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Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

bloomberg.com

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Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#31

Post by lawl »

Scirra_Tom wrote: post #21
lawl wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I believe even terrorists should be able to say whatever they want. I'd actually prefer them shitposting on twitter rather than killing people.

I disagree that everyone should have a platform to say anything. Allowing hatred and violence can normalise it. Also, if someone got on a soapbox outside your house and starting preaching violence I don't think you'd be celebrating the exercising of their rights - you'd probably call the police.

> Also, if someone got on a soapbox outside your house and starting preaching violence I don't think you'd be celebrating the exercising of their rights - you'd probably call the police.

Sure, except

> The company is balancing a commitment to free speech against pressure from policymakers who want to see social media companies do more to fight extremism and hate speech.

> [...]

> Twitter last year signed a voluntary pledge in Europe to take action within 24 hours against reports of racist, xenophobic and violent content.

It seems the pressure is comming from policy makers, not the house owners.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#32

Post by 5_minutes »

I wish they would release also some of these good usernames that have been abused or used by scammers. Or at least something like: if the account didn't post a tweet in like, say, 5 years... notify the owner it's up for expiry.

Some house cleaning, how hard can it be.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#35

Post by virmundi »

Apocryphon wrote: post #24
virmundi wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, you'll see the American ideal of free speech quickly purged from the Internet as American companies shed their nationalism for profit. The EU does not hold speech as dear as the US. As the EU gains more power, they'll pressure American firms to conform to their laws. Since the firms have EU headquarters, they will. If the American firms wore that mantle with pride (and paid the taxes that go with it),…

It's arguable that the American ideal of free enterprise trumps free speech in this era- and such corporations have always had the right to police speech as they'd like. Private entities and all that. If you don't like it, perhaps you should support anti-monopolist policies.

I do support anti-monopolist policies. My favorite president is Teddy.

The very fact that we are discussing the enterprise limiting speech does show it's arguable. I say it should be argued. Further, I say that comments such as yours, while I'm fine with you stating it, serves only to act as slight of hand that limits speech.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#36

Post by aphextron »

chrissnell wrote: post #10

I understand why Twitter might not want ISIS accounts on their service but from a national security standpoint, it seems better to have the communication happening on a U.S.-based service like Twitter than some darknet or crypto-centric app.

Agreed, and this should be the retort to any curtailing of free speech in the name of safety. Its the same argument as allowing “the_donald” to exist on Reddit. You will not stop an ideology by denying them a platform. Better to debate them in an open forum, even if they are evil. The only way to counter bad ideas is with good ones.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#37

Post by mosaiclifestyle »

lawl wrote: post #11
Scirra_Tom wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're speaking out for the terrorists? I'm struggling to see the point of that quote.

Yes, I believe even terrorists should be able to say whatever they want. I'd actually prefer them shitposting on twitter rather than killing people.

But what about when the posts are being used as a tool to vet and recruit candidates to join their cause and kill people?

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#38

Post by ceejayoz »

katastic wrote: post #3

I'm more interested in why it took them this long, while they're perfectly fine suspending accounts that are politically opposing to their worldview. How are political dissenters more dangerous than actual terrorists?

They've been suspending terror accounts for years.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#39

Post by icebraining »

katastic wrote: post #3

I'm more interested in why it took them this long, while they're perfectly fine suspending accounts that are politically opposing to their worldview. How are political dissenters more dangerous than actual terrorists?

It hasn't, it says clearly in the article that they've been suspending these accounts at least since 2015.

Re: Twitter Suspends 300k Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

#40

Post by matt4077 »

katastic wrote: post #3

I'm more interested in why it took them this long, while they're perfectly fine suspending accounts that are politically opposing to their worldview. How are political dissenters more dangerous than actual terrorists?

One man's political dissenter is another's terrorist :)

More seriously, this is obviously a textbook example of a cognitive bias: There is absolutely no possibility that the number of specific people being blocked for hate speech in the US you are likely to read about come anywhere close to these 300,000.

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