Twitter suspended the US President Donald Trump's accountlast week on his alleged role in inciting US Capitol insurrection. 88 millionusers followed Trump on his Twitter account.
Jack Dorsey in a series of tweets thread said, "I donot celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter,or how we got here. After the clear warning we'd take this action, we madedecision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safetyboth on and off Twitter." He further asked, "Was this correct?"
Justifying his action to ban Trump from using Twitter,her further said it was the right decision for Twitter. "Offline harm as aresult of online speech is demonstrably real and, what drives and policy andenforcement above all," he added.
Dorsey in another tweet added that taking such kind ofaction "fragments the public conversation." He said, "They divide us. They limit thepotential for clarification, redemption, and learning. And sets a precedent Ifeel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part ofthe global public conversation."
The ban on Trump's account drew flak from pro-Trump usersbecause they termed it as an assault on free speech. Similarly, manyRepublicans also see it as an extreme step. Dorsey in his series of tweets tried to allay thefears of users. He said, "This moment in time might call for this dynamic,but over the long term it will be destructive to the noble purpose and idealsof the open internet. A company making a business decision to moderate itselfis different from a government removing access, yet can feel much the same."
Dorsey in another tweet mentioned that there is a need tolook critically at the inconsistencies of policies at Twitter and how theirservices might incentivize distraction and harm. On the topic of transparencyand moderation policy he tweeted, "Yes, we need more transparency in ourmoderation operations. All this can’t erode a free and open global internet."
Dorsey said they are working on the initiate for an openand decentralized social media while it may take time but they are in the processof hiring people through public transparency.
In the end he assured, "It’s important that weacknowledge this is a time of great uncertainty and struggle for so many aroundthe world. Our goal in this moment is to disarm as much as we can, and ensurewe are all building towards a greater common understanding, and a more peacefulexistence on earth." He signed offby saying he believed in the Internet and Social Media to be the relevantmethod of achieving the goal mentioned in the previous tweet, to disarm as muchas we can.'
Dorsey further added, "Everything we learn in thismoment will better our effort, and push us to be what we are: one humanityworking together."
One of the users @4essttook tohis account and in the response to his tweets thread said," Goto another platform? They're all doing the same thing as Twitter, the ones thataren't are getting taken down. Twitter set the precedent and everyone followedalong. We don't have other options." Another usersaid, "Time for some self reflection."