On Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey addressed banning Donald Trump from the social media site following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week.
He started out by writing, "I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump
from Twitter, or how we got here. After a clear warning we’d take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter. Was this correct?"
Dorsey continued, "I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all."
Dorsey went on to admit that he feels like the move set "a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation." He then spoke about the possible long-term effects of platforms banning Trump.
"This moment in time might call for this dynamic, but over the long term it will be destructive to the noble purpose and ideals of the open internet. A company making a business decision to moderate itself is different from a government removing access, yet can feel much the same. Yes, we all need to look critically at inconsistencies of our policy and enforcement. Yes, we need to look at how our service might incentivize distraction and harm. Yes, we need more transparency in our moderation operations. All this can't erode a free and open global internet."
