Twitter Denies Jack Dorsey Personally Stopped Alex Jones Ban
Social media giant says Wall Street Journal report saying Dorsey blocked action on Jones is “completely and totally false”
Sean Burch | September 4, 2018 @ 8:23 AM
Last Updated: September 4, 2018 @ 8:27 AM
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Twitter is pushing back on Tuesday against a report CEO Jack Dorsey personally stepped in to block the company from banning Alex Jones from its platform.
“Any suggestion that Jack made or overruled any of these decisions is completely and totally false,” Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s chief legal officer, said in a statement shared with TheWrap. “Our service can only operate fairly if it’s run through consistent application of our rules, rather than the personal views of any executive, including our CEO. We know not every company takes this approach, but for a global, open and public service like ours, we believe it’s critical.”
The denial comes a day after the Wall Street Journal reported Dorsey had “overruled” a staff decision to boot the digital shock jock. Twitter’s decision stood out in contrast from other Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Facebook and Apple, that banned Jones from its platforms last month for violating “bullying” and “hate speech” policies.
Dorsey tweeted soon after he knows it’s “hard for many” to understand why Twitter kept Jones on its platform, “but the reason is simple: he hasn’t violated our rules. We’ll enforce if he does.” Twitter later suspended Jones for one week — something Dorsey called a “timeout” — after Jones told his followers to get their “battle rifles” ready against the mainstream media and other enemies.
Dorsey will be in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to weigh in on the company’s moderation policies.
10 Most Shocking Russian Troll Posts on Facebook and Instagram, From Hillary Clinton to Police Brutality (Photos)
The U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released more than 3,500 advertisements and posts spread by Russian trolls before and after the 2016 U.S. election. Below is a look at 10 of the most shocking examples that stood out from Congress's reveal.
House Intelligence Committee
Many posts pushed the narrative that Hillary Clinton would confiscate guns if she were elected President.
House Intelligence Committee
This graphic meme painted cops as KKK members attacking a young black child.
House Intelligence Committee
Only "sissies" and other undesirables wouldn't support Donald Trump, many of the memes said.
House Intelligence Committee
President Obama was a "pawn" and "traitor" in the hands of "Arabian Sheikhs," said one 2016 ad.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Black Matters US" page touched on hot button issues like police shootings.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Army of Jesus" page shared a bible verse, along with this meme.
House Intelligence Committee
Russian trolls also used Instagram to spread sponsored political memes.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Blacktivist" page routinely shared memes on Colin Kaepernick and other football players kneeling during the national anthem.
House Intelligence Committee
"Heart of Texas" routinely posted on "Killary Rotten Clinton," and threatened to secede from the union if she won the election.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Being Patriotic" page labeled ex-cons as "Obama voters."
House Intelligence Committee
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Congress just released 3,500 posts touching on a myriad of topics
The U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released more than 3,500 advertisements and posts spread by Russian trolls before and after the 2016 U.S. election. Below is a look at 10 of the most shocking examples that stood out from Congress's reveal.