Jack Dorsey: Twitter CEO says Trump ban was fair but sets ‘dangerous’ precedent

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“I think it was the right move for Twitter,” Dorsey said in a series of 13 articles on its platform, citing “extraordinary and untenable” circumstances after Trump incited a riot on the United States Capitol last week, an event that forced the social media company to “focus all of our actions on security public ”.

“I’m not proud of having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter or how we got here,” Dorsey said. “The offline damage resulting from online talk is clearly real, and what drives our policy and our enforcement above all else.”

Since four years, Twitter (TWTR) was central to Trump’s presidency, a fact that also benefited the company in the form of countless hours of user engagement. Twitter has taken a light-hearted approach to moderating its account, often arguing that as a public official, Trump should be given wide latitude to speak. But the riot on Capitol Hill led to a ban.

Dorsey wrestled with the implications of the decision in her posts, admitting that “having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications.” Removing users, he said, fragments the public conversation and divides people.

“While there are clear and obvious exceptions, I think a ban is our ultimate failure to promote healthy conversation. And a moment for us to reflect on our operations and the environment around us. “, did he declare.

The CEO also touched on similar steps taken by other social media companies, such as Facebook (FB) and Snapchat (BREAK), to banish the president. These actions were uncoordinated, Dorsey said, but present a challenge for the tech industry.

“The control and accountability of that power has always been the fact that a service like Twitter is a small part of the larger public conversation that takes place on the Internet,” he said. “If people don’t agree with our rules and our application, they can just go to another Internet service.”

Tech industry has used 'nuclear option' to crack down on violent groups organizing online

“This concept was called into question last week when a number of basic Internet tool providers also decided not to host what they considered dangerous,” he continued.

Amazon (AMZN) effectively killed Parler, a platform favored by the far right, when it canceled its web hosting contract.

The decision to ban the president from Twitter had immediate consequences: Trump lost access to more than 88 million subscribers, and the move exposed the company to censorship complaints from Republicans. Democrats have criticized the role of social media in enabling Trump and have warned of new legislation aimed at regulating the tech industry.

Dorsey suggested in her articles that actions in the tech industry could have longer-term implications as well.

“This moment in time might demand that momentum, but in the long run it will be destructive to the lofty goal and ideals of the open Internet. A business that makes the business decision to moderate is different from a government suppressing it. ‘access, but can feel about the same,’ Dorsey said.

“Yes, we all need to critically examine the inconsistencies in our policy and its application. Yes, we need to consider how our service might incite distraction and harm. Yes, we need more transparency in our operations. All of this cannot erode a free and open global Internet, ”he added.

– Brian Fung contributed reporting.



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