SAN FRANCISCO, February 14, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey validated concerns that his social media platform censors users on the basis of his own progressive political views.
While Dorsey told a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee last September that Twitter did not consider the political views of users it bans, he boasted in an interview this week entirely on Twitter with Recode co-founder Kara Swisher about Twitter’s ban on users who engage in so-called “misgendering” of transgender people.
When Swisher asked Dorsey how Twitter is protecting its online users, he cited “Misgendering is an example.”
1. Misgendering policy as example.
2. Using ML to downrank bad actors behind interstitials
3. Not too long ago, but most of our work going forward will have to be product features.
4. Not sure the question. We put an entire model in place to minimize gaming of system. #Karajack— jack (@jack) February 12, 2019
Among those criticizing Dorsey was independent journalist Tim Pool, who tweeted:
“Conservatives believe that calling a transwoman a woman is ‘misgendering.’ Progressives believe calling a transwoman a man is ‘misgendering.’ Twitter enforces its policy based on the progressive ideology. Jack (Dorsey) confirms they have a bias and enforce rules based on their bias.”
Unless it's an illegal threat of physical violence/vandalism, spam, or porn, it shouldn't be banned/algorithmed away. What's offensive to one isn't to others, & vice versa.Ex. to some, “misgendering” is using chosen pronouns regardless of biological sex. Why's 1 offense bannable?
— FishEaters.com ΑΩ☾ (@FishEaters) February 14, 2019
Fisheaters, a website that espouses Catholic teachings, tweeted that unless a user has engaged in spam, pornography, or threats of violence or vandalism, that user should not be banned by Twitter. “What’s offensive to one isn’t to others and vice versa. “What's offensive to one isn't to others, and vice versa. Example: to some, ‘misgendering’ is using chosen pronouns regardless of biological sex. Why's one offense bannable?”
Other critics contend that there is no consensus in the United States about the cultural norms of “misgendering” and to expect other cultures to fall in line with Twitter is an exercise in cultural imperialism.
But Jack, it’s ‘misgendering’ according to YOUR view. Many other people (including many scientists) have a different view to you, one which they can civilly and reasonably defend.
So why should people’s right to exist on this platform be at the whim of your personal bias?
— TruthToPower (@TruthToPower15) February 13, 2019
On Monday, feminist Meghan Murphy, who writes at radical feminist blog Feminist Current, filed a lawsuit after being permanently suspended from Twitter in November because of Twitter’s misgendering ban. Murphy had insisted in a tweet that men are not women. Her offending tweets read: “Women aren’t men,” and “How are transwomen not men? What is the difference between a man and a transwoman?”