5 ms·

Trump using Twitter isn't the problem. In fact, it actually gives us a weirdly detailed bit of oversight into his actions and thoughts (such as they are). I act

Trump using Twitter isn't the problem. In fact, it actually gives us a weirdly detailed bit of oversight into his actions and thoughts (such as they are). I actually think this is helpful when dealing with someone so erratic and uninformed. Everyone in their right mind sees his tweets for what they mostly are: Frustrated bloviations and childish temper-tantrums. The problem is electing someone as President who would use Twitter the way Trump does. We should never have done that in the first place and, thankfully, that's an error We The People can correct. Addendum: I do, though, think that Twitter's response is inadequate. They have a community. Their community is being turned toxic by this man and his ilk. His use of Twitter as President isn't the problem, but Twitter needs to address the effect of people like him on their platform and the world in general. And that way more complicated than just banning a warmonger President. Sadly, I'm not sure Twitter has shown themselves to be up to the challenge.

ProAm 9y ago
Twitter will never ban Trump's tweets because he alone saved the company from coming to an end. Twitter is giving leaders free reign to tweet as they deem fit while everyone else needs to adhere to their code of conduct. It's a bit two-faced but from the perspective of running a business I see why twitter did this.
- chasing 9y ago
  The simple fact of the matter is that the President of the United States -- no matter who they are -- occupies a special place in our society. So, yes, Twitter is right to treat him differently than, say, Milo. And, yes: I'm sure this is all very good for Twitter's business...
  - connorelsea 9y ago
    In Twitter's position, I'd be concerned that my platform would be used for evil in a society where the population is particularly susceptible to propaganda. I wouldn't want to help a modern day Hitler get his message out "on my dollar." Twitter isn't trying to maintain free speech on their platform with this ruling on world leaders, as they have removed and censored plenty of users before at the request of governments or because of rule/TOS violations, etc. They're probably just keeping trump because it puts them in the spotlight and gets them a ton of money, thinking its for "free speech" is extremely idealistic imo
- 1337biz 9y ago
  Sad but true. I know quite a few people who signe up to Twitter just to be updated on Trump's Tweets. And they by no means fans of him.
neveroffensive 9y ago
> that's an error We The People can correct A few years ago I would have agreed with this, now I'm not so sure. We haven't had a third party candidate elected essentially ever, and the Democrat/Republican parties seem to have no intention of putting forward reasonable candidates. I don't think this comes from a place of ignorance, more so malice. I can't imagine I'm the only one who finds it endlessly suspicious that Americans were given the choice they were this election. When our choice in leaders is determined by groups of individuals who's only goals are attaining the power and resources to force their agenda on the general population, by any means necessary, how are we supposed to avoid/undo scenarios like this?
Matt_Mickiewicz 9y ago
Without his tweets, we'd only know about how crazy and unbalanced he is via the "biased" and "corrupt" and "failing" media... with Twitter, we get to see it directly from his keyboard, thus leading to better debate about his fitness to serve. P.S. Loved the Full page NY Times ad of his tweets - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cviq5rBWYAQeh56.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cviq5rBWYAQeh56.jpg That being said, it's a double standard, most ordinary people would have been banned before they tweeted half-way down the first column of what's in that ad...
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > Without his tweets, we'd only know about how crazy and unbalanced he is via ...video of (or live attendance at) his speeches, and via the actual concrete actions he undertakes in government.
  - davidw 9y ago
    Right - things that were not tweets: * Mocking the parents of a man killed in action serving his country in the military. * The "grab em by the pussy" tape. * Racist comments about Mexicans. * Mocking a disabled reporter * 'Both sides' about actual nazis. * Having no knowledge of policy * Constant lying We don't need twitter to tell us that he's unfit, unhinged and incapable of doing the job.
    - dreta 9y ago
      So far he didn't cause something worse than, or similar to, what's going on in Libya and Syria, or introduce policies like the Affordable Care Act, and the economy's alright. He's doing better than the previous cabinet; whether you like him as a person or not.
      - davidw 9y ago
        https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/it-was-an-open-secret/549653/?utm_source=atltw https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/it-was-...
craftyguy 9y ago
> We should never have done that in the first place and, thankfully, that's an error We The People can correct. Assuming enough people in enough places that 'matter' (not a majority of the voting population.. if you recall) wants that shitshow of a president to be replaced.

ProAm 9y ago

Twitter will never ban Trump's tweets because he alone saved the company from coming to an end. Twitter is giving leaders free reign to tweet as they deem fit while everyone else needs to adhere to their code of conduct. It's a bit two-faced but from the perspective of running a business I see why twitter did this.

chasing 9y ago
The simple fact of the matter is that the President of the United States -- no matter who they are -- occupies a special place in our society. So, yes, Twitter is right to treat him differently than, say, Milo. And, yes: I'm sure this is all very good for Twitter's business...
- connorelsea 9y ago
  In Twitter's position, I'd be concerned that my platform would be used for evil in a society where the population is particularly susceptible to propaganda. I wouldn't want to help a modern day Hitler get his message out "on my dollar." Twitter isn't trying to maintain free speech on their platform with this ruling on world leaders, as they have removed and censored plenty of users before at the request of governments or because of rule/TOS violations, etc. They're probably just keeping trump because it puts them in the spotlight and gets them a ton of money, thinking its for "free speech" is extremely idealistic imo
1337biz 9y ago
Sad but true. I know quite a few people who signe up to Twitter just to be updated on Trump's Tweets. And they by no means fans of him.

neveroffensive 9y ago

> that's an error We The People can correct A few years ago I would have agreed with this, now I'm not so sure. We haven't had a third party candidate elected essentially ever, and the Democrat/Republican parties seem to have no intention of putting forward reasonable candidates. I don't think this comes from a place of ignorance, more so malice. I can't imagine I'm the only one who finds it endlessly suspicious that Americans were given the choice they were this election. When our choice in leaders is determined by groups of individuals who's only goals are attaining the power and resources to force their agenda on the general population, by any means necessary, how are we supposed to avoid/undo scenarios like this?

Matt_Mickiewicz 9y ago

Without his tweets, we'd only know about how crazy and unbalanced he is via the "biased" and "corrupt" and "failing" media... with Twitter, we get to see it directly from his keyboard, thus leading to better debate about his fitness to serve. P.S. Loved the Full page NY Times ad of his tweets - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cviq5rBWYAQeh56.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cviq5rBWYAQeh56.jpg That being said, it's a double standard, most ordinary people would have been banned before they tweeted half-way down the first column of what's in that ad...

dragonwriter 9y ago
> Without his tweets, we'd only know about how crazy and unbalanced he is via ...video of (or live attendance at) his speeches, and via the actual concrete actions he undertakes in government.
- davidw 9y ago
  Right - things that were not tweets: * Mocking the parents of a man killed in action serving his country in the military. * The "grab em by the pussy" tape. * Racist comments about Mexicans. * Mocking a disabled reporter * 'Both sides' about actual nazis. * Having no knowledge of policy * Constant lying We don't need twitter to tell us that he's unfit, unhinged and incapable of doing the job.
  - dreta 9y ago
    So far he didn't cause something worse than, or similar to, what's going on in Libya and Syria, or introduce policies like the Affordable Care Act, and the economy's alright. He's doing better than the previous cabinet; whether you like him as a person or not.
    - davidw 9y ago
      https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/it-was-an-open-secret/549653/?utm_source=atltw https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/it-was-...

craftyguy 9y ago

> We should never have done that in the first place and, thankfully, that's an error We The People can correct. Assuming enough people in enough places that 'matter' (not a majority of the voting population.. if you recall) wants that shitshow of a president to be replaced.