Highlights:
- Twitter, last week, banned Trump’s account citing the risk of further violence at US Capitol
- Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, says banning Trump was the “right decision,” however, added it sets a dangerous precedent
- Jack Dorsey said he took no pride in the ban on US President Donald Trump
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ywitter Inc., Jack Dorsey, on Wednesday said that the decision of banning US President Donald Trump from its social media and micro-blogging platform after the violence act last week at the US Capitol was the “right decision”, however, acknowledges that it also seta s dangerous precedent.
San Francisco-based micro-blogging platform, last week, removed Donald Trump’s account which had more than 88 million (8.8 crore) followers citing the risk of further violence after his supporters stormed the US Capitol.
Dorsey, on Twitter, said, “Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us. They limit the potential for clarification, redemption, and learning. And sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation.”
In a series of tweets, Jack Dorsey explained what exactly happened, and why the platform did what was done.
The ban on the social media platform drew huge criticism from some Republicans who said it quelled the president’s right to free speech.
Also Read: Facebook Has No Plans to Lift Ban on Donald Trump, Says Facebook COO
Angela Merkel, who is the German Chancellor, also warned through a spokesman that legislators, and not the private companies, should have the power to decide on the potential curbs to free expression.
In another tweet, Dorsey said, “I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all.”
Dorsey, in another tweet, acknowledged, “having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications. While there are clear and obvious exceptions, I feel a ban is a failure of ours ultimately to promote healthy conversation. And a time for us to reflect on our operations and the environment around us.”
Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us. They limit the potential for clarification, redemption, and learning. And sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation.
— jack (@jack) January 14, 2021
I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all.
— jack (@jack) January 14, 2021
Over the last year, Twitter has introduced a series of measures including labels, warnings and distribution restrictions which will reduce the need for decisions of removing content entirely from the service.
Also Read: “Lawlessness And Violence” At US Capitol “antithesis Of Democracy,” Says CEO Of Google
Dorsey had said that he believes these measures will be able to promote more fruitful, or “healthy,” conversations online and decrease the impact of bad behaviour.
The Chief Executive of Twitter added that the bans of the social media platforms on Donal Trump after the violence at the US Capitol last week were encouraged by each other’s actions even though they were not coordinated.
However, in the long run, the precedent set “will be destructive to the noble purpose and ideals of the open internet,” he said.
On Wednesday, Trump became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.
