"protecting the conversation by censoring the part of the conversation we don't like"
You are still free to be an asshole. Twitter just wishes you'd do it elsewhere.
I used to think we will figure out social media, after all we figured out mass media as well. I'm not sure anymore that I'll like the process of us figuring it out...
Assholes shouldn't sign up for Twitter knowing they'll be kicked off.
Unless you are an arsehole with power and/or influence. Like a certain harassing racist who had a lot of power for about four years recently.
(yes, I know they dropped that one eventually, how brave of Twitter and their ilk to do so once he no longer had significant chance to take retaliatory action)
It took DJT to be politically neutralized after losing the election for them to have the fortitude to do what was necessary. When he went from being a controversial asset to the platform to a controversial liability.
Sure no one has to read it, but you also don't need to give these people a platform to broadcast their views to an audience that is larger than the perpetrator's living room or pub.
Feeling unsafe around a psycho shouting at you on the street is reasonable, feeling 'unsafe' because someone tweeted a bad word is not.
I'm not even saying you're wrong but that's a terrible analogy.
How about "a sustained torrent of racist abuse". I can imagine some feeling unsafe in that situation. Can't you?
If we're talking ongoing, targeted individual harassment, that's different but still less immediate than a dude physically in your grill on the street.
Sure, post anonymously, and that's fine, but not everyone does (nor should be required to).
It's all roses at the beginning, but when they are targeted, your "look away from the screen" is looking distinctly weak.
I'll stop now. I can't keep up with your edits.
"Oh it is ok - their hideous torrent of systemmatic abuse calling for <ethnic group A> babies to be drowned at birth is totally A-ok because they said it on twitter so no harm done." No no no. This sort of thing cannot have any "get out" clauses where it is allowed in some circumstances but not others.
Yes, you too can now browse your favorite social feeds without being offended by the blowhards you so can't stand. Now, I know what you're thinking, whose definition of asshole are you using? We have a listed catered for everyone's definition of asshole. Don't like racist, homophobic, and religious type of posts? We got that A-hole list! Don't like libtard socialist propaganda? We got that A-hole list! Just tired of A-holes in general, we got that A-hole list too. You can even combine our A-hole lists, and with the right combination of lists, your feed becomes empty! Boom!
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