A new study suggests that Twitter might not be deleting hateful posts from its subscribers despite its platform policies.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate shared the report, which conducted a test using posts that violated the platform’s policy involving hateful content. The main highlight of the report focuses on Twitter Blue subscribers, who pay the company $8 a month.
According to the report, the study gathered tweets from 100 Twitter Blue subscribers and reported those involving racist, homophobic, neo-Nazi, antisemitic, or conspiracy content. Unfortunately, it noted that the company failed to address 99% of the reports. It added that while Twitter removed one of the posts, the account that posted it remained active, suggesting no other consequences were implemented.
CCDH also said it me be a suggestion that “the platform is allowing them to break its rules with impunity and is even algorithmically boosting their toxic tweets.” As the group noted in the report, Elon Musk even made a tweet in April, saying “verified accounts are now prioritized.”
Verified accounts are now prioritized
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2023
Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of CCDH, believes the subscription cultivates hate on the platform. “The Twitter blue tick used to be a sign of authority and authenticity, but it is now inextricably linked to the promotion of hate and conspiracism,” Ahmed said. “What gives blue tick hate actors confidence to spew their bile is the knowledge that Elon Musk simply doesn’t care about the civil and human rights of black people, Jews, Muslims and LGBTQ+ people, as long as he can make his 8 bucks a month. Our society has benefited from decades of progress on tolerance, but Elon Musk is undoing those norms at an ever-accelerating rate, by allowing hate to prosper on the spaces he administers, all with the tacit approval of the advertisers who remain on his platform.”
The report comes as the new management continues to struggle to establish momentum in its business. To recall, Musk made significant changes in the company, including the layoff of some of its workers, including Twitter’s communications team. Musk’s takeover also resulted in some advertisers feeling the platform and app developers shutting down their creations due to Twitter’s new API pricing. Climate scientists are also reportedly leaving the platform due to the growing hostile climate-change denialism.
