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Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

nytimes.com

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Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#31

Post by nprz »

tdees40 wrote: post #10
nathanaldensr wrote: post #3

Can this be summarized as "Twitter, implement censorship because people are saying things we don't like?" I fully understand that Twitter is a company offering a service and they are intrinsically allowed to police content being posted on their platform. The whole point of democratic society in the United States is to allow people freedom of speech and thought. If we limit the discussion of ideas to only popular/acce…

No, how about users (me, at least) are leaving Twitter because it's a rotten cesspool of misogyny, racism and stupidity. Maybe users should get a choice to avoid some of this?

Doesn't twitter allow you the option to mute and block users you would rather not hear from?

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#33

Post by blatherard »

nathanaldensr wrote: post #3

Can this be summarized as "Twitter, implement censorship because people are saying things we don't like?" I fully understand that Twitter is a company offering a service and they are intrinsically allowed to police content being posted on their platform. The whole point of democratic society in the United States is to allow people freedom of speech and thought. If we limit the discussion of ideas to only popular/acce…

No, that's an insufficient summary. At the least, you should note harassment as a significant issue, since the author brings it up many times.

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#34

Post by mozumder »

chmod775 wrote: post #30
staticassertion wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can say and think whatever you like. Companies giving platforms to hate is not something that democracy requires. It's less "that idea is popular" and more "these people are inciting hatred against other people". I'm baffled that people still repeat this "free speech is important" thing when we're talking about a private service giving an audience to white supremacists.

Yes. They are not legally required to provide service to anyone. But indiscriminately providing services to everyone (within the laws of your country), without booting people based on a personal agenda, is the ABC of gaining the trust of your users.

Wrong. A respected editorial standard allows for even more trust.

Example: Do you trust Washington Post or Twitter more?

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#35

Post by tdees40 »

nprz wrote: post #31
tdees40 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, how about users (me, at least) are leaving Twitter because it's a rotten cesspool of misogyny, racism and stupidity. Maybe users should get a choice to avoid some of this?

Doesn't twitter allow you the option to mute and block users you would rather not hear from?

Sure, but there's like umpteen million terrible accounts...seems like a lot to ask of your users.

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#37

Post by GVIrish »

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #18
craftyguy wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 1st amendment only applies to the government, not to your peer citizens or to companies. They can censor whatever they want.

I scrolled down until I found this comment just so that I could give you my canned response: The government supports free speech because it's important and a Good Thing. Just because private companies aren't required to do the same doesn't make it any less important and a Good Thing.

No it is not a universally Good Thing, that is an extremely facile reading of free speech.

Is it a good thing if someone at your job shouts racial epithets at you all day? Should woman have to tolerate being jeered and catcalled at every private business they patronize? Should a restaurant turn a blind eye to a belligerent customer that curses at the wait staff and everyone in ear shot?

Of course not. A private business has a vested interest in creating an environment where customers feel welcome. They could also choose to do nothing and let the chips fall where they may, but if enough bad actors make things bad for everyone else, that business will fail.

You have a right to not face retaliation from the government for speaking your mind. It doesn't mean everyone else has to accommodate whatever it is you have to say.

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#38

Post by nxsynonym »

nathanaldensr wrote: post #3

Can this be summarized as "Twitter, implement censorship because people are saying things we don't like?" I fully understand that Twitter is a company offering a service and they are intrinsically allowed to police content being posted on their platform. The whole point of democratic society in the United States is to allow people freedom of speech and thought. If we limit the discussion of ideas to only popular/acce…

I agree with you. The only thing that censorship brings in this particular case is a safe space for advertisers. I see exactly 0 harm in sharing a platform with people with alternate views than me.

If you don't like the way a social platform is heading, then leave it. You are not entitled to a safe space.

At the end of the day twitter is going to cater to its biggest and most influential users.

It costs you nothing to ignore the users who are saying things you don't like.

Re: Twitter, It’s Time to End Your Anything-Goes Paradise

#39

Post by PatientTrades »

> It’s no accident that it is President Trump’s social network of choice.

This writer does realize that President Obama was the first President to consistently utilize twitter right? Of course President Trump took it to another level, but he is insinuating that President Trump is using to twitter to sway "small minded" Americans, but ignoring the fact that President Obama did the exact same thing on a smaller scale.

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