The Anti-Defamation League issues warnings about Musk's Twitter takeover

Originally published at: The Anti-Defamation League issues warnings about Musk's Twitter takeover | Boing Boing

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Elon Musk Bitcoin GIF by Forallcrypto

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And with good reason.

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He understands that at the bottom of every idiotic conspiracy bandied about on Twitter is a bunch of people who believe “da Joooos did it!” Less moderation and trying to meet fascists halfway in Musk’s town square is not going to improve that situation.

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I know the statement was quoted extensively in the linked piece but here it is in it’s entirety:

"Despite my reservations, I was cautiously optimistic that Elon Musk would take the concerns of civil society to heart, but developments over the past two weeks have been troubling. This includes, but is not limited to, Mr. Musk warmly welcoming back Ye to Twitter after Ye made antisemitic comments on Instagram and was booted off the platform. I worry that this will be indicative of Mr. Musk’s approach to content moderation on the platform.

Further, we are concerned that Mr. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter may accelerate what ADL has seen repeatedly: the pushing out of marginalized communities from social media. As with Telegram, Gab, Parler, Rumble, and other platforms that refuse to address incitement and slander in the name of free speech, such platforms have become hotbeds for radicalism and hate. This invariably reduces the diversity of views on these services and narrows rather than expands the public conversation.

There are technical fixes and business model adjustments that truly could improve Twitter, but in owning a social media platform, I hope Mr. Musk will abide by the Peter Parker principle: “With great power comes great responsibility.” I was glad to see him tweet out to advertisers on Thursday that Twitter cannot become a ‘free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences.’ But ultimately Mr. Musk will be judged by his actions, not his words."

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Time to start using Mastodon i guess?

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The Federated/disparate server landscape stuff makes it many small Twitters based on self-selection and not one global thing. However, I haven’t bothered looking in a year or two, perhaps it has made advances.

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I hope it will catch on. However, it really needs more instances hosted by reputable brands and organisations that see the value of moderation and community conduct rules. Otherwise it will continue to be a niche techie thing.

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Honest question: will there be a point at which links to Twitter on the front page and comments be prohibited, or at least discouraged, here on BoingBoing?

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My Tweet to @elonmusk this morning:

You SUCK!

Maybe I’ll get banned? :wink:

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“Elon, if you were a President of the USA, you’d be Herbert Hoover; 'cause you SUCK!” :yum:

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Twitter was a dumpster fire last week and is still today, probably will be next week too. Just stay away from it.

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His actions have already judged him. His mealy-mouthed statement about helping Humanity and bringing us all together boiled down in the end to, “stick around, advertisers, you’ll still make big bucks!” Musk has shown no interest in anyone but himself and now he’s bought his own private hellscape so he can vent his bullshit without interference.

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But now it’s a radioactive dumpster fire.

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Kewl! I’m going to post that on my Diaspora page.

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This guy.

Musk welcomed back THIS guy, who was positively giddy over his (subsequently disproven) belief that he “could say antisemitic things” without consequence.

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It would be a shame if Mossad took an interest in Elon.

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Translation: we’re going to take into account all viewpoints in matters of moderation … including the under-represented voices of fascists and bigots.

ETA: forming the content moderation council will be the usual window-shifting tactics. All of the people on this council will be “free speech absolutists” like Twitter’s new owner. He’ll find a privilege blind brocialist and then add a completely vile Nazi for “balance”; he’ll find a smug New Atheist and then add a hateful Xtianist for “balance”; he’ll find a TER “feminist” and put in a tradwife type for “balance”; he’ll find a pliant and complacent Third-Way Dem and then find someone like Gingrich for “balance”; etc.

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Hell of a job, Mucksy!

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