One of the very first thing social media tends to do following an incident of domestic violence is to scrub the account of the alleged perpetrator and it does so in record time. When not discriminating against conservatives, platforms remove so-called “hate speech” posts and videos with notable exceptions. (Farrakhan’s tweet comparing Jews to termites was judged not to violate Twitter’s rules.) Then they just sit on them.
Twitter apologized for not deleting a threat by the alleged bomb mailer Cesar Sayoc:
Twitter has apologized for not removing a message in which alleged mail bomber Cesar Sayocthreatened a political commentator following her appearance on Fox News.
In a statement issued through its “Twitter Safety” account, the social-media company admitted it “made a mistake when Rochelle Ritchie first alerted us to the threat made against her.”
“The Tweet clearly violated our rules and should have been removed. We are deeply sorry for that error,” the company added.
On Oct. 11, Sayoc responded to a Ritchie tweet by saying: “So you like to make threats. Unconquered Seminole Tribe will answer your threats.”
“We have nice silent Air boat ride for u here on our land Everglades Swamp .We will see you 4 sure.Hug your loved ones real close every time you leave you home,” he added.
At first Twitter apparently did not take the threat seriously, but finally did and suspended Sayoc’s account.
‘Screw the optics, I’m going in’
The alleged synagogue shooter Richard Bowers posted an intent on gab.com
Investigators said that minutes before carrying out the carnage, Bowers is believed to have posted his intent to commit the massacre on the social media platform Gab, which is popular with white supremacists and the alt-right.
“Screw the optics, I’m going in,” reads a post believed to have been made by Bowers moments before the first gunshots were fired inside the temple.
Gab was promptly de-platformed following the shooting.
This is absolutely the wrong thing to do.
These posts are red flags, they are warnings- to be heeded. Social media outlets are right to suspend the accounts but wrong to delete them. The nut jobs leave a trove of information about themselves. Deleting the accounts prevents everyone from learning about them and even what one might be watching for in other threatening types. It’s always a race to see what they posted in these groups before the overseers remove them and that leads to all kinds of wild speculation.
That’s not helpful.
These accounts should remain- suspended- so everyone can learn from them. Social media giants should be watching for threats and not simply delete them, but report them to the FBI, especially when they are aimed at those with public profiles such as members of Congress and the press. In the past perpetrators of many terrible acts have telegraphed their intentions on social media. This can be used to save lives.
It’s time the giants were truly responsible and paid attention.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Gab will be back, its the refuge of persons that twitter and facebook suspend or are tired of seeing others decide what they are allowed to see. Is freedom of speech so hard to understand Gab gave the option of mute, so you could choose not to see what you personally find offensive, racists, nazis, antifa, porn. Allowing anything that wasnt illegal. Deplatformed for 1 account, while twitter and facebook are not and filled with, kids beating each other up, allow streaming of suicides, jihads, kiddie porn, obvious death threats ect. Yes you can report accounts and posts if you believe a serious threat has been made. Seems easier to get suspended for being pro life and pro faith than wanting to kidnap the Barron and lock him in a cage with pedophiles.
The shooter also had a twitter account yet they were not de-platformed.
Gab is becoming a little to popular without ads for silicon valley bullies.
https://gab.ai/
So, I guess as long as your name is not Fonda, DeNiro, Griffin, Snoopy Doggie or Carey, your threats of violence should be allowed, condoned and not taken seriously. It is only unknown people that make violent threats that should be heeded.
Yet, the threats of the rich and famous makes detection of what might be a real and serious threat more difficult to detect and react to. I would say those threats, the ones made by famous personalities are MORE dangerous, as those weak minded followers endow an unearned amount of wisdom and guidance to someone merely because they can act or sing and might be more likely to view the violence they incite as more acceptable by the general public.
@Deplorable Me: As if not allowing anyone to not post on SM would stop them from their actions. Like Booth, Manson, Oswald.
@kitt: Well, not when the MSM is just as vile and vicious.
@Deplorable Me: https://www.facebook.com/whitehousebrief/videos/249027419300298/
I really was wishing Sweet Sarahs last answer would have been to its all about me Im the news Accosta ok Cinderfella does the shoe fit?
@kitt: How about that; Acosta Had the accurate quote before him, yet CHOSE to misquote it to make it seem as if Trump was attacking ALL the media.
@Deplorable Me: Poor Cinderfella was put upon by trumplicans. The dangerous conditions at the rally when the 70 something old woman flipped him the bird now he has PTSD.
But SM is not responsible to police we dont need policing we need an internet bill of rights. Before they pull what Europe is doing to speech,cant comment on a certain cult or jail time.