TWITTER'S chief executive Jack Dorsey has defended the company's decision to ban Donald Trump from their platform.
In a series of tweets, Dorsey explained the thinking behind Twitter's presidential censorship, and while he reiterated that they had made the right decision in banning Trump, he also warned that doing so sets a very dangerous precedent.
He said that he didn't feel "proud" about banning Trump, nor was he celebrating it, but that they were left with no other option but to step in for the sake of public safety.
"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," Dorsey wrote.
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?
— jack (@jack) January 14, 2021
"Was this correct? 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," he continued.
"Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all.
"The check and accountability on this power has always been the fact that a service like Twitter is one small part of the larger public conversation happening across the internet. If folks do not agree with our rules and enforcement, they can simply go to another internet service.
"It's important that we acknowledge this is a time of great uncertainty and struggle for so many around the world. Our goal in this moment is to disarm as much as we can, and ensure we are all building towards a greater common understanding, and a more peaceful existence on earth," Dorsey wrote.
"I believe the internet and global public conversation is our best and most relevant method of achieving this. I also recognize it does not feel that way today. Everything we learn in this moment will better our effort, and push us to be what we are: one humanity working together."
Trump's ban came about in the wake of the Capitol riots last week where a number of the president's supporters stormed Congress in a bid to prevent them from certifying Joe Biden's election victory.
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube have all subsequently banned or suspended Trump's accounts for violating in-house policies of 'inciting violence'.
Many have criticised this censorship of the president, suggesting that it's a very dangerous assault on free speech.
