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I don't doubt that -- but as Gizmo385 noted, conservative journalists get blue checkmarks, too. (Just as a sort of anecdotal check, I looked up the eight people

I don't doubt that -- but as Gizmo385 noted, conservative journalists get blue checkmarks, too. (Just as a sort of anecdotal check, I looked up the eight people on the masthead of The Bulwark, a pretty new conservative online publication, and everyone but the art director has a blue checkmark, as do three of the five non-masthead contributors.) So the question still stands. (If you're implicitly suggesting that journalists tend as an overall class to skew left-of-center, there's a good case to be made for that -- but that's not a Twitter bias!)

busterarm 7y ago
Yeah, I'm not saying it's to the exclusion of right-leaning journalists. That said, Twitter has removed the blue check almost exclusively from public figures on the right. IMO, even if someone's opinions are monstrous, if they have a verifiable twitter account in good standing, either they should also have a blue check or probably nobody should. Lest somebody impersonate _them_ and say things that are reasonable and confuse people. Not sure it matters though. I think Twitter is a net-negative for society and if we had any sense about us we'd shut such things down.
- paulgb 7y ago
  It's a shame that Twitter (referring to the Twitter community, but especially the corporate entity) has conflated identify verification with a sort endorsement, including with policies like the one in this article that elevate what blue checks have to say. If they could have avoided that, the solution you propose would be fine, but human nature is to turn every distinction into a symbol of merit.
- panarky 7y ago
  > Twitter has removed the blue check almost exclusively from public figures on the right Do you have a source for that or is it your opinion? Some of my friends and family are very quick to note that the overrepresentation of black and brown people in prison populations is not evidence of bias, because you have to look at who is committing the crimes. But when it comes to right-wing personalities getting suspended or banned from private platforms, the same people are very slow to comprehend the same logic.
  - busterarm 7y ago
    I'm not going to "citation needed" for stuff that was published as mainstream news. I wasn't espousing any particular party leaning (but if you need to know, I'm a progressive/lefty). This question is in bad faith.
    - panarky 7y ago
      Nah, I've seen the "mainstream news" and it doesn't say Twitter is unverifying mainstream conservatives while not touching mainstream liberals. Twitter banned those using the platform to organize Charlottesville violence and to engage in or promote harassment and violence. Unless you conflate sanctioning harassment and violence with sanctioning "the right", then I'm asking you to substantiate your claim.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
  - austhrow743 7y ago
    Having the blue check mark removed isn't a suspension or ban so you can't really go with "that group just happens to break the rules more". It's not like saying vile shit makes your account less verifiable. So when Twitter takes away verification it looks like they're just trying to signal affiliation with the opposing group.
    - panarky 7y ago
      > Having the blue check mark removed isn't a suspension or ban so you can't really go with "that group just happens to break the rules more" That is utterly untrue. Unverifying is a sanction for breaking the rules that's less severe than a suspension or ban. According to Twitter's published guidelines, they'll un-verify accounts that: Intentionally mislead people Promote hate and/or violence Incite or engage in harassment Break the Twitter Rules Source: https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/twitter-verified-accounts https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/twitter-ve...

busterarm 7y ago

Yeah, I'm not saying it's to the exclusion of right-leaning journalists. That said, Twitter has removed the blue check almost exclusively from public figures on the right. IMO, even if someone's opinions are monstrous, if they have a verifiable twitter account in good standing, either they should also have a blue check or probably nobody should. Lest somebody impersonate _them_ and say things that are reasonable and confuse people. Not sure it matters though. I think Twitter is a net-negative for society and if we had any sense about us we'd shut such things down.

paulgb 7y ago
It's a shame that Twitter (referring to the Twitter community, but especially the corporate entity) has conflated identify verification with a sort endorsement, including with policies like the one in this article that elevate what blue checks have to say. If they could have avoided that, the solution you propose would be fine, but human nature is to turn every distinction into a symbol of merit.
panarky 7y ago
> Twitter has removed the blue check almost exclusively from public figures on the right Do you have a source for that or is it your opinion? Some of my friends and family are very quick to note that the overrepresentation of black and brown people in prison populations is not evidence of bias, because you have to look at who is committing the crimes. But when it comes to right-wing personalities getting suspended or banned from private platforms, the same people are very slow to comprehend the same logic.
- busterarm 7y ago
  I'm not going to "citation needed" for stuff that was published as mainstream news. I wasn't espousing any particular party leaning (but if you need to know, I'm a progressive/lefty). This question is in bad faith.
  - panarky 7y ago
    Nah, I've seen the "mainstream news" and it doesn't say Twitter is unverifying mainstream conservatives while not touching mainstream liberals. Twitter banned those using the platform to organize Charlottesville violence and to engage in or promote harassment and violence. Unless you conflate sanctioning harassment and violence with sanctioning "the right", then I'm asking you to substantiate your claim.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
- austhrow743 7y ago
  Having the blue check mark removed isn't a suspension or ban so you can't really go with "that group just happens to break the rules more". It's not like saying vile shit makes your account less verifiable. So when Twitter takes away verification it looks like they're just trying to signal affiliation with the opposing group.
  - panarky 7y ago
    > Having the blue check mark removed isn't a suspension or ban so you can't really go with "that group just happens to break the rules more" That is utterly untrue. Unverifying is a sanction for breaking the rules that's less severe than a suspension or ban. According to Twitter's published guidelines, they'll un-verify accounts that: Intentionally mislead people Promote hate and/or violence Incite or engage in harassment Break the Twitter Rules Source: https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/twitter-verified-accounts https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/twitter-ve...