide us” and “limit the potential for enlightenment, redemption and learning”. He also admitted that his company’s power in “global public conversation” has set a “dangerous” precedent.
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“The verification and accountability of this power has always been the fact that a service like Twitter is a small part of the big public conversation that takes place on the internet. If people don’t agree with our rules and enforcement, they can just go to another internet service, “wrote Dorsey.
The CEO then pointed to other social media giants who also suspended or banned Trump’s accounts permanently, writing “I don’t believe this was coordinated”, but postulating that these companies were probably “encouraged” by the actions of their competitors.
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“This moment may demand that dynamic, but in the long run it will be destructive to the noble purpose and ideals of the open Internet,” said Dorsey. “A company that makes a business decision to moderate is different from a government that removes access, but it may feel the same. Yes, we all need to critically examine the inconsistencies in our policy and enforcement. Yes, we need to examine how our service can encourage distraction and harm. Yes, we need more transparency in our moderation operations. All of this cannot erode a free and open global Internet. “
Dorsey then highlighted a Twitter-funded initiative called “bluesky”, which he said would set a “decentralized open standard for social media”. He then promised to commit to “public transparency” while the program is being developed.
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“It is important to recognize that this is a time of great uncertainty and struggle for so many around the world. Our goal at this point is to disarm as much as we can and ensure that we are all building towards greater common understanding, and a more peaceful existence. on Earth, “continued Dorsey. “I believe that the Internet and global public conversations are our best and most relevant method for achieving this. I also recognize that this is not the case today. Everything we learn at this time will improve our effort and push us to be what we are: a humanity working together. “
Following the January 6 Capitol rebellion, Twitter concluded that allowing Trump to return to the social media platform posed the risk of “further incitement to violence”.
Highlighting two relatively moderate tweets from the president, one of which stated that he would not attend Biden’s inauguration on January 20, the company argued that they should be viewed in a broader context.
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“These two Tweets should be read in the context of broader events in the country and in the ways in which the president’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behavior in that report in recent weeks “said the company.” After evaluating the language of these Tweets against our Glorification of Violence policy, we determined that these Tweets violate the Glorification of Violence Policy and the user @realDonaldTrump should be immediately suspended from service. “