Setting the Record Straight
LOS ANGELES - Twitter is beginning to take responsibility for the use and abuse of its medium.
Despite a threat by POTUS to "shut down social-media platforms," Twitter has finally put a fact-check warning on the president's false tweets, according to Business Insider.
"When the president twice tweeted "There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Twitter tagged the messages each time with a blue exclamation mark and warning message, linking to articles in The Washington Post, CNN, and other outlets that debunk the president's assertion."
Seems the honeymoon is over between the president and the platform.
He once credited being able to communicate on Twitter as a key factor in his election to the White House. It allowed him to communicate with voters directly, unfiltered by media organizations he accused of partisan bias and "fake news."
“Let me tell you about Twitter,” the newly-elected president candidly told Fox News, “I think that maybe I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Twitter."
80 to 100 million Followers
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, @Potus, etc. have given Mr Trump the ability to publish directly to as many as 80 to 100 million followers every day, all day long.
"Drawing on his experience using Twitter to promote himself and his brand as a TV celebrity, Donald Trump used Twitter to relentlessly promote his 2016 US Presidential campaign. Communicating policy goals and attacking opponents as part of a systematic campaign ahead of the election, his free Twitter posts were worth an estimated $5 billion in advertising.
Besides visibility, SciTechDaily reported, "this may have helped him stand out as a non-traditional politician and as an outsider" And now heads of state in every country in the world announce policies and preferences with a tweet. Clearly, they too are bypassing respected news media and more importantly, bypassing the hard questions reporters ask!
University of Southern California
Twitter also just suspended the account of a USC booster fan who also abused her Twitter privilege. In an admitted fit of anger and "stupidity," she tweeted. Looters and protestors "should be shot." In addition to several other racially-charged sentiments. The university immediately revoked and refunded her season ticket and Trojan Athletic Fund membership. The Los Angeles Times quoted USC's Athletic Director, "We stand in solidarity with the Black community."
In recent days, Bloomberg reported, Twitter tagged Mr. Trump's tweet responses to the demonstrations, peaceful and otherwise with:
”This tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the tweet to remain accessible."
....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
Bottomline, Britain's newspaper The Telegraph called Twitter’s move to tag Trump “perhaps the bravest and riskiest thing that any tech giant has ever done.”