by Ram ben Ze'ev
Except for the rebranding as "X," which, if we're being honest, sounds more fitting for an adult film or a pornographic website, Twitter has remained largely unchanged since October 2022. That's when Elon Musk and a consortium of investors blew $44 billion to buy the platform.
As Twitter approaches the one-year mark since coming under Elon Musk's stewardship, it continues to grapple with familiar issues such as content censorship, targeted account suspensions, and challenges to free speech. Ironically, these were the very problems Musk cited as motivating his purchase of the platform.
Following his acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk pledged that the platform would prioritize free speech, but this promise hasn't held up in reality. Despite outward appearances of supporting free expression and the restoration of several prominent accounts to create the illusion of transformation, there has been a notable surge in the suspension of accounts associated with right-leaning perspectives and the Jewish community.
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As of today, my personal account, @realJewishGuy, has been permanently suspended by Twitter. The reason provided is a "post" that Twitter claims violates its rules. This post was in response to users discussing President Trump and an article mentioning Governor Gavin Newsom's intention to sign a bill that would eliminate President Trump from the California ballot. In my response, I wrote:
"True, I think Biden should be tried, convicted and face a firing squad for his crimes. Taking him off the ballot in all red states will suffice until he can be arrested as a private citizen."
As evident to anyone browsing Twitter, there are countless demands, numbering in the millions, for President Trump to be subjected to a firing squad. To provide just three instances (although there are numerous others):
"This guy on C-SPAN says Trump should face a firing squad and the host says nothing"
"Putin and trump should face a firing squad Death and division are their credo"
"To hell with the music. Trump should face a firing squad. That would help #BeBest"
Ever since Elon Musk became involved with Twitter, the platform has been criticized for unfairly targeting accounts that lean toward the right side of the political spectrum or those operated by Jews or Jewish groups. This creates an atmosphere where users believe that their viewpoints are being muted. As a result, people are hesitant to engage in political discussions out of fear of being suspended or facing backlash.
In order to maintain Twitter's reputation as an impartial platform, it's vital that they practice content moderation in a transparent and consistent manner, irrespective of political inclinations. However, an incident occurred when @realJamesWoods shared his thoughts about Elon Musk's proposal to remove the block function, to which Musk responded by telling Woods to delete his account.
Elon Musk's influence over Twitter's direction has sparked discussions about whether the platform genuinely supports free speech and enforces content rules without bias. The suspension of accounts that lean right and those operated by Jews and the perceived unevenness in content moderation have given rise to worries about Twitter's capability to foster open and inclusive discussions. As Twitter continues to progress, it's crucial for its leadership to reaffirm their commitment to providing a space where all users can express their thoughts and participate in meaningful conversations, regardless of their backgrounds. Striking a balance between the principles of free speech and responsible content oversight will be pivotal in shaping a Twitter that truly embodies the concept of an open digital public forum.
Alternatively, there's a risk it could devolve into a platform focused on explicit content, considering its current name.
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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue
Editor's Note: As shown in the image above, after an "Appeal" that took less than 1 hour, Twitter refused to overturn its decision. And so, my opinion of the lack of balance and fairness stands.